Crown Reduction in Birmingham, AL

Crown reduction makes a tree smaller – lower and narrower – while keeping it alive, healthy and natural-looking. It is the right job for a tree you like but that has outgrown its spot: limbs over the roof, branches scraping the house, a crown reaching into the power lines. We do it for homeowners across Birmingham, Homewood, Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills and Hoover.

When reduction makes sense

Limbs hang over the roof, the carport or the driveway and you worry every time the wind picks up.
Branches rub on the house or fill the gutters every week in the fall.
The tree is growing into the service line to your house.
A neighbor complains about limbs over the property line.
An older tree with some decay that would be risky at full size, but can stay if it carries less weight.

One customer in Birmingham had branches over the roof with a power line running through them. We cut them back, the tree still looks like a tree, and the worry about the roof and the line is gone.

How crown reduction is done

Each limb that needs to be shorter is cut back to a side branch that is at least a third of its diameter. That side branch takes over as the new tip and keeps feeding the limb. Done this way, the cuts are small, the tree seals them, and the crown keeps a rounded, natural outline.

We usually reduce a crown by a few feet up to about 20 percent of its size. A tree that needs to lose more than that is often better off removed – we will tell you which it is.

Crown reduction vs. topping

Topping cuts the tree back to stubs wherever the height should end. It is quick, and it is the worst thing you can do to a tree: the stubs rot, the tree sends up masses of weak shoots, and in a few years you have a taller, more dangerous tree than before. Crown reduction takes longer because every cut is chosen – but the tree stays healthy and keeps its shape for years.

Trees near power lines

The line from the pole to your house is the homeowner’s side, and we can work around it carefully – or you can ask Alabama Power to disconnect it for the day. The main lines along the street are another matter: only Alabama Power and its line-clearance contractors may trim near them. If your tree is in the main lines, call Alabama Power first.

Crown reduction questions

How much smaller can you make my tree?

Usually up to about a fifth of the crown in one go. How much exactly depends on the species and the branch structure – we will show you on site.

Will the tree look butchered?

No. Because each cut goes back to a living side branch, the tree keeps a natural shape. Most neighbors won’t notice that it was cut, just that it looks tidier.

Is crown reduction cheaper than removal?

Often it is about the same or a little less, and you keep the shade and the tree. When reduction would cost nearly as much as removal and the tree is in poor shape, we will say so.

How long does a reduction last?

Typically three to five years before the tree needs another look, depending on how fast it grows.

Can you raise the canopy too?

Yes. Removing the lowest limbs to clear the driveway, the roof line or a walkway is often done together with a reduction.

Reviews

What customers say about the work

4.9 · 58 Google reviews

Wesley and his crew were prompt and professional in trimming trees in my power lines. They exceeded my expectations !

David Renaker on Google

RJ Tree Service cut and removed branches from a tree in our front yard that were close to our roof and had a power line running through them. Wesley came out and walked through what needed to be done with me and answered all my questions. They came out and took care of it promptly. The tree looks great and I no longer have to worry about the power line or my roof!

John Wancowicz on Google

RJ Tree Service cut back and removed branches from several large trees in our front and back yard. They took time to walk us through their recommendations at the beginning as well as the work once it was completed. They provided great service at good prices with timely, clean work! Couldn’t asked for a better experience for this first time home owner.

Skylar Jones on Google