Not every ugly tree is dangerous, and not every dangerous tree looks bad. A hazardous tree assessment gives you a straight answer about the trees you are worried about — the leaner near the driveway, the fir with the thinning top, the oak dropping big deadwood — before a windstorm makes the decision for you.
We inspect the parts that actually predict failure: the root plate and soil for lifting and decay, the trunk for cracks, cavities, and fungal conks, the union points for included bark, and the crown for dieback, bark-beetle activity, and root-rot signatures common in Pacific Northwest conifers. Then we tell you what we found and lay out the options in plain language — monitor, prune, cable, or remove.
The goal is an informed decision, not a sales pitch. If a tree is sound, we will tell you so. If it needs to come down, you will understand exactly why.
What we look for
Root and soil defects
Lifting root plates, cracked or heaving soil, girdling roots, and root-rot conks at the base are the most serious warning signs.
Trunk defects
Vertical cracks, seams, cavities, and fungal fruiting bodies signal internal decay that hollows a trunk from the inside.
Crown decline
Dead tops, thinning foliage, and off-season color point to root disease, drought stress, or insect pressure.
Weak unions
Codominant stems with included bark are prone to splitting apart in wind and ice — a very common failure mode.
Lean and load
A new lean, or a heavy one-sided canopy over a target, changes a tree from an asset to a liability.
How an assessment works
- 1
Walk and talk
We start with your concerns and history — what changed, what fell, what worries you — then inspect on foot.
- 2
Ground-up inspection
Roots, trunk, unions, and crown are examined systematically for the defects that predict failure.
- 3
Target and likelihood
We weigh the chance of failure against what would be hit — a house and a driveway raise the stakes.
- 4
Clear recommendation
You get a plain-language verdict: monitor, prune, cable/brace, or remove, with the reasoning.
- 5
Written scope if needed
If work is warranted, we hand you an itemized quote you can act on now or later.
Assessment and what follows
Many assessments are folded into a free estimate when you are already considering work. Standalone documented evaluations are quoted based on:
- Number of trees to inspect
- Whether you need a simple verbal recommendation or written documentation
- Travel to outlying Douglas County and regional properties
- Any climbing or aerial inspection required to see high defects
- Follow-up pruning, cabling, or removal (quoted separately and itemized)
For an accurate number, the fastest path is a free on-site estimate. Call (855) 615-0568 or request a quote online — no obligation.
We provide tree assessment across the region: