How to Prepare Your Yard Before Tree Service

Clear the driveway and work area

Move vehicles out of the driveway and away from the side yard if the chipper or truck needs access. Grills, patio furniture, planters, kids' toys, and anything portable should come out of the work zone before we arrive.

Open access points

Unlock gates. Move trash bins out of the path. If we have to navigate around obstacles to get equipment in, the job takes longer. Clear access means a faster, cleaner day.

Keep children and pets inside during cuts

Active tree work is loud, fast, and involves falling material and swinging equipment. Keep kids and pets indoors while cutting is happening. We'll let you know when it's safe to come back outside.

Send photos ahead of time

Before the job day, send photos of anything you want us to see: a specific limb, the gate width, a sensitive area of the lawn, or the tree from multiple angles. Seeing it ahead of time is better than figuring it out once the crew is on-site.

Mark utilities, irrigation, and underground lines

We can't see what's underground. If you've installed irrigation heads, low-voltage lighting wiring, French drains, invisible pet fencing, or your own secondary utility line, tell us before we move equipment. A few minutes of pointing out those locations can prevent damage that takes far longer to repair.

Decide on cleanup scope before the job starts

Do you want the wood hauled away, cut to firewood length, or left in rounds? Do you want the chips removed, or do you have a use for them in a garden bed? It's easier to set those expectations before anyone starts a chainsaw than to sort it out mid-job.

What happens when the crew arrives

We walk the job with you, confirm the scope, talk through any last-minute details, and start. When we leave, the site is clean and the wood is where you asked for it. Payment is due once the job is complete. See how Tree Giants quotes and bills for more on that process.

Give the neighbor a heads-up

Most jobs don't impact the neighbor, but some do — drop zones that cross a property line, rigging lines that need an anchor in their yard, parking the chipper at the curb in front of their house. A two-sentence text the night before goes a long way. We're happy to talk to them directly if it helps, but the relationship is yours to manage.

Plan your day around the work, not around it

Active tree work is loud. If you work from home and take calls, plan to do it from somewhere else during the active cutting hours. If you have pets that bark at every noise, the kennel for the day is kinder to them and to us. If you have a delivery scheduled, the truck probably can't get in — reschedule it.

What to expect from the cleanup

We're clean as we go, not just at the end. Brush gets chipped or stacked as it comes down. The lawn gets raked before we move equipment off the site. Driveways and walkways get blown clear. Sawdust gets cleared from where you walk. The standard is the yard looks better than we found it, not just no-worse.

After we leave: a 24-hour check

• Walk the work zone the next morning. Small debris that got missed in fading light is easier to see in daylight — tell us and we'll come back.
• Check irrigation and lighting in the affected area within a few days.
• Look at the wood pile or stacked rounds. Make sure it's where you wanted it.
• If you're getting the stump ground later, take a quick photo of the stump for our scheduling notes.

Communication ground rules

We confirm the day before. We confirm again on the morning of. If the schedule slips because of weather or a job that ran long, we call you — we don't let you wonder. You can text the project lead directly during the job if something comes up. That's the standard, not the upgrade.