Tree Service in Novi, MI
Written by Robert Burgund, ISA Certified Arborist MI-4857A · Updated September 2026
- 5.0 Stars · 16 Google reviews
- ISA Certified Arborist MI-4857A
- Oakland County Since 2013
- Licensed & Insured
What tree work looks like in Novi
Novi grew outward into woodland, and a lot of that woodland is still standing inside the subdivisions. The result is mature oak and maple on lots that were carved out around them.
Those trees are the reason the neighborhoods look established, and they are also the reason the city guards them. Before anything comes down here, the first question is not how we would remove it. It is whether we are allowed to.
Novi protects nearly any tree 36 inches or more across the trunk, measured at chest height, including trees standing outside formally regulated woodlands. Inside a regulated woodland, the threshold drops to 8 inches. That is unusually broad protection, and it catches a lot of the mature oak and maple on established lots. Smaller trees outside woodland areas are usually no problem. We confirm with the city before we schedule any non-emergency removal. If the tree is protected and the city approves removal, Novi typically requires replacement trees on the property, sometimes several per tree removed, or a payment to the city’s tree fund if there isn’t room to plant them; we factor that into the estimate once the city has weighed in. Rules change and hinge on the parcel, so the city’s answer is the one that counts. Our permit guide compares Novi with its neighbors.
What 36 inches actually looks like
People hear 36 inches and picture something rare. It is not.
Thirty-six inches across the trunk is a tree roughly three feet through. You could not get your arms around it, but plenty of back-yard oaks and maples in Novi are past that mark. If your tree is old enough that it was there before the house, there is a fair chance it qualifies.
Inside a mapped woodland the threshold drops to 8 inches, which covers almost everything with a trunk. Either way it is a phone call, not a guess, and we make it before anything gets scheduled.
What we do in Novi
Our removals are sized for big timber, and we bring in a crane when a tree is too large or too decayed to climb safely. We reduce crowns and clean deadwood out of the mature oaks, then grind the stump out afterward.
Storm calls are answered at any hour and documented for your insurer. On anything protected, the permit conversation happens first.
Tree removal → Pruning & tree trimming → Stump grinding → Emergency response →
Oak, maple and hickory
Red oak, sugar maple and hickory through the wooded neighborhoods, with remnant woodland out toward Island Lake. With this much oak, non-urgent oak work waits for the dormant season. Cuts made between mid-April and mid-July draw the beetles that spread oak wilt.
What removal costs in Novi
Novi removals generally sit between $600 and $2,500. The big protected oaks run higher, because a tree three feet through with limbs over a house comes down slowly, in small pieces, usually with a crane holding each one. The cost guide covers what else moves the price.
From our Google reviews
“With most things in life you get what your willing to pay for . Rob was the real deal certified arborist top notch. the quality difference we saw from our project last year (a disastor) to tree pros was night and day . It’s true was they say you can’t afford the cheapest guy. Just call Rob if you need it done right the first time”
Ryan H., May 2026
Read all 16 reviews on Google. Tree Pros, LLC is licensed and insured, and Rob gives every Novi estimate in person, free. Hours: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday for emergencies.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Novi, MI?
If the tree is 36 inches or more across the trunk, almost certainly. Novi protects trees at that size even when they stand outside a regulated woodland, which is broader than most Oakland County communities. Inside a mapped woodland the threshold drops to 8 inches, so nearly everything with a trunk is covered. Thirty-six inches is about three feet through, and plenty of back-yard oaks and maples that predate the house are past it. Smaller trees outside woodland areas rarely need anything, and trees that have failed in a storm are treated as emergencies rather than permit questions. We confirm with the city before we schedule any removal that is not an emergency, so the estimate already accounts for the permit. If the city tells you something different from this page, go with the city.
What happens if you do not remove a dead tree?
It gets more dangerous and more expensive, in that order. Dead wood dries and goes brittle, so limbs start shedding on their own, usually in wind and usually onto whatever is below. At the same time the tree becomes harder to work on. A sound tree can be climbed and taken down in an orderly way, piece by piece. Once it is too unsound to trust a climber’s weight, it has to come down with a crane or a lift instead, and that can add a great deal to the cost of the same tree. Dead ash goes through that change faster than most species, which is why we tell people not to wait on a bare ash. A dead tree is also exempt from most permit rules, including Novi’s, so there is rarely a paperwork reason to leave it standing.
How much does tree removal cost in Novi, MI?
Most Novi removals fall between $600 and $2,500. The subdivisions were built around existing woodland, so many lots hold mature red oak and sugar maple that were never meant to be worked around a house. A tree three feet through with limbs over a roof comes down slowly, in small pieces, usually with a crane holding each one, and that is what carries a job to the top of the range or past it. Smaller trees with clear ground beside them sit near the bottom. Because Novi’s 36-inch rule catches so many of these trees, we settle the permit question before quoting, so the price you get already reflects what the city requires. If the oak is healthy and has just grown too close to the house, ask about crown reduction before removal; it is a fraction of the cost. Stump grinding is extra.
Written by Robert Burgund
ISA Certified Arborist · MI-4857A
Rob owns Tree Pros, LLC in Bloomfield Township and runs every job himself. He has climbed and cared for trees in Oakland County since 2013. More about Rob and how we work.
We also work Walled Lake and Farmington Hills, and everywhere else in Oakland County.
Find out if your Novi tree is protected.
We make the city call before quoting, so the price you get already accounts for whatever the permit requires.
Call or Text 248-672-8058Request a Free Estimate