Tree Removal in Ottawa
Safe, efficient removal of dead, damaged, or dangerous trees across Ottawa — with full cleanup, every time.
How We Remove a Tree
Free Quote & Consultation
We visit your property, assess the tree, and discuss your needs. Within 48 hours you’ll have a clear, no-obligation quote, a breakdown of the safest removal options, and we identify any property protection measures needed.Planning & Scheduling
Once approved, we plan the job with you—choosing the safest approach and scheduling a time that works best.Permit applications
If a permit is required, we’ll guide you through the process or handle it for you to ensure everything’s compliant.Tree Removal
We remove the tree safely and in stages using climbing and rigging technique’s . Each piece is lowered with control to avoid any damage to your home, yard, or surrounding structures.Clean-Up & Wood Removal
We remove all debris and leave your property clean. Wood can be stacked, hauled away, or turned into mulch—whatever you prefer.Stump Grinding (Optional)
If requested, we’ll grind the stump below ground level for a clean finish, ready for replanting or landscaping.Final Check-In
We walk the site with you to make sure you’re happy with the job. No detail is overlooked before we pack up.
Why a Tree May Need Removal
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Dead or Dying Tree – A dead tree is a serious hazard. Over time, it weakens and can fall without warning, posing a risk to people, buildings, or vehicles.
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Structural Damage or Decay – Trees with large cracks, rot, or hollow trunks can fail unexpectedly, especially during storms or high winds.
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Storm Damage – Trees that have been damaged by storms may be unstable or leaning dangerously and may need to be removed before they fail completely.
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Root or Foundation Issues – Some trees grow too close to homes or structures, with roots that can damage foundations, driveways, or underground utilities.
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Overcrowding or Poor Placement – Trees planted too close together or in the wrong location (too close to buildings, power lines, etc.) may need to be removed to allow healthy growth of others.
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Pest or Disease Infestation – Infected or infested trees can spread problems to nearby healthy trees, making removal the best option to protect your landscape.
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Construction or Landscaping Plans – Sometimes trees need to be removed to make way for renovations, additions, or new landscaping projects.
Signs Your Tree Is in Decline
- Cracks or Splits in the Trunk
Deep cracks, vertical splits, or seams in the trunk can signal internal weakness or decay. - Fungus or Mushroom Growth
Fungal growth around the base or on the trunk often indicates internal rot or a compromised root system. - Leaf Problems
Discolored, wilted, spotted, or unusually small leaves can be signs of disease, pest infestation, or root issues. - Sparse Canopy or Bare Patches
If a tree that used to be full is now thin or patchy, especially during the growing season, it could be in decline. - Leaning or Shifting Position
A tree that has started to lean or appears unstable may have root failure, making it prone to falling. - Peeling or Missing Bark
Bark that’s falling off or missing in large sections could mean the tree is dead or stressed. - Unusual Sap Flow or Holes in the Trunk
Excessive sap, oozing, or boreholes may be signs of pests like beetles or other invasive insects.
Why Ottawa Homeowners Call Max Trees
Quotes in 48 Hours
Max comes out and looks at the tree, then your priced quote follows within 48 hours. No cost, no pressure.
Local Ottawa Crew
Real local people who know Ottawa yards, storms, and permit rules.
Fully Insured
Full liability coverage on every job. Certificate on request.
We Clean Up After
We haul the wood and rake up. Your yard is left tidy, not a mess.
Tree Removal FAQs — Ottawa & the Ottawa Valley
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Ottawa?
Often, yes. Under Tree Protection By-law 2020-340, any private tree 30 cm or more in diameter at breast height inside Ottawa’s urban area is a “distinctive tree” and requires a permit before removal on properties of one hectare or less. Larger properties are caught when a Planning Act application is involved. Dead trees, genuine emergency hazards and normal farm practices are exempt. Penalties range from $500 to $100,000. We check the by-law with you before the job is booked, and we will tell you plainly if you need to apply.
How much does tree removal cost in Ottawa?
