Storm Damage Tree Services Wellington

Most storm failures are not random. Trees with dead wood, decay at the base, heavy end-weighted limbs or a canopy that has been badly topped in the past fail first, and so do shallow-rooted trees on waterlogged clay. A visit before the equinox gales, in autumn or early spring, lets us remove dead wood, thin dense canopies that catch the wind, reduce over-extended limbs and flag any tree that is not worth keeping. It is far cheaper than clearing the same tree off your roof.

Our posts on preparing your trees for storm season and storm-proofing your trees go through what to look for yourself.

Related reading: what to do about storm damaged trees, and who is responsible for fallen trees after a storm.

Which trees fail in Wellington storms

Pines and macrocarpas with heavy, end-weighted canopies come down or shed large limbs in strong northerlies. Shallow-rooted trees on wet clay slopes, common across the hill suburbs, lift at the root plate once the ground is saturated. Trees that have been topped in the past fail at the old cuts, where the regrowth is weakly attached. Trees with decay at the base or at a branch union often look fine until the one storm that finds the weakness. And a tree that has stood for decades can fail the first winter after a neighbouring tree is removed and it is suddenly taking wind it never had to before. If you have any of these on your property, an assessment before winter is worth having.

Insurance and responsibility

Check your policy and talk to your insurer early, before clean-up starts unless the tree is dangerous. Many house policies cover removing a tree that has damaged an insured building or fence, while a tree that has simply fallen in the garden may not be covered. Who pays when a tree falls across a boundary depends on the circumstances; our post on fallen trees after storms and who is responsible explains the common situations. We provide a written quote that describes the damage and the work, which is what an insurer usually asks for.

What affects the cost

Storm work costs more than planned work for the same tree because it is harder and more dangerous: limbs under tension, a tree resting on a structure, wet ground and often poor light. The size of the tree, what it has landed on, whether lines are involved, how it has to be lifted off and how much has to be chipped all affect the price. Where the situation allows we explain the cost before work starts; where a tree is actively failing we make it safe first and agree the rest once nobody is at risk.