Hazard & Dangerous Tree Removal + Insurance-Claim Tree Work

Not sure whether you need a removal, a second look at a bid, or help planning the job? Book a Land & Site Consultation (Landing Check, Bid Second Look, or Full Site Connector).

Storm-damaged tree through a house wall before removal by Baxter's Tree Service
Storm damage near a home — documentation and careful removal.

Hazard & Dangerous Tree Removal in Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish & Island County

A tree that’s leaning toward your house, standing dead over the driveway, or cracked after the last windstorm isn’t something to wait on. Baxter’s Tree Service takes down hazard trees safely, one controlled piece at a time when it has to be, and cleans up afterward. When a storm drops a tree on your property, we also give you the paperwork you need for your insurance claim.

Licensed, Bonded & Insured · WA Contractor Reg. #BAXTEET811JA · 11 Years in Business · Over 20 Years in the Trade · 24/7 emergency service

Worried about a tree? Call (360) 503-0571. Free estimates. Emergency service is available 24/7. Based in Burlington, WA. Call (360) 503-0571

Signs a tree may be dangerous

  • A new or growing lean, especially if soil on the opposite side is cracked, lifted or mounded.
  • Dead or mostly bare crown, or a conifer gone brown from the top down.
  • Cracks, splits or seams in the trunk, or a cracked fork where two stems meet.
  • Broken or hung-up limbs after a storm (“widowmakers”).
  • Mushrooms, conks or soft wood at the base or on the trunk.
  • Root damage from digging, or roots heaving out of soggy ground.
  • Heavy limbs over the roof on species that drop limbs (cottonwood, alder, poplar).
  • Storm damage — broken top, split trunk, or a tree that shifted and hasn’t settled.

None of these signs means a tree will fall. They mean it’s worth a closer look before the next wind, wet snow or ice. If you want a certified arborist’s opinion, a certified arborist is available through our partner.

Crew assessing a tree on a garage roof after a storm

How we take down a hazard tree

  1. Look at it with you. We walk the site, look at the tree and what’s around it, check access, and give you a clear price before work starts. Estimates are free.
  2. Plan the takedown. Near a house, shop, fence or lines, it comes down in sections with rigging when needed.
  3. Protect the property as much as the site allows.
  4. Clean up. Limbs and wood are chipped, hauled, or cut to firewood length — your call.
  5. Deal with the stump. Leave it, grind it, or pull it. See stump grinding.

Equipment we bring to the job includes an excavator, a skid steer with grapple, a forestry mulcher, a wood chipper, a log loader truck and a stump grinder.

Near power lines: Call your electric utility first and keep everyone away. Once the line is safe, we can take care of the tree and cleanup.

Climber removing a spar section during hazard tree removal

Tree leaning toward the house? Don’t wait for the next storm. Call (360) 503-0571 for a free estimate.

Storm damage and insurance-claim tree work

If a tree has landed on your roof, deck, garage, car, fence or driveway, call (360) 503-0571. Emergency service is available 24/7. See our emergency storm & tree service page.

Before we get there: keep people and pets away; treat any line as live and call the utility (911 if anyone is hurt); don’t cut wood under tension; if safe, photograph damage for your insurer before anything is moved.

Help with your claim: We can provide a written description of the work and an itemized invoice for your insurance claim. Coverage is between you and your insurer.

Cut rounds stacked near a white house after storm tree cleanup

Why homeowners call Baxter’s for dangerous trees

  • Licensed, Bonded & Insured. WA Contractor Reg. #BAXTEET811JA. Check us on the L&I Verify a Contractor tool.
  • 11 years in business, over 20 years in the trade.
  • 24/7 emergency service for trees down after storms.
  • Certified arborist available through our partner.
  • One crew, start to finish — removal, cleanup, stump grinding, and land clearing if you need it.
  • Locally owned, based in Burlington, WA.

Where we work

Hazard and storm-damaged trees across Pierce, Skagit, Whatcom, Snohomish and Island County. See service areas. For Island County, call (360) 503-0571.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a tree a “hazard tree”?

A hazard tree has a defect (dead crown, crack, rot, bad lean or root damage) and something it could hit if it failed. A dead tree in a field is low concern; the same tree next to a bedroom isn’t.

Will my insurance pay to remove a fallen tree?

That depends on your policy. Coverage is between you and your insurer. We can provide a written description of the work and an itemized invoice for your claim.

A tree is touching a power line. Can you remove it?

Call your electric utility first. Once the line is safe, we can remove the tree and clean up.

Get a free hazard tree estimate

Call (360) 503-0571 or email BaxtersTreeServices@gmail.com. Tell us where the tree is, what’s near it and what’s worrying you. If a tree is down right now, call — emergency service is available 24/7.

We also do excavation — see baxterexcavation.com.