Trees come down at the worst times, through fences, across driveways, onto roofs, over powerlines. Alpine Arborism runs a 24/7 emergency dispatch line for situations that can't wait until business hours. Insured, qualified, equipped for after-hours work, anywhere in NZ.
Call us first if there's any of this
- A tree or large limb has fallen on or against a building.
- A tree is leaning into powerlines, or has brought lines down.
- A tree is across a driveway, road, footpath or fence-line.
- A tree's root plate is lifting (you can see soil and roots rising on one side of the trunk).
- You can hear cracking or see splitting in a tree during or after high wind.
- A snapped limb is hung up in the canopy and could fall further.
What we do on an emergency callout
- Triage by phone. We'll ask you a few questions and look at photos if you can send them. If it's a true emergency we dispatch immediately. If it can safely wait until daylight, we'll tell you that honestly.
- Make safe. First job on arrival is to stabilise the situation, cordon off hazards, deal with anything that could fall further, secure the area.
- Clear and remove. Depending on the situation, we'll cut to clear access, remove the failed tree, and tarp or temp-secure any building damage so it doesn't get worse overnight.
- Insurance-ready paperwork. We provide written reports with photos for your insurance claim, most NZ home insurers cover emergency tree removal where the tree has caused damage. We can liaise direct with assessors.
After-hours, weekend & holiday rates
Emergency call-outs outside Mon–Sat 7am–6pm carry an after-hours rate, but we don't gouge. We'll quote the call-out fee upfront before dispatch, and walk you through likely on-site time. Most simple after-hours make-safe jobs are complete inside 2 hours.
If the work can safely be staged, make-safe tonight, full removal in the morning at standard rates, we'll structure it that way to save you cost.
Insurance & emergency tree work
NZ home insurers generally cover:
- Removal of a tree that has fallen on a building or structure.
- Repair of the damage the tree caused.
They generally do not cover:
- Removal of a tree that has fallen on a lawn or paddock without causing damage.
- Trees that were obviously sick or dangerous before the storm (which is one reason to get a health assessment done if you have any concerns).
We provide written, dated reports with photos suitable for insurance claims at no extra charge.
Storm season prep
The best emergency tree call is the one you never need to make. Before NZ's main storm seasons (autumn weather bombs, spring westerlies, summer cyclones in the upper North Island), we recommend:
- A walk-around inspection of mature trees within fall-distance of buildings.
- Removal of dead limbs and obvious structural defects.
- Crown thinning of windy-side trees to reduce sail.
- A health assessment of any tree you're worried about.
See our storm-prep walk-through.