Tree services
Emergency tree service is the urgent removal of trees and limbs that have fallen on a house, car, driveway or road, or are about to. Newcomb's Tree Service takes storm damage calls 24 hours a day around Halifax and the South Shore.
Storm work is different from a planned removal. The tree is already down, broken or hung up in another tree, and the wood is under tension in ways that are hard to read. A trunk resting on a roof can shift when a limb is cut. A split leader can let go without warning. The first job is to make the scene safe. The second is to get the weight off the structure without doing more damage. The third is to clear access. Full cleanup and stump work can follow once the hazard is gone.
Call (781) 294-1520 at any hour. We ask what fell, what it hit and whether wires are involved, then send the crew and equipment that fit. That can be a bucket truck and chipper for a blocked driveway. It can be one of our own cranes, 45-ton or 110-ton, to lift a tree off a roof in sections. Owning the cranes means we are not hunting for a rental in the middle of a storm. Crews work to ANSI Z133 safety requirements, and the company is fully insured.
This part of Massachusetts gets hit from several directions. Nor'easters bring long hours of wind off the water. Wet, heavy snow loads white pine limbs until they snap. Summer thunderstorms catch oaks and maples in full leaf. Sandy soils near the coast and saturated soils inland both let root plates tip. Trees already weakened by spongy moth, winter moth, emerald ash borer or pine decline tend to fail first. If a tree is on primary power lines, the utility has to handle it before any tree crew can touch it.
While you wait, keep everyone away from the tree and from any wire, even one that looks dead. Call the utility or 911 for downed lines. Take photos for your insurance company if you can do it from a safe spot. When we arrive, we walk the scene with you, explain the plan and start with the most urgent hazard. After the tree is off the house or the driveway is open, we can come back in daylight for the rest of the cleanup and any stump grinding you want.
How it works
From first call to clean yard
01
Call any hour
Phone (781) 294-1520. Tell us what fell, what it landed on and whether any wires are down or touching the tree.
02
Secure the scene
The crew checks for wires, unstable limbs and structural damage, then sets a safe work zone before any cutting begins.
03
Remove the hazard
We lift or cut the tree off the house, car or driveway, using a crane when the weight has to come straight up.
04
Finish the cleanup
Remaining wood and brush are processed and hauled, right then or on a return visit. Stump grinding is offered separately.
Pricing
What affects the price
What the tree hit
A tree across a lawn is simpler than one through a roof. Work over a damaged structure is slower, because each cut has to avoid adding to the damage.
Equipment required
Some calls need a saw crew and chipper. Others need a bucket truck or crane. The equipment the situation demands is one of the largest parts of the price.
Timing and conditions
Night work, active storms, ice and blocked roads all slow a crew down. Clearing the hazard now and finishing cleanup in daylight can keep the urgent portion smaller.
Size and tension
Large trunks, uprooted root plates and limbs under tension take more cuts and more care. Bigger, more tangled trees mean more hours on site.
Cleanup scope
Clearing the hazard is one job. Hauling every log, chipping all brush and grinding the stump are additional work, and stump grinding is always priced separately.
Reviews
What customers say
Fantastic work. Fast, efficient, added some extra trees to the quote the day of for a reasonable price. All in all, would definitely use them again.
Excellent! I highly recommend Newcombs. The crew is awesome. Efficient, friendly, accommodating. Our experience was 5+ stars.
I had a great experience with Paul and his crew! I had twelve very large pine trees taken down in the front of my house. They were able to complete the job within a day, everything completed and cleaned up. Excellent work.
Questions
24-Hour Emergency Service FAQ
Get everyone out of the damaged rooms and stay clear of the tree. If wires are down or you smell gas, call 911 and the utility first. Then call a tree service with crane capability and contact your insurance company. Do not try to cut the tree yourself. Wood resting on a roof is under load and can move suddenly.
Call your electric utility, and call 911 if the line is down, sparking or blocking a road. Utilities handle trees on primary power lines, and no tree crew should touch them until the utility has made the line safe. Stay well back and assume every wire is live. Once the utility clears it, Newcomb's can remove the rest of the tree.
Newcomb's offers 24-hour emergency tree service. Whether a crew can cut at a given moment depends on wind, lightning and wires. If conditions are too dangerous, the first step is keeping people away from the hazard, and removal starts as soon as it can be done without putting anyone at risk.
Coverage depends on your policy and on what the tree damaged, so the answer has to come from your insurer or agent. Documentation helps in any case. Take photos before work starts if it is safe to do so, keep your invoice and call your insurance company early. Newcomb's is fully insured and can describe the work performed.
It can be. A tree that has always leaned is usually less urgent than one that started leaning after a storm. New lean, lifted or cracked soil at the base, fresh splits in the trunk, or a house or driveway underneath are reasons to call right away. Keep people out from under it until someone has looked at it.
Related services
24-Hour Emergency Service near you
We cover every town within about 30 miles of Halifax.
Ready for a free estimate?
Call the office or send a photo of the tree. You get a written price before any work starts.