Signs You Need Tree Service (and What Causes the Problem)

What a stump does when you leave it in the ground

Rion soil drains well in this part of Asheboro, so a stump left in place tends to dry out and crack as the wood loses moisture. The roots stay put and rot slowly. Expect years, not months, before the stump is gone on its own.

If you plan to seed, lay sod, pour a pad or build over that spot, the stump is in the way and should come out first. If it sits in a corner and nothing is planned there, leaving it is a legitimate choice. Just keep soil and mulch from piling up between a rotting stump and your house or deck, because decaying wood can draw pests and you do not want a path from one to the other.

Owners and renters weigh it differently

Just over half the homes in Asheboro are rented, so the person making this call is often a landlord, not the person mowing around the stump. An owner who plans to stay usually gets more out of removal, since the yard is usable the day the work is done. A landlord can reasonably wait unless the stump is in a high-traffic spot, near a play area, or right where the mower has to go.

If you rent and the stump bothers you, take it up with the property owner before you call anyone. We would rather quote a job the owner has already approved.

Do you need a permit to cut down a tree?

We cannot tell you from here what Asheboro requires for a given address, and we will not guess. Call the city planning or zoning office with your address before work is scheduled, and check your lease or any neighborhood rules if they apply.

Power lines are the part we do plan for. We treat every overhead line as energized and keep the required clearance. If the work cannot be done safely at that distance, we contact the utility before anything gets cut. Before the first cut we also settle the felling direction, the drop zone, who does what on the crew, and the signals we use. When you call, give us the address, a rough height, and where any lines run, so we can sort out any problems before we arrive. Where a tree has to come down in sections, we work from an aerial lift (bucket truck).

Deciding what to do with the stump and the rest of the tree

Start with your plans for the spot. A garden bed, a patio or a building footprint means the stump goes. Then look at what is nearby. A stump close to a foundation, a fence line or a walkway is harder to ignore than one at the back of the lot. Size matters too, because a bigger root mass takes more time and the price follows. If you are in no hurry and the stump is out of the way, waiting costs you nothing but the view.

The tree itself may leave more behind than the stump. Wood chipping runs $75 to $300, depending on how much material there is. Chippers are dangerous, so we keep guards and emergency stops in working order, stay clear of the in-feed chute, and never push material in with hands or feet. If the trees you are keeping look stressed after a neighbor is removed, deep root aeration runs $100 to $300. We price each job on what we see, so describe the stump and what you want done with it, and we will tell you what it takes.