10 guides, written for Houston's north side
Tree advice for north Houston: costs, permits and storm prep
The questions we hear on the phone most, answered in full: what a removal costs, which permits apply, how to get trees ready for June, and when a pine is past saving.
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These 10 guides cover tree work on Houston's north side: removal costs from published Houston data, City of Houston and Woodlands permit rules, hurricane prep before June, pine beetles, roots near slabs, power lines, fallen neighbor trees, crape myrtle pruning and Chinese tallow. Each lists its sources at the end.
Costs and permits
What a job costs and who has to sign off
Price ranges come from published Houston cost data, never from guesswork, and the permit guides walk through what the City of Houston and The Woodlands Township actually ask for.
Tree Removal Cost in Houston, TX: What Moves the Price
Sourced 2026 planning ranges for Houston tree removal by height and species, then the job details that push a quote up or down: the lean, what sits under the tree, gate width, crane time, wood and stump.
By Ursula LuskThe Woodlands Tree Removal Permit, Step by Step
The Woodlands covenants put an application ahead of almost every living-tree removal. This is the order that keeps a project moving: measure, photograph, apply, wait for the inspection, then cut and clean up.
By Ursula LuskDo You Need a Permit to Remove a Tree in Houston?
The City of Houston permits work on trees it owns, including street trees in the right of way. Trees on a private lot answer to other rules: your deed restrictions, your HOA and, in The Woodlands, the township.
By Ursula LuskStorms and safety
Before, during and after a Gulf storm
Beryl and the 2024 derecho showed which trees fail first. These guides cover the spring checklist, a tree on a power line, and who pays when a neighbor's tree comes down.
Hurricane Season Tree Checklist for North Houston
Beryl and the May 2024 derecho showed which Houston trees fail first. This checklist covers what to look for in spring, what to fix before June, and what to leave alone.
By Ursula LuskTree on a Power Line in Houston: What to Do First
Hurricane Beryl left trees in wires all over Houston. The first moves never change: keep clear, report it to the utility, and let the line be made safe before anyone cuts. Here is what comes after.
By Ursula LuskNeighbor's Tree Fell on Your Property in Texas: Who Pays?
After a Gulf storm, the tree on your roof may well have grown next door. In Texas the claim usually starts with your own policy. Here is how that works, where negligence changes it, and when to get help.
By Ursula LuskTree health
Pines, roots and the clay underneath
Bark beetles finish stressed pines fast, and Houston's expansive clay puts roots and slabs in the same conversation. Start here when a tree looks wrong.
Pine Beetle Signs: When a Houston Pine Can't Be Saved
Ips engraver beetles move into pines already weakened by drought, freezes or storms. Here is what an attack looks like on the bark, what Texas A&M Forest Service advises, and how to decide quickly.
By Ursula LuskTree Roots and Slab Foundations on Houston Clay
Much of Houston builds on clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry. Big trees change how much water it holds. Here is how slabs really move, and what each fix costs the tree.
By Ursula LuskPruning and yard trees
The cuts and the trees worth a second look
How to prune a crape myrtle without topping it, and why the Chinese tallow in the corner of the yard is usually worth replacing.
Crape Myrtle Pruning in Houston: Skip the Crape Murder
Every winter, Houston streets fill with crape myrtles cut back to bare stubs. The trees survive it, but they pay for it. Here is what to cut, when, and how to bring back a tree that was topped.
By Ursula LuskChinese Tallow Trees: Why Houston Yards Should Pull Them
Its red fall color made it a nursery favorite. Around Houston it now crowds fence lines and ditches, drops brittle limbs and sprouts back from cut stumps. Here is the case for removal and how to make it last.
By Ursula LuskThe guides are written and kept current by Ursula Lusk, our Tree Guides Editor, using published sources that are listed at the end of every guide.
No. They are typical Houston ranges from published cost data, given so you can plan. Your price comes from a crew lead walking the tree and writing the scope.
No. They explain how the rules work and what to gather, but the City of Houston, The Woodlands Township or your HOA has the final word on any one tree.
Yes. Call the crew line any hour with the question. If the answer depends on seeing the tree, a crew lead can come out and look.
Read it, then ring us
When the guide says it is time for a crew, call any hour. A crew lead will walk the tree and put the scope in writing.