Crane tree removal in Georgetown — the big ones, out in a morning
When a 70-foot live oak spreads over the roof, the pool and the neighbor's yard, a crane lifts it out in sections in hours instead of a two-day rigging job — with nothing swinging over your house.
Some trees can't be rigged down safely, or can't be rigged down without a week of work. A live oak whose leaders reach over the house on three sides, a pecan on a Sun City lot with no room for a drop zone, a dead post oak too brittle to trust a climber's weight — those are crane jobs. We set a crane on the street or the driveway, a climber attaches the rigging to a section, the operator lifts it clear of the house and sets it on the ground where the crew bucks it and feeds the chipper. A tree that would take two days of rigging over a pool is usually on the ground before lunch.
Crane work needs planning: the crane has to reach, the outriggers need solid ground (a limestone driveway is ideal; Blackland clay after a wet week is not), the pick weights have to be right, and low lines have to be respected. We do all of that in the estimate visit and put it in the written price. On a Heritage-size live oak or pecan we also handle the permit before the crane is booked, because a 26-inch oak over a roof is still a 26-inch oak to the city.
What's included
Site planning
Crane placement, reach, outrigger ground, overhead lines, pick weights — worked out before the crane arrives.
Certified operator
Crane service with a certified operator and a climber who rigs every pick.
Protection
Outrigger pads, driveway protection and lawn mats, so the crane leaves no more trace than a truck.
Full removal or partial
Whole trees, or just the leaders over the house with the rest pruned back to good structure.
Dead & brittle trees
Post oaks and cedar elms killed by drought get craned, never climbed.
Cleanup
Sections bucked, chipped and hauled the same day; stump grinding scheduled if you want it.
Crane tree removal cost in Georgetown, TX
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Medium tree with a small crane (40–60 ft) | $2,500 – $4,500 | Half-day |
| Large live oak or pecan over a house (60–80 ft) | $4,000 – $8,000 | Full day with a 40–60 ton crane |
| Dead post oak over structures | $3,000 – $6,500 | Crane is the only safe method |
| Multiple trees, one crane day | $5,000 – $12,000 | HOAs and acreage lots |
| Emergency crane pick (tree on house) | $3,500 – $9,000 | Same-day when available |
These are 2026 Williamson County ranges so you can budget. Your written price is itemized — removal, rigging or crane, hauling, stump grinding, any permit paperwork — and good for 30 days.
Recent work
Questions we get about crane tree removal
Is a crane more expensive than rigging?
Not always. A crane removal often costs about what a two-day rigging job would, and it's finished in hours with far less risk to the roof, the pool deck and the crew. On a big live oak spread over a house, a crane is usually the cheaper and safer choice. We price both and tell you which we'd pick.
Will the crane damage my driveway or lawn?
We use outrigger pads and drive-over mats. Limestone-based driveways and concrete handle a crane fine; on Blackland clay or a paver drive we add extra matting. Any risk is discussed before the crane is booked.
Do you need to get into my neighbor's yard?
Sometimes the best crane position is the neighbor's driveway or the street in front of their house. We'll ask them, with you, before the crane day.
Can you crane out a tree near Georgetown Utility Systems lines?
If the lines are the utility's primaries, GUS has to be involved; if it's just your service drop, they'll disconnect or relocate it on request while we work. We stay out of the ten-foot zone with the line energized, always.
Do you crane trees in Sun City?
Regularly — it's the most common crane neighborhood we work. Narrow lots, big live oaks planted when the first phases went in around 1995, and no room to drop anything. We coordinate the crane and the street closure with the Community Association.