Tree Removal in Affton, MO

Tree Removal in Affton usually means working in tight spaces. Affton is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in south St. Louis County, and the 2020 census counted 20,417 residents and 9,579 housing units on just 4.57 square miles. That is about 2,100 homes per square mile, denser than many incorporated suburbs. Most houses sit on modest lots with a tree or two in front, a bigger one in back, and neighbors close on every side.

A suburb past its peak population

Affton is named for Johann Aff, the area's first postmaster. Its population peaked at 24,464 in 1970 and has since settled at a little over 20,000. That history tells you something about its trees. Neighborhoods built in the decades leading up to 1970 have trees that are now 50 to 80 years old, many of them large shade trees that were planted when the houses were new. They have grown big, and many now stand within a few feet of a roof, a garage or a neighbor's fence.

How dense lots change the job

On an Affton lot, there is rarely room to fell a tree in one piece. Instead, we take it apart from the top: limbs are cut in sections and lowered by rope through a pulley high in the tree, guided away from roofs, fences and power lines. The trunk comes down last in short rounds. If the yard has no wide gate or alley, wood is carried out through the side yard by hand. All of that takes time, and it is the main reason removal costs vary so much from lot to lot.

Unincorporated means no city crew

Without a city government, Affton has no city forester and no city tree program. Trees on your lot are your responsibility, and trees along county roads are a matter for St. Louis County. If you are not sure whether a tree near the street is on your property, check your plat or survey before work starts.

Neighbors and shared trees

On lots this close together, trees often straddle property lines or hang far over the neighbor's yard. If a tree's trunk sits on the line, both owners generally share it and should agree before it is removed. If the trunk is fully on your side, it is yours, but a quick conversation with the neighbor before the work day saves trouble, especially if we may need to set ropes or lower pieces over their yard. We are happy to quote a shared tree for both households.

What we see in Affton yards

• Silver maples and other large trees with heavy limbs over houses
• Dead ash from emerald ash borer, standing between houses
• Trees with roots damaged by sewer, driveway or foundation work
• Volunteer trees grown into fences and garages
• Old stumps taking up space in small yards

Call (314) 668-1571 or send the form. We visit, look at the access, and give you a written estimate. Get a free estimate