Dead & declining trees
Bare crowns, peeling bark and fungus at the base mean the wood is already failing. Dead trees are unpredictable to climb, so we plan the takedown around brittle limbs rather than treating it like a healthy tree.
Dead, leaning, storm-hit or simply too close to the house. We take trees down in tight Hampton Roads yards without touching your roof, fence or flower beds, then haul every piece of it off your property.
A tree that's dead, hollow, leaning over a bedroom or lifting a driveway isn't a pruning job anymore. Integrity Tree Specialist was founded by Alexander Shield to give Hampton Roads homeowners an honest answer about which trees can be saved and which ones have to come out.
When removal is the right call, our climbers take the tree down in controlled sections, rigging each piece to the ground instead of dropping it. That's how a sixty-foot pine comes out of a fenced backyard in Greenbrier without leaving a mark on the lawn. When there isn't room to work from the tree itself, we bring the crane.
Every job finishes the same way: brush chipped, wood hauled, ruts raked out, and the work area swept before we pull off your street.
No two takedowns are the same. What the tree is doing — and what's underneath it — decides how our crew approaches the job.
Bare crowns, peeling bark and fungus at the base mean the wood is already failing. Dead trees are unpredictable to climb, so we plan the takedown around brittle limbs rather than treating it like a healthy tree.
A new lean with soil lifting at the roots is a tree already on its way down. After a nor'easter or hurricane we prioritise these calls and remove the tree before the next band of wind finishes the job.
Limbs on the roof, a trunk two feet from the siding, branches in the gutters. These are rigged and lowered piece by piece — nothing gets dropped anywhere near your shingles.
Narrow side gates, patios, pools and neighbouring fences. Our climbers work the tree from the inside out so no machine has to cross your lawn to get to it.
When a pine or oak is too big, too dead or too hemmed in to climb safely, the crane picks the sections straight out over the roofline and sets them down in the drive.
Building a shop, extending a drive or reclaiming an overgrown back lot. We clear the trees, grind the stumps and grade the ground so the site is ready to work on.
Most tree failures give warning months before they happen. If you can see any of these from your back door, get eyes on it.
The root plate is already tearing. This one doesn't get better on its own.
Structural wood is gone. Even a moderate gust can fold the stem.
A hung-up limb can drop with no warning. Keep people and cars out from under it.
Dieback from the top down usually means root or trunk decay lower in the tree.
Fungal fruiting bodies at the collar are a sign the anchoring roots are decaying.
Damage keeps compounding. Removal now is cheaper than concrete work later.
Here's exactly what happens from the first phone call to the last pass with the blower, so there are no surprises on the day.
Free, no obligation. We check the lean, the root collar, what's above the tree and what's under it, then give you a written price and a realistic date. If the tree can be saved with pruning instead, we'll say so.
Trucks positioned, ropes run, and everything below the tree protected — plywood over the drive, mats on the lawn, patio furniture and vehicles moved clear. The crew walks the plan together before anyone puts on a saddle.
The climber works down the stem taking limbs and log sections in manageable pieces, each one rigged and lowered under control. Where the crane is the safer option, sections are lifted clear of the house and set down in open ground.
Stump cut flush or ground below grade, brush chipped, wood loaded out, and the whole area raked and blown. Then we walk the yard with you before you pay a cent, so you can tell us if we missed anything.
Tree removal is one of the few home services where a bad decision costs somebody a roof — or worse. We carry full liability and workers' compensation coverage, and we're happy to send the certificate before we start.
Our climbers are trained on rigging, load calculation and aerial rescue. We run professional saws, lowering devices and a chipper on every job, and bring the crane in when climbing isn't the safe answer. And when the ground is left settled or rutted, our Bobcat crew grades it back out — same company, same standard.
Based on English Ave in Chesapeake, with crews running daily through the surrounding cities and neighbourhoods. Pick your area below, or call and we'll confirm in ten seconds.
It depends on the height, the species, how close it is to the house and whether we can get equipment to it. A small backyard tree is a different job from a seventy-foot pine over a roof. That's why the estimate is free and done in person — you get one written price for the whole job, including cleanup, before any work starts.
The stump is cut flush to the ground as standard. Full stump grinding below grade is available as an add-on, and we'll quote it at the same visit. If you're planning to re-seed or re-turf the area, our crew can also haul off the grindings, bring in clean fill and grade the patch level so it doesn't sink over the winter.
Yes — that's what sectional removal is for. Instead of felling the tree in one piece, our climber takes it apart from the top and each section is roped down under control. We lay protection over drives and soft ground, and where access is really tight we can rope material out over the fence rather than driving anything through the yard.
Storm and hazard calls get same-day priority. If a tree is on your house, blocking your drive or hanging over a walkway, call (757) 778-3884 rather than filling in a form — we'll get a crew moving. If lines are involved, contact Dominion Energy first and keep everyone well clear until the power is confirmed off.
Yes. Integrity Tree Specialist carries general liability and workers' compensation coverage, and we'll provide a certificate of insurance on request before work begins. Ask any tree company for theirs — if it doesn't arrive, that's your answer.
Most trees on private residential lots in Hampton Roads can be removed without a permit, but rules differ by city and some HOAs, conservation easements and Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas have their own restrictions. We'll flag anything we spot during the estimate, though the final check with your city or HOA is the property owner's call.
No pressure and no charge for the visit. If the tree can be saved, we'll tell you that too — that's the part the name is about.
integritytrico@gmail.com
1929 English Ave, Chesapeake, VA 23320
Mon–Fri · Storm calls answered after hours
Professional tree care you can trust, with skilled service, honest work, and dependable solutions for every property.
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