Tree Service business guide
How to handle storm tree emergency calls
Sort storm tree calls by danger first, damage second and inconvenience last. Anyone hurt, trapped or near sparking wires calls 911 and the utility before you. Trees on a house or car come next, then blocked driveways, then trees lying in the yard, which get a normal estimate slot a few days out.
The morning after a big wind, the phone starts before the coffee's done and doesn't let up. Every caller has a tree down, every caller thinks theirs is first, and you've got one or two crews and a sky that might do it again Thursday. Who gets you, and when, gets decided on the phone. Have the words ready before the storm, not during it.
Sort every storm call into one of four piles
You can't run triage in your head at 6 a.m. with forty voicemails. Most tree owners land on something like this, and it's worth taping inside the truck:
| Pile | What the caller describes | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Danger now | Someone hurt or trapped, wires down with sparks or fire, a tree through an occupied bedroom | 911 and the utility first. You come after they clear it. |
| 2. Structure hit | Tree or a big leader on the house, garage or a car, roof open to rain | Same day or first thing tomorrow |
| 3. Access blocked | Driveway or private road blocked, no damage, can't get a car out | A quick cut-and-clear visit in the next open slot |
| 4. Down, nothing hit | Tree across the lawn, over a fence line, or leaning but standing | A regular estimate once piles 2 and 3 are handled |
A standing tree with a fresh lean and heaved soil can jump from pile 4 to pile 2 overnight. If a caller describes cracked, lifting ground on the side away from the lean, move them up.
Script: a tree on the house
CallerA big oak came down on our house last night. Can you come today?
YouI'm sorry, that's an awful night. First thing: is everybody out of the rooms under it, and is anyone hurt?
CallerWe're okay. We moved to the other end of the house.
YouGood. Are there any wires on the tree or down in the yard?
CallerThe line to the house is pinned under a branch.
YouThen treat that line as live. Keep everyone, kids and pets included, well back from it, and call the power company now so they can disconnect it. We can't start cutting until they have. Is the roof broken open, or is the tree resting on it?
CallerThere's a hole over the back bedroom and rain is getting in.
YouOkay, you're on today's list. I can be there between 1 and 3 to look it over and plan how we lift it off. Before we touch anything, take photos from every side, because your insurance adjuster will want them. What's the address, with the city?
Script: a tree down in the yard
CallerWe lost a pine out back. It's lying across the lawn.
YouGlad it missed the house. Did it hit anything on the way down, like a fence, a shed or any wires?
CallerJust flattened a section of fence.
YouGot it. Today we're working on houses and blocked driveways. A pine lying flat won't get any worse, so I'd like to book you an estimate Thursday, 8 to 10 or 10 to 12, and you'll get a written price when I've seen it. Which one works?
CallerTen to twelve.
Why these scripts hold up
- Safety questions come before the address. The answer decides whether the caller should be dialing you or 911 and the utility, so it goes first.
- You promise a look and a plan, not a removal. A mature oak on a two-story house may need a crane, a second crew or a line disconnect. You can't know which from a phone call, and a broken promise on a storm day travels fast.
- Line talk stays blunt. Assume it's live, stay back, the utility disconnects it. No "it's probably just the cable line," because callers can't tell cable from a service drop and neither can you over the phone.
- The yard caller gets a real day. "We'll call you back when things calm down" sends them straight to the next number on the list. A Thursday window keeps the job.
- Photos before work. Adjusters want the tree where it fell. Asking for photos shows the homeowner you've done this before.
Lines get their own call flow, including what to say when a limb is resting on the primary wires at the pole. That's covered in what to do when a caller's tree is near power lines.
What not to say on storm days
Don't quote a number on a tree you haven't seen, even if the caller begs. Storm trees hide their tension: a trunk pinned under another trunk can spring when cut, and that changes how many people and how much time the job takes. Quote on site, in writing, itemized.
Don't promise the insurance will pay. Homeowners policies commonly help with a tree that hit a covered structure and pay little or nothing for one that just fell in the yard, but the caller's policy decides, not you. And be careful with anything that sounds like a storm surcharge. Many states have price gouging rules that apply during declared emergencies, so read your state attorney general's guidance before the season, not after a complaint.
The week after the storm
Pile 4 is where next month's work lives. Once the emergencies are cleared, go through that list in the order you promised, and while you're on each property, look at the trees still standing. Customers who just watched one tree fall are ready to hear about the split leader or the fungus at the base of the next one. Send them our homeowner piece on tree warning signs so they know what you're pointing at. If your area gets several storm weeks a year, the call-by-call breakdown on the tree service overview shows how to keep the phones covered while every crew is working.
Questions owners ask
Should I charge more for storm work?
Storm removals often cost more because the work is harder: wood under tension, trees tangled in each other, cranes booked out, and long days. Price the actual difficulty and write it down. Avoid a flat storm surcharge, since many states have price gouging rules during declared emergencies, and check what yours says before the season starts.
Can I start cutting a tree that's resting on a service line?
Not until the utility has disconnected or cleared the line and told you it's safe. Treat any line touching the tree as energized. Work close to energized lines is for qualified line-clearance crews under OSHA rules, and it's usually the utility's call, not yours or the homeowner's.
Will homeowners insurance pay for the tree removal?
Often part of it, when the tree hit a covered structure like the house, garage or a fence. Trees that fell without hitting anything are commonly covered less or not at all. Tell callers to read their policy and call their insurer, and give them an itemized invoice and photos they can submit.
What if I can't get to everyone for days?
Say so on the first call. People handle a Thursday appointment far better than silence. Give each caller a real day and window, keep a written list in the order you promised, and call anyone you have to move before the day comes, not after.
Should I tarp the roof myself after lifting the tree off?
Some tree services carry tarps and do a temporary cover so the house isn't open overnight. Others leave that to a roofer. Either way, agree on it with the homeowner before you start, note it on the invoice, and don't do roof repairs your license and insurance don't cover.