Good pruning is invisible. You should not be able to tell we were there except that the tree looks balanced and the branches are off your roof.
Topping is cutting a tree back to stubs. It is fast, it is cheap, and it kills the tree slowly while creating weakly attached regrowth that breaks in the next windstorm. Any company that offers to top your tree is either untrained or does not care. Proper pruning removes whole branches back to a lateral or the collar so the tree can compartmentalize the wound.
Most hardwoods in Michigan are best pruned in late winter, roughly February through early April, when the tree is dormant and you can see the structure. Oaks specifically should be pruned November through March to avoid oak wilt, which spreads through beetles attracted to fresh cuts in the growing season. Elms follow the same rule for Dutch elm disease. Dead and hazardous limbs come off any time of year.
A single small tree cleanup is $275 to $450. Mature shade trees run $500 to $900. Large removals of deadwood from an old oak, or clearance work near service lines, run $900 to $1,400. Multiple trees on the same visit are cheaper per tree because the setup is already done.
Before you hire anyone: ask for a certificate of insurance showing both general liability and workers compensation, and get the estimate in writing. Those two things filter out most of the problems people run into with tree companies.
Send a photo and a few details. Most quotes back same day.
Young trees benefit from structural pruning every two to three years. Mature shade trees usually need attention every three to five years, mostly to remove deadwood and keep branches off the roof. Fruit trees are annual.
Lines from the pole to your house, the service drop, we can work around. High voltage primary lines are DTE's responsibility and we will not touch them. Call DTE at 800-477-4747 for those and they will handle it at no charge.
It is the best time for most species. The tree is dormant, the structure is visible with no leaves, the ground is often frozen so equipment does less damage, and disease pressure is lowest.
Free estimate, no obligation. Call or send photos and we will give you a real number.