Four things drive the price: the height and trunk diameter of the tree, how close it is to a house, fence, pool or hydro line, whether a truck and chipper can reach it, and whether you want the stump ground. A small backyard tree with clear access is a different job from a 70-foot silver maple leaning over a roof. Most Ottawa removals fall between $500 and $2,500; big, tight or compromised trees run higher. Our minimum charge for quoted work is $160. The number in your written quote is the number you pay.
How long does a tree removal take?
A straightforward removal with open drop-zone access is usually a half day. A large tree that has to be dismantled in pieces and rigged down over a roof, deck or fence is a full day, sometimes two. We tell you which one yours is when we quote, so you can plan parking and access.
Do you handle emergency or storm-damaged tree removal?
Yes. Storm-damaged and hazardous trees move to the front of the schedule across Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley, and we clean up afterwards. One important exception: if a limb is resting on an energized hydro line, call Hydro Ottawa first. No tree company can legally work on a live line, and anyone who says otherwise is a company to walk away from.
Can you remove a tree in a tight backyard with no equipment access?
Yes — that is normal work for us. Where a bucket truck cannot reach, the tree is climbed and taken down in controlled pieces, rigged and lowered rather than dropped. Gear and brush are carried out by hand. It takes longer than an open fell, which is reflected in the quote, but access is rarely the reason a tree cannot come down.
What happens to the wood?
Your choice. We can chip and haul everything away, cut the trunk into rounds and leave it stacked for firewood, or drop the chips as mulch if you want them. Haul-away and cleanup are included in the quoted price, not billed as an extra afterwards.
Do you clean up after removing a tree?
Always, and it is included. Brush is chipped, debris is hauled, and the lawn is raked before we leave. If you also want the stump gone, say so at quote time and we grind it on the same visit, which is cheaper than booking a second mobilization.
What Tree Removal Costs in Ottawa
Most residential removals in Ottawa land between $500 and $2,500. Large trees close to a structure, or trees that have to be dismantled from a climbing rope over a roof, run higher — a full day of rigging on a mature maple above a house is a different job from a clear fell in an open field. Our minimum charge for quoted work is $160.
Four things move the number, and they are worth understanding before you compare quotes:
Size. Height gets the attention, but trunk diameter drives the price. Wood volume rises with the square of the diameter, so an 80 cm trunk is not twice an 40 cm trunk — it is roughly four times the wood to cut, move and dispose of.
Targets. Everything inside the fall radius that cannot be replaced: the house, the fence, the pool, the shed, the hydro service drop, the neighbour’s garage. Targets are what turn a fell into a rigged dismantle, and rigging is what takes the time.
Access. Whether the truck and chipper reach the tree, or whether every piece of brush is carried out through a metre-wide gate by hand. This is the single biggest reason two identical trees get two different prices.
Condition. Sound wood can be climbed and rigged. Decayed or long-dead wood often cannot be trusted to hold a rigging load, which forces a bucket or a crane and moves the job into a different price bracket. It is the main reason a dead ash removed this year costs less than the same tree removed in three years.
Booking the stump grinding on the same visit costs less than bringing us back for it separately. Quotes are free, sent within 48 hours of the on-site consultation and well before anything is cut, and the number you agree to is the number you pay.
Where We Remove Trees
We cover Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley. Local detail — the tree species, the access problems and the permit rules that actually apply where you live — is on each area page:
Tree removal in Kanata · Tree removal in Nepean · Tree removal in Barrhaven · Tree removal in Orléans · Tree removal in Gloucester · Tree removal in Stittsville · Tree removal in Kemptville · Tree removal in Arnprior · Tree removal in Rockland
Not on the list? See the full service area or just ask.
Need a tree gone?
Book your on-site consultation — we reply within 24 hours, and your priced removal quote follows within 48 hours of the visit.
Before you book a removal
- Our published 2026 prices. Most residential removals in Ottawa run $500 to $2,500 plus HST; the minimum charge on any job is $160.
- Do you need a permit? Inside the urban boundary a private tree 30 cm or more across needs one; dead trees and immediate hazards are exempt.
- Emergency and storm tree removal. What counts as urgent, and why a storm callout is 1.5 times the schedule.
- How to choose a tree service in Ottawa. Owner-operator vs large company vs handyman, and the two documents to ask any company for.