Top Rated Tree Services in Virginia Beach, VA
See Who Customers Voted Top Local Arborist

The Master Arborist Awards and below list is about promoting the Top Rated Tree Service in Tampa, Florida and taking the guesswork out of hiring.
We want you the customer to easily find the 10 local tree services most likely to give a great service at reasonable prices.
There are a few ways we could have compiled this list.
Instead of taking the traditional route of getting residents to vote (which is usually just friends of the business owner voting), we decided to use all online customer reviews and use those along with other metrics to calculate the 2020 winner.
We took into consideration:
Years of experience, number of reviews and average score.
Taking a mathematical approach (see the formula used below results) we gave each local tree service a score.
Other minimum criteria to qualify include:
20 reviews
5 years in business
2 sources of customer reviews.
(E.g. Google review and Yelp, but most have 3 – 4 sources.)


Below we go into more detail about the selection process, the formula used and the reasoning behind it to find this year’s winners.
And the winners are…
Company | Details | Avg. Rating | GTQ score | Place |
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Visit Website
Reviews: 171 |
4.48 |
75 |
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Visit Website
Reviews: 56 |
4.90 |
54 |
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Visit Website
Reviews: 63 |
4.57 |
48 |
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Visit Website
Reviews: 39 |
4.95 |
43 |
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Visit Website
Reviews: 59 |
4.75 |
35 |
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Visit Website
Reviews: 26 |
4.97 |
20 |
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Visit Website
Reviews: 28 |
4.77 |
19 |
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Visit Website
Reviews: 44 |
4.75 |
15 |
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Cost to remove a tree in Virginia Beach city?
Depending on several factors, the cost of removing a tree in Virginia Beach will vary greatly. The cost ranges from $300 for a small tree to $1,100 for a large tree. The average tree removal price is $678.
The two main factors affecting this cost is the difficulty of accessing the tree and tree size. As a result, if your tree is located in an area where it is difficult to access, then you will have to pay more since the company will have to spend resources trying to access it.
A small tree will cost less than a large tree. As the size of the tree increases, the amount of time spent in removing and resources increases hence increasing the cost.
Here are other factors you should know about.
- Time of year
- City
- Tree service company
- Obstacles such as power lines and buildings
- Tree type
- Location of your property

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Virginia Beach?
Yes.
Under certain conditions.
If you are going to remove a protected tree, then you must get a permit from the city of Virginia Beach administration. There are protected trees which include large trees, significant trees, heritage trees and trees growing on public land and all require a permit from the city of Virginia Beach.
Cost to trim a tree in Virginia Beach?
The cost of trimming a tree in Virginia Beach will start from $180 per tree for small ones and go to as high as $789 for a large tree. The average cost of tree trimming is $305.
The cost is affected by several factors where the size and number of branches are the main ones. This is because when a tree is large, it affected the amount of time and equipment used during trimming exercises.
Here are other factors affecting the cost of trimming trees in Virginia Beach.
- Tree species
- Location of the property
- Access to the tree
- City
- Time of year
- Obstacles around the tree
Do I need a permit to trim trees in Virginia Beach?
Yes.
Under certain conditions.
It depends on which trees you would like to trim. In cases where the trees are large or protected, then you must get a permit from the city authorities.
Protected trees include significant trees, public and heritage trees. Huge trees in a private property can also be protected.
Who trims/removes street and park trees?
According to the city of Virginia Beach tree ordinance codes, the trees growing on public streets, walkways or parks are public trees. It is only the Urban Forestry department that is authorized to work on these trees by maintaining them.
As a result, such trees are trimmed, pruned or removed when necessary by the Urban Forestry department.
The following are conditions under which the urban forestry may remove a tree.
- A tree that is posing a threat or danger to the public
- A tree that has become a nuisance to private property owners.
- In cases, there is a significant development project authorized by the city.
- To clear way or avoid interference with infrastructures such as power lines.
- In cases where the tree is dead
- An infected or diseased tree
Is it illegal to remove a tree without a permit in the city of Virginia Beach?
Yes. If you remove a protected tree without obtaining the required permit, it is an offence.
In such cases, you can either serve a jail sentence, pay a hefty fine, and/or replace the removed tree.

