Hit by an EF3 tornado on New Year's Eve 2010

Tree Removal in Sunset Hills, MO

South county hills, roomy lots and trees that take the full force of storms coming across the ridges.

We come out and look before we price, anywhere in City of St. Louis and St. Louis County
Each item on the estimate priced on its own
We confirm where the wood goes before work begins

A City That Knows Winter Tornadoes Happen

Tree Removal in Sunset Hills is a reminder that severe weather around St. Louis does not keep to a season. Around noon on December 31, 2010, an EF3 tornado struck the city, killing one person and damaging a three- to four-block area around Lindbergh Boulevard. A tornado in late December surprises people, but it is a good illustration of why trees with known defects should not wait for spring. Leafless trees catch less wind than trees in full leaf, but a cracked trunk or a dead limb fails in any month.

A city that grew by annexation

Sunset Hills incorporated in June 1957 and grew substantially through annexations in the 1990s, when its population went from 4,915 in 1990 to 7,885 by 1997. By 2020 it had 9,198 residents and 3,534 housing units on about 9 square miles of land, which works out to fewer than 400 homes per square mile. That spacing gives many properties large lawns and wooded areas, and plenty of tall trees standing in the open.

Rolling ground, exposed trees

As the name suggests, Sunset Hills is hilly. Trees on high ground and at the edge of open lawns take the most wind, and storms often break their tops or tear out large limbs. Trees on slopes have their own problem: when soil is saturated, a tree with roots on the downhill side can slide or tip. These are the conditions where we see the most failures after a summer thunderstorm:

Tall trees standing alone on a rise, with no neighbors to break the wind
Trees at the top of a slope with the house below
Trees whose roots were cut for a driveway, patio or retaining wall
Dead ash and dead or dying oaks with brittle tops

Sunset Hills public works

The city formed its own public works department in 1981 by buying a landscaping service, and the city also includes Laumeier Sculpture Park, one of the area's best-known open spaces. For trees along a city street, start with the city. For trees on your property, the decision is yours.

How we work here

On hilly lots we rig and lower pieces rather than felling, and we plan the stump grinder's path so it does not tear up a slope. If a tree is already damaged after a storm, we stabilize the dangerous parts first and finish the cleanup when it is safe. Call (314) 668-1571 or send the form for a free estimate. Get a free estimate

Sunset Hills Facts

New Year's Eve tornado. An EF3 tornado struck Sunset Hills around noon on December 31, 2010, killing one person and damaging a three- to four-block area around Lindbergh Boulevard.
Growth by annexation. Sunset Hills incorporated in June 1957. Annexations in the 1990s raised the population from 4,915 in 1990 to 7,885 by 1997, and the 2020 census counted 9,198 residents.
Spacious lots. The city had 3,534 housing units, 5.7 percent vacant, on about 9 square miles of land in 2020, fewer than 400 homes per square mile.
Public works origins. In 1981, Sunset Hills bought a landscaping service to set up its public works department. The city is also home to Laumeier Sculpture Park.

Our Services in Sunset Hills, MO

Sunset Hills Questions

Is winter a good time for tree removal in Sunset Hills?

Often, yes. With the leaves off, it is easier to see the structure and any defects in the crown, frozen or dry ground supports equipment better, and lawns and gardens are dormant. Hazard trees should not wait for any season, though.

My tree is at the top of a slope above the house. Should I worry?

It depends on its health and root system. A sound tree on a slope can be fine for decades. Signs of trouble are a new lean, soil cracking or mounding on the uphill side, or dead branches at the top. We can assess it and tell you plainly.

Can you grind stumps on a hillside?

Usually. Smaller grinders can work on moderate slopes, and we choose a safe approach for the machine. Very steep stumps are sometimes cut flush and left to decay instead.

A storm just dropped a big limb on my fence. What should I do first?

Make sure no one goes near any wires that came down with it, and call Ameren if lines are involved. Take photos for your insurer before anything is moved. Then call (314) 668-1571; we will cut the limb off the fence in pieces so the fence is not damaged further, and check the rest of the tree for other broken or hanging limbs.

Free Estimates in Sunset Hills, MO

Free estimates throughout Sunset Hills.

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