Plenty of backyard trees sit behind a house, a fence, and a gate barely wide enough for a lawn mower. A bucket truck can’t reach them. We remove those trees anyway, using methods built for tight spaces.
Here’s how Durham Tree Removal Pros handles a job when the tree is hard to reach, and what you can expect before, during, and after.
How We Choose the Removal Method
We look at three things: what the tree could hit, the condition of the wood, and how we’ll get the debris out. The answer usually points to one of these approaches.
| Situation | Our Method | What It Means for You |
|---|---|---|
| Open space to drop sections | A climber cuts the tree down in pieces and lets them fall to a clear spot | Fastest option and usually the lowest price |
| Limbs hang over the house, shed, or fence | A climber cuts and our ground crew lowers each piece on ropes | Nothing free falls onto your roof or landscaping |
| Dead or decayed tree that isn’t safe to climb | A tracked lift or a crane working from the street | Higher day rate, but often fewer total hours |
| Branches near power lines | We contact the utility before any cutting starts | Some line work requires the utility’s own crew |
Equipment That Fits Through a Gate
Our climbers cut with Stihl and Husqvarna saws and rig with hardware from companies like Sherrill Tree and ISC. On big lowering jobs, a portable capstan winch such as the GRCS lets two people control heavy wood that would otherwise take a much larger crew.
Moving logs and brush is the slow part of any backyard job. A narrow track loader like the Toro Dingo can pass through many standard gates and carry wood out to the chipper at the curb, where machines from Bandit, Vermeer, or Morbark take over. For trees we can’t safely climb, tracked spider lifts from makers like Teupen and CMC drive through tight openings on rubber tracks.
Protecting Your Yard
- We lay ground protection mats (AlturnaMats is a common brand) across the lawn wherever equipment travels.
- We avoid driving machines on wet ground whenever possible. Our red Piedmont clay ruts badly after a rain.
- We rake and blow the work area before we leave.
Why Limited Access Costs More
Every piece of wood has to travel farther, and rigging takes more time than dropping. That’s the honest reason these jobs cost more than a front yard removal.
One thing surprises homeowners: a crane can cost less overall. A crane day carries a big price tag, but it can finish in one day a tall loblolly pine or willow oak that would take a rigging crew two or three days. We’ll price both options when that choice applies.
How You Can Prepare
- Measure your narrowest gate or side yard opening and send us the number.
- Move vehicles from the driveway and keep pets inside on work day.
- Let neighbors know if we might need to pass through their yard. We’ll ask them ourselves too.
- Planning stump grinding? Contact NC 811 at least three full working days ahead so they can mark underground lines.
Send us a few photos of the tree and the path to it, and we’ll tell you which method fits your yard and what it will cost.