Can I trim my neighbour’s overhanging tree branches?
Yes.
According to tree ordinance codes, it is okay to trim any overhanging tree branches from your neighbour on your side. However, you have to make sure you do this without damaging the tree or violating any city TPO. Once you are done trimming, the waste belongs to your neighbour and should be returned.
In cases where the tree is causing so much nuisance that there is need for removal, you cannot remove unless you get permission from your neighbour. In case your neighbour does not comply, and it is a serious condition, you can file a complaint with the city authorities. A court of justice will decide the case and give way forward on the issue.
Can I be forced by the city authority to remove/trim a tree?
In cases where your tree has become a nuisance to the public, you may be given a notice to either trim or remove it by the city’s urban forestry. This is in cases where the tree is dead, diseased, obstructing traffic, interfering with power lines and other serious cases.
Once you have received a notice, you should respond to it. If you do not respond to the notice within the given time, the city urban forestry division will have to do the tree work. However, the owner of the property will pay for all the costs.
FAQs
During the winter season, there are very few outdoor activities going on. This is because most of the outdoor services are seasonal. As a result, the demand for tree services reduces during winter. This leaves the tree services companies with no other option but to give in and reduce the cost of their services. If you can wait up to this period, you will pay less than other times.
Although the question is common, the chances of getting your tree cut down for free are very few. The first thing is that tree services will always charge for their services. The only case when there are chances of cutting down a tree for free is by contracting a landscaping company. When doing their work, they may have to take down some trees which will be for free.
In many councils, you will need a permit to remove a protected tree. Although there are some councils where the laws are not very strict. Nevertheless, it is crucial to check your council’s tree preservation order to make sure that you understand which trees are protected and which ones are not. The ones not protected you can remove without approval.
The cost of trimming a tree will be determined by the difficulty in accessing the tree, trimming style required, and the number of branches. That makes the price to keep on fluctuating. However, the average cost is $429. The actual cost range will be $75 to $1,700.
However, different species of trees will attract different prices due to their characteristics. A good example is between palm and oak trees. A palm tree will cost very little. On the other hand, an oak tree will cost a lot due to the amount of work required to trim it.
If the tree falls out of natural causes such as storm, yes. However, an insurance company will not bear the cost for removal of a tree in case it is not naturally caused. If you want to remove a perfectly healthy tree, then you will have to bear the costs yourself.
The cost of removing a tree is not constant as it is affected by factors such as the location of the property, spread, and tree size. However, the average cost is $879. Depending on where you are and the above-named factors, the cost can vary greatly. The size of the tree is the main factor since sizes can range from 15ft – 70ft height.
A tree measuring 15ft. to 20ft. for example, will cost approximately $225 to $405. However, a large tree from 35ft. to over 60ft. will cost from $500 to $1,980.
Author: Ben McInerney – Ben is a qualified arborist with 15 plus years of industry experience in Arboriculture. He ran a successful tree service before turning to writing and publishing. Ben is dedicated to providing users with the most accurate up-to-date information on everything trees.
A Top To Bottom Tree & Lawn Service

A Top To Bottom Tree & Lawn Service is a well-performing tree company that has been serving Hampton, and its surroundings for seven years. They have a team of experts whose primary purpose is to deliver perfect results. The company only uses safe removal techniques that protect both your trees and the yard. It is a BBB accredited business and offers affordable prices and discounts as per the work you hire them to do. Give them a call for valuable fruit trees’ attendance.
Serve Tampa, FL
7 years in business
The Whole 9 Tree Service

