Question 1

Are you licensed and insured?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sierra Crest Tree Service is a fully licensed California contractor (CA Lic #1108901) and we carry general liability and workers' comp insurance. We're happy to send you a copy of our certificate of insurance before any work starts.

Question 2

Do you offer free estimates?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We come out, walk the property, look at the trees, and put together a written estimate - no charge, no pressure. Call us at 530-721-8969 or request one through our website.

Question 3

What factors affect the price of tree work?

Accepted Answer

Size of the tree (height and trunk diameter), proximity to your house, power lines, fences, and other targets, access for our equipment, whether stump grinding is included, and how much debris needs to be hauled away. A 60-foot pine over your roof costs more to remove than the same tree in an open lot - that's the kind of thing we look at when we walk the property.

Question 4

Can you help me meet my insurance company's defensible space requirements?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. A lot of insurance carriers in California and Nevada are now requiring proof of defensible space - and some are non-renewing policies when properties aren't in compliance. We know what the inspectors are looking for, and we'll walk your property and put together a plan that satisfies CAL FIRE standards and your carrier's specific requirements.

Question 5

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in the Tahoe Basin?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes. TRPA (Tahoe Regional Planning Agency) requires a permit to remove any live tree greater than 14 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH). If your house is on the lakeshore, the threshold drops to 6 inches DBH for any tree between the house and the lake. Dead and dying trees usually don't need a permit.

Question 6

Can you handle the permit process for me?

Accepted Answer

We can guide you through it and tell you exactly what you need. For straightforward defensible space work, your local fire district can often issue the permit directly. For larger removals that require TRPA review, we'll point you to the application and help you understand what the forester will be looking for when they inspect your property.

Question 7

Should I trim or remove my tree?

Accepted Answer

Depends on what's going on. Healthy trees with structural issues can often be pruned, cabled, or trimmed back to remove risk while keeping the tree. Trees that are dead, dying, infested with beetles, structurally compromised, or in a location where they're a constant hazard usually need to come out. We'll give you our honest read when we walk the property. We don't remove trees that don't need to come down.

Question 8

What services does Sierra Crest offer?

Accepted Answer

Tree removal, tree trimming and pruning, stump grinding, defensible space and fire mitigation, lot clearing, hazard tree assessment, and emergency storm response. We work with both homeowners and property managers throughout South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Stateline, and Zephyr Cove.

Question 9

Do you grind stumps? How deep?

Accepted Answer

Yes - we run a Vermeer stump grinder that can handle just about anything residential. Standard depth is 6-8 inches below grade. If you need it deeper for replanting another tree or a landscaping project, just let us know.

Question 10

What's your service area?

Accepted Answer

South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Stateline, and Zephyr Cove. We're local - we live and work here year-round, and we know the trees, the regulations, and the weather.

Question 11

Do I need to be home during the work?

Accepted Answer

You don't have to be, as long as we've already walked the property together and you've signed off on the scope of work. A lot of our clients aren't local - they own property here but live elsewhere - and we handle their projects start to finish. We'll send photos and updates throughout.

Tree service questions, answered straight.

Questions we hear every week

Ready to clear, trim, or remove a tree?