At the time of the damage: cut root ends showing in a trench wall, a scraped or re-graded surface inside the root area, ruts, a compacted pad where equipment or materials sat, or fresh fill spread over the roots. Later, and this is what most people actually notice: leaves smaller than usual, fall color arriving weeks early, dead twigs at the top and outer edges of the crown, sprouts erupting along the trunk, and a canopy thin enough to see sky through. The damaged side of the crown usually goes first, matching the side that was dug.
Within days
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The tree lost part of its absorbing root system and, wherever soil was compacted, the pore space its roots depend on for oxygen. Tree roots are shallow and wide — most of them in roughly the top foot of soil and extending well past the dripline — so a trench that looked comfortably far from the trunk usually was not. Compaction does comparable damage and is invisible from the surface. And roots cut on one side means anchorage lost on that side, so this is a stability question as much as a health question.
This is normally a hazardous tree removal job, which around here runs $800 to $5,000 depending on size and access. Treat that as a range, not a quote — nobody can price it without seeing it.
12732 Castilla Pl, Indianapolis, IN 46236
“I woke up on Tue Apr 28 to find a 50 foot tree uprooted and leaning against my house, making creaking noises and threatening to crash through the…”
James McDougall · 3 months ago · Google
6041 Middle Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46235
“This company helped my business finish a huge landscape job that we needed a professional arborist for. They filled my call, got me a quote within…”
Integrity Lawns · a year ago · Google
7605 Indian Lake Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46236
“I’m actually excited to write this review. Not only did ASAP take care of my yard request but they did it within my budget. They started the day off…”
Katie Brackett · a year ago · Google
1768 W 900 N, Fortville, IN 46040
“Pro Finish did a great job for us. Jesse was a great communicator, and his crew was professional and easy to work with. We had three trees in the…”
James Barnard · 3 months ago · Google
11991 Florida Rd, Fortville, IN 46040
“We recently had Witsken Tree Removal take care of three trees on our property, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the experience. Steve was…”
Michael Atherton · 11 months ago · Google
Lot 342, 5135 N Post Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46226
“I had an excellent experience with DC Tree Service in Indianapolis, Indiana. They completed a tree service project at my property, and the results…”
Juan Alvaro · a month ago · Google
9618 Pepperidge Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46235
“Saw an ad on Instagram and didn’t expect much, but boy was I wrong! I was immediately contacted and put on the schedule at my earliest convenience…”
Cassidy Conn · 2 months ago · Google
10475 Crosspoint Blvd Ste 250-2645, Indianapolis, IN 46256
“The owner, Curt, is great to deal with. His estimates are very clear and fair. He is there (from start to finish) personally supervising his crew and…”
Sweetie Punk · 6 years ago · Google
8831 Birch St, Fishers, IN 46038
“This company is AMAZING! I called in the morning for an estimate, they were in the neighborhood working on another job, and added me in. I got the…”
Stephanie Schulenborg · 5 years ago · Google
8323 E 46th St, Indianapolis, IN 46226
“R&C Tree And Landscaping has given me a usable yard again. After having been a caregiver for 15 years, I had lost the bulk of my usable yard. The…”
M Wilcher · a year ago · Google
13255 Parkside Dr Apt 102, Fishers, IN 46038
“I cannot say enough good things about Carlos and his team at Evergreen Outdoors Tree Service & Landscaping. Carlos is very polite and professional…”
Eric Potts · 4 years ago · Google
7427 W San Marco Dr, Fortville, IN 46040
“I want to leave a review for this business for the outstanding job they did. From the time I first contacted them till the very end everyone was…”
S Martin · a year ago · Google
Distance measured from McCordsville.