Trevor Hunt is the owner of this company, and his main priority is to make sure they become a premier tree service provider in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake. The whole 9 Tree Service is passionate about meeting every customers’ expectations. Trevor hunt has been climbing trees since his early 20’s which equips him with relevant experience any tree may need. They operate seven days a week from 7 is from 7 pm except on Sundays up to 3 pm.
Serve Tampa, FL
14 years in business
Mike's Tree Service

Mike’s Tree Service helps landlord, homeowners, and builders to create and maintain a beautiful and healthy landscape. They specialize in two things; plant health care, where they treat your trees, offer free advice on insect and disease control, and lawn maintenance. Two, they provide any kind of tree service from small tree pruning to hazardous projects that require machines like the crane. Mike Newell owns the company, and since 2008 he has worked tirelessly to achieve the excellent reputation he holds today.
Serve Tampa, FL
12 years in business
Absolute Tree Surgeon

This is a BBB Accredited company that has been in operation for more than 15 years. It has attained lots of positive reviews and testimonials from their esteemed customers. The company is located in the Hampton Roads area, and they are fully licensed and insured. They only have well-trained professionals at your disposal. The sole purpose of starting this company is to provide an exceptional experience to their customers from start to end. They offer services like tree and stump removal, maintenance, et.al.
Serve Tampa, FL
16 years in business
DeForest Tree Service

DeForest tree service was established in 2011 and mainly provided tree services on Virginia beach alone, however with time; the company extended its services further to Chesapeake, VA, and the surrounding counties. They deal with tree removal, pruning, and any other arborist services. Just as small as they are, they provide a high level of personalized services. Brandon DeForest established the company after spending several years working in local tree service; now, he works for hand in hand with his two brothers under the same name.
Serve Tampa, FL
9 years in business
Celtic Services VB LLC Tree care & Landscaping

Celtic Tree Care holds a reputable name in the entire Hampton Road area. They deal with tree removal, stump grinding, and more. Their crew is certified, licensed, and insured. The company is dedicated to providing efficient and high-quality services at competitive prices. You don’t have to worry about the security of the employees, family, or home since they’re highly competent. To maintain the elegant looks of your lawn, they use turf tires on their machines when working in your compound.
Serve Tampa, FL
11 years in business
Beach Tree & Stump

Whatever you require, may it be preventative tree trimming, complete tree removal, or any other relevant tree service, Beach tree stump is here to serve you. The company works Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 5:30 pm, they as well offer 24-hour emergency services all week. Having been in the industry for ten years, they have all it takes to help their customer beautify their property. They will not only do tree removal but also sell your firewood at a low commission.
Serve Tampa, FL
10 years in business
Tree Works LLC

This is another excellent tree service company in Virginia Beach. For the five years, it has been in operation; it has gained a good reputation from its customers for quality services and affordable prices. From the reviews, every customer they have served would recommend the company to you. They have fully licensed and insured arborists extending services like tree removal, pruning, and lot clearing. It is an environmentally friendly company; they recycle debris to keep your home and the surrounding environment clean.
Serve Tampa, FL
5 years in business
Selection Process
To qualify to make the above list, the company needed to have a minimum of 20 reviews total across a minimum of 2 different platforms. This can be Google, Facebook, Yelp, Yellow Pages, Angie’s List, Home Advisor or any other 3rd party review platform.
Curated reviews taken on personal websites were not counted.
The company needed to be in business for a minimum of 5 years and have a minimum average score of 4.0 or higher.
We feel that years in business is a big factor as it speaks volumes about their experience and competence as a whole. A lot of the business on the list have been in business for 10 years or more.
GTQ rating formula
The GoTreeQuotes rating is a mathematical formula which takes into account the number for year in business, the number of reviews, as well as the average score.
The formula:
Years in business X number of reviews / 1000 X Average score = GTQ rating
Example:
17 x 247/ 1000 x 4.95 = 208
Taking into account all three performance indicators of a business gives us a pretty accurate look at the overall satisfaction of customers while the tree service has been operating.
We found this to be the fairest way to do things for the companies and customers using the list to help them choose a local tree service.
