How a Tree Removal Crane Can Eliminate Trees in Confined Spaces

Have you ever looked at a tree near your house or neighbor’s property and wondered, “How would someone remove this tree?” In many cases, the answer is a tree removal crane, which allows professionals to take down trees in tight spaces without damaging nearby structures. However, operating heavy equipment in confined areas requires skill, precision, and experience.

A properly trained crew can use cranes to safely lift and remove trees, minimizing risk to homes, landscaping, and surrounding property. Learn how tree removal cranes make the process safer, more efficient, and cost-effective for challenging tree removals.

Key Takeaways:

• Crane-assisted removal is particularly valuable in the Hudson Valley’s historic districts, where trees are often in tight spaces near buildings, power lines, and other structures.
• While bringing in heavy machinery might seem more expensive, it may reduce costs by requiring fewer workers and completing the job more quickly than standard removal methods.
• Using a crane significantly enhances safety for the removal team and your property by reducing the need for climbing and lowering tree sections piece by piece.
• The service minimizes damage to your property by reducing foot traffic and soil compaction that typically occurs during traditional tree removal methods.

4 Benefits of Using a Crane to Remove Trees in Confined Spaces

When a tree is too difficult or costly to remove using traditional climbing, rigging, or felling methods, a crane offers a safer and more efficient solution. These machines are especially valuable in the Hudson Valley, where many historic and massive trees – such as those in Dutchess County – require specialized equipment to be removed without damaging surrounding structures or landscapes.

Here’s how using a crane can make the process easier and more effective.

1. Remove Trees That Otherwise Would Be Considered Too Difficult

Take a drive through Newburgh’s historic district (Montgomery, Grand, and Liberty streets) and pay attention to the trees. Did you notice how close every property is to one another and the tree’s close proximity to structures, roads, and utility lines?

“Many people, when they plant trees, they don’t really think about the size it will grow to in 20 years. They just see this small sprouting and believe it can fit anywhere. Eventually, it grows too close to your house or a power line, and then you’ve got a difficult situation on your hands. Cranes make removing these trees easier, but we always advise homeowners in places like Newburgh and Kingston to check with an arborist before they plant.” – Rich Hill, Owner and Certified Arborist at Hill Treekeepers

Without specialized equipment, safely removing trees near buildings or in tight spaces requires extensive manpower and time. A crane makes this job feasible and more economical for a homeowner.

Standard removal involves meticulously cutting, lowering, and hauling each section of the tree to our equipment – a time-consuming process that a crane eliminates. A crane, however, allows us to lift each section of the tree over obstacles to our staging area, making a previously nearly impossible project much more practical for the team.

Tree removal cranes are not just for trees in confined spaces, as they can also help us remove many types of trees, such as:

• Tall Trees: We enjoy plenty of biodiversity in the Hudson Valley and have several native trees that grow large. Cranes make removing trees such as red maples, black oaks, eastern white pines, and river birches much easier.
• Dangerous Trees: If a tree has an unsafe lean or is not structurally sound, removing it is hazardous to our team and your property. A crane makes removing these trees more viable and allows you to get rid of a hazard on your property.
• Fallen Trees: When a tree falls on a structure or vehicle, removing it without causing any additional damage is paramount. A crane allows us to remove these trees and limit any collateral damage.

2. Enhance Safety for Our Staff and Your Property

Even in the best circumstances, tree removal can be hazardous. We’re sure many Blooming Grove residents remember when a worker for the city’s highway department sustained severe injuries while removing a tree by a road in May 2024. Stories like this are unfortunately common, even for professionals.

While a crane can’t make removing a tree in a confined space 100 percent safe, it will reduce the risk of accidents. Any accident during tree removal may slow the process, injure a worker, or damage your property.

“I think the general public sometimes just doesn’t realize how risky tree care work is. It’s actually one of the most dangerous industries in the country. We do everything we can to increase safety, and a crane helps a lot in keeping my team safe.” – Jadon Rodriguez, Certified Arborist and Onsite Foreman at Hill Treekeepers

3. Increase Efficiency for Lower Prices

You may think bringing heavy machinery would increase the tree removal cost, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Cranes require a long setup time to ensure we have them perfectly balanced. After that, the job goes much faster than using standard methods. Additionally, we will need a smaller team for crane removals than when we use traditional methods.

When determining the price of tree removal, we factor in the time it will take and the team size we’ll need to do the job safely. Thanks to the increased efficiency, a crane can actually save you money. And the quicker completion means you won’t have a crew in your yard for an entire day.

Placing boards under our crane helps to distribute the weight and avoid damaging your landscape.

4. Minimize Disruption to Your Yard

Using conventional removal methods, our crews must repeatedly cross your yard while transporting tree sections to the chipper. While we do everything we can to avoid damaging your yard, accidents can happen. Cleaning up any mess will increase the time it takes to complete the job.

Regular foot traffic during traditional removal compacts your soil, potentially causing long-term issues for your landscape. Compacted soil limits the ability of your tree’s roots to expand and can make your yard look like a swamp after substantial rainfall.

Frequently Asked Questions About Crane-Assisted Tree Removal

When our crane shows up on the day of removal, we get all kinds of questions from homeowners about it. We’ve listed some of these questions to help you better understand what it is and how we use it.

Is a tree removal crane noisy?

Yes, tree removal cranes can be very noisy. We recommend keeping pets and children inside while we remove the tree to keep everyone safe and to avoid harming anyone’s ears.

Do I need a permit to remove a tree with a crane?

The need for a permit will depend on your municipality. For instance, in Newburgh, you need a permit to remove any size tree in a historic district. During our initial consultation, we can help determine if you’ll need a permit for a tree removal job.

Will a tree removal crane damage my driveway and yard?

We take great precautions to ensure our crane will not damage your property. We lay down sheets of wood to evenly distribute the weight and limit disturbances to your yard or driveway.

Will you reschedule a crane-assisted tree removal if the weather is poor?

Yes, for the safety of our crew and your property, we may have to reschedule your removal if the weather makes it too risky. Some weather that makes it too difficult to use a crane include high winds, snow, ice, or lightning.

What should I do after tree removal in the Hudson Valley?

Grind the stump to avoid future problems. After tree removal, the stump is left behind. Stump grinding is the best way to remove it, preventing decay, pests, and an unsightly yard.

Hill Treekeepers Can Safely Remove Trees in Confined Spaces

If you have a tree in a confined space and don’t know how you would remove it, a tree removal crane is your best bet. Our team at Hill Treekeepers has the training and expertise to safely remove your trees with our crane. Call us today at 914-214-7045 or request a quote online.