Tree services
Storm damage cleanup is the work that follows a nor'easter or tropical storm: gathering downed limbs, dealing with leaning and broken trees, and hauling debris off the property. It serves year-round residents and seasonal owners who return to a mess.
Once the wind dies down, a yard can hold a little of everything. Limbs are scattered across the lawn. Broken branches hang in the canopy, still attached by a strip of bark. A pine has tipped and lodged in its neighbor. Root plates have heaved up, leaving craters. Cleanup means sorting through all of it: cutting and chipping what is down, bringing hangers out of the crowns, removing trees that cannot be saved, and pruning torn stubs back to clean cuts so surviving trees can heal.
Newcomb's begins with a slow lap of the whole property, looking up as much as down. Damage overhead is easy to miss from the ground and is the part most likely to hurt someone later. Trees are sorted into three groups: fine, repairable with pruning, and unsafe. You hear that assessment before anything beyond the obvious is cut. Lodged and uprooted trees are dismantled with ropes and modern equipment, never yanked free. Debris is consolidated and chipped in an orderly way, working from the house outward.
Cape storms come in two main kinds. Winter nor'easters bring long hours of northeast wind, sometimes with wet, heavy snow that loads pine boughs until they break. Late summer and fall tropical systems hit while oaks are in full leaf and the sandy ground is saturated, which is when whole trees go over. Salt carried inland can brown foliage for weeks afterward, and that browning alone does not mean a tree is dead. Many houses sit empty from fall to spring, so damage can go unnoticed for months.
After a widespread storm, the schedule fills quickly, so call or email early with a description and a few photos. Urgent hazards are handled first, with general cleanup booked in the following days. If you are off-Cape, the crew can work from your instructions and send before-and-after pictures. You will get an itemized invoice describing what was removed and from where, which helps with an insurance claim. When the job is finished the yard is raked, and any stumps or root craters are noted for follow-up.
How it works
From first call to clean yard
01
Report the damage
Call or email with what you see, or what a neighbor or caretaker reported. Photos help the office judge urgency and crew size.
02
Property assessment
A crew lead inspects every tree near the house, drive and wires, then gives you a free written estimate with priorities ranked.
03
Clear and haul
Hazard trees and hangers are dealt with first. Fallen material is then cut, chipped and trucked away until lawns and beds are clear.
04
Document and follow up
You receive photos and an itemized invoice. Stump grinding, crater filling and later pruning visits are scheduled if you want them.
Pricing
What affects the price
Amount of debris
A few limbs on the lawn is a short visit with one truck. A yard buried in branches from a dozen trees can mean multiple loads and a full day.
Trees to be removed
Each uprooted or snapped tree that has to come down adds to the job. Trees lodged in other trees take the longest because they must be taken apart carefully.
Overhead hazards
Broken limbs hung up high have to be reached and lowered. That takes climbing or lift work, which costs more than picking up what has already fallen.
Property layout
Debris spread across a wooded acre with one narrow driveway takes more dragging than the same amount on an open front lawn next to the street.
Repair versus removal
Restoration pruning to save a damaged tree is detailed work. Sometimes it costs less than removal, sometimes more. The estimate lays out both where the choice is close.
Reviews
What customers say
They arrived on time and were extremely professional and efficient. They are so knowledgeable and went above and beyond for me, taking 3 very tall trees down easily and efficiently. Extremely reasonable rates. Local family business which I love.
We had 8 trees we wanted taken down. From the initial quote visit all the way to the final tree coming down the process was made simple and pleasant. The crew was courteous, caring about our property, and very professional.
The crew arrived promptly at 8 am. Tree and large limb on another tree were removed, yard was cleaned as if the removal never happened, and they were gone by 10 am. Great job.
Questions
Storm Damage Cleanup FAQ
It depends on how widespread the damage is. Trees on houses and blocked driveways are handled first. General yard cleanup is usually scheduled in the days after, in the order requests arrive. Getting in touch early with photos and a clear description helps secure a place in line, even before you have seen everything.
Yes. Many Cape Cod homes are seasonal, and a lot of storm work is done with the owner elsewhere. Explain what you know by phone or email, and give gate or access details. The crew can assess, send photos and an estimate, do the approved work, and send pictures of the finished yard afterward.
Sometimes. A small, young tree that tipped slightly can occasionally be straightened and staked. A mature tree with a newly lifted root plate, cracked soil on one side or a fresh lean toward a building has usually lost its anchoring and should be removed. Have it looked at soon, since sandy soil gives little second chance.
You get an itemized invoice describing the work, plus photos of the damage and the cleared site on request. Insurers typically want to see what fell, what it hit and what removal cost. Newcomb's does not decide coverage. Your adjuster does, so contact your insurance company before work begins if you can.
Small limbs on the ground are fine to drag to a pile. Leave anything under tension, anything touching wires, and anything still hanging in a tree. Bent saplings and limbs pinned under a trunk can whip back hard when cut. Chainsaw injuries rise after every storm, so call a crew for the heavy pieces.
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Ready for a free estimate?
Call or send a photo of the tree. You get the price before any work starts.