Quick answer
To get a fallen tree off a house or car, the weight is lifted away in sections, starting at the free end, while the trunk stays tied so nothing slides. Call 911 first if anyone is hurt or the tree blocks a road, and PECO for any power line. Phones here are answered 24/7, so call once everyone is clear.
The danger is in how the tree comes off
A fallen trunk resting on a structure is still pushing on it. Cut in the middle and both halves drop. Cut the wrong limb and the trunk rolls. So we start at the free end, tie off what remains, and take pieces small enough to lift instead of letting them fall onto what is already broken.
Where a tree is too heavy to lift off by hand, a crane can pick the trunk off the roof in a few big pieces. If the tree is still partly standing and splitting, that is an urgent takedown call rather than a cleanup.
Getting a fallen tree off without more damage
Clear people and call
Everyone out of the area, 911 or PECO if needed, then us.
Photograph first
You take pictures of the damage before anything moves.
Rope the trunk
Tied to a sound tree or anchor so it can't roll.
Work from the free end
Limbs and top come off first, in liftable pieces.
Lift off the structure
The last sections are raised away, not dragged across.
Deal with the root plate
Braced, cut free, then ground or set back.
Chip, haul, sweep
Brush chipped, logs out, roof and drive swept.
How long fallen tree removal takes
A mid-size tree on open ground is usually a couple of hours. One on a roof is more often a half day or longer, because every piece is lifted rather than dropped. A crane pick, a wire make-safe or a backlog after a widespread storm can push the finish to a second visit.
Tree on a roof
Inside, you may see a sagging ceiling or daylight through the boards. Keep everyone out of those rooms. Outside, the trunk may be resting on the ridge with limbs through the shingles. We rope the trunk, cut limbs off the free side, and lift sections away until the roof carries nothing. Pulling limbs out of holes comes last, so the roofer can tarp the openings.
Tree on a car
Don't try to drive out from under it. A car pinned by a limb can hold that weight against the frame, and moving it can bring the rest down on the windshield. We cut the limb back to the car's edge, lift the last piece off by rope, and leave the car untouched for photos. HomeAdvisor's national upper figure for emergency removal reaches as high as $5,000.
Tree across a fence or garage
A tree through a fence line usually lies across several panels, with the weight on one or two posts. A garage hit is like a small roof job, often with a car inside. We take the top weight off first, then free the panels or rafters one at a time. Those posts and rafters are for your contractor to rebuild once the wood is gone.
Fallen trees and who handles them in Philadelphia
Isaias showed what fallen trees look like at scale. On August 4, 2020, an EF2 tornado with peak winds near 115 mph tracked about 20 miles from Northeast Philadelphia to Doylestown, snapping or uprooting trees, some close to 100 years old, and dropping them on homes and cars in Southampton. When one lands on your property, sorting it out is yours: the city points people to 911 for a tree on a house, a car or a road, and to PECO for power lines, but not for cable lines.
Can you cut up a fallen tree yourself?
| Doing it yourself | Having us do it | |
|---|---|---|
| Small tree on open lawn | Doable with a sharp saw if nothing is pinned under it | Quicker on big trunks, and the wood leaves with us |
| Tree on a roof or car | The weight shifts as you cut; a wrong cut drops it further | Lifted off in an order that keeps the load still until it is gone |
| Root plate still attached | The stump can snap upright when the trunk is cut free | Plate braced so it settles back slowly |
| Wires in the tangle | Any line may be live, even one that looks like cable | Nothing cut until the utility confirms it is safe |
What fallen tree removal costs
A tree on the ground is usually cheaper than one standing. A tree on something is not. These five things decide it.
- 01
What it landed on. Open lawn is quick cutting; a roof or car means slow lifted pieces.
- 02
Size of the trunk. A big trunk too heavy to lift by rope may need a crane.
- 03
Root plate attached. A tree that tipped with its roots needs the plate braced before the last cut.
- 04
Wire involvement. Any line in the tangle means waiting for the utility first.
- 05
Haul or leave. Hauling every log costs more than leaving rounds stacked for firewood.
| Job | Published range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency tree removal | as high as $5,000 | HomeAdvisor, 2026 |
| Tree removal, Philadelphia | $500 to $2,200 | HomeBlue, 2025 |
| Medium tree removal, 30 to 60 ft | $450 to $1,200 | HomeAdvisor, 2026 |
Planning numbers from published surveys, not our prices. We price after seeing the tree.
Fallen tree questions
Usually your own homeowners policy handles damage to your house, whoever owned the tree. If the tree was clearly dead and they ignored it, your insurer may pursue them. Ask your insurer first.
Make sure everyone is safe, take photos, then call both. Your insurer will want pictures from before removal, and getting the weight off sooner can limit further damage.
If the roof is holding, rain is not getting in, and nobody needs those rooms, often yes. If a ceiling is sagging or water is coming through, call now.
Either. We can haul everything, or cut the trunk into rounds and leave them stacked if you want firewood or plan to split it yourself.
On open ground, often yes, because no climbing or rigging is needed. On a roof or car it is usually more, because every piece has to be lifted off.
Related urgent work
Emergency Tree Removal
A tree cracking, leaning hard or blocking the way out. We answer around the clock and make it safe first.
Storm Damage Cleanup
Limbs and trunks scattered after a microburst or nor'easter, cut up and hauled away.
Crane Tree Removal
Big picks lifted over roofs when there is no safe way to lower the wood by rope.
Log & Debris Haul-Away
Logs, brush piles and storm debris loaded up and hauled off the property.
Tree lying on something?
Call once everyone is clear. We'll talk through how it comes off and what needs doing first.