Hoffman Estates tree service
Tree service for Hoffman Estates yards
A crack running down from a tree fork, or a limb hanging over the roof after a night of wind, is the kind of thing to describe on the call for residential tree work in Hoffman Estates.
What is the tree doing?
Trees fail in a few familiar ways, and the right page starts from what you can see from the yard.
A limb is down or hanging after a storm
Wind tears wood where it was already weak, and a hung limb can drop at any time. Stay well back from the yard and look at what to do after a storm limb comes down.
A trunk leans more than it used to
A new lean, soil heaving on one side, or roots lifting out of the lawn means the tree is on the move. The whole trunk and the root plate get walked during a removal visit, with a call on what the tree can still hold.
The tree leafed out thin or died back from the top
A bare top on an ash points at emerald ash borer, a browning red oak crown at oak wilt, and an elm wilting fast through its crown at Dutch elm disease. Dead and dying tree removal covers each one.
Branches hang over the roof or the driveway
Limbs riding on shingles grind at the gutter and shed leaves into every valley on the house. The right pruning cut takes the weight off at a collar farther back on the limb, so the tree keeps the shape it should have.
A stump is sitting in the lawn
The tree is gone, but the stump still catches the mower, and the roots are already sending up sprouts. Grinding the stump below the soil line is a job of its own, done after a utility locate request.
A crack is running down from a fork
A seam under a tight V-shaped union is the fork trying to tear apart. When the wood below the split is still sound, a cable and brace can hold a tree worth keeping.
What the trees here are up against
Hoffman Estates yards sit in a part of northern Illinois where pests, disease and summer storms all take a steady toll on the canopy. More than 6,000 ash hit by emerald ash borer1 have come out of parkway lots, and infested ash may die within two to four years,2 with dieback usually starting at the top. If an ash in your yard is bare up top, it is time for a look.
Parkway silver maples and Siberian elms are coming out, too. The Village inspected about 2,400 of them in 2025 and marked about 425 for 2026 removal, with at least two weeks' notice3 before a nearby parkway tree comes down.
For oaks, the Morton Arboretum says oaks should not be pruned between mid-April and mid-October,4 when fresh wounds attract the beetles that carry oak wilt, and the safest time to prune is early November to very early April.
The June 10, 2026 derecho5 brought a tree down on power lines one mile northwest of Hoffman Estates, with gusts up to 80 to 85 mph and widespread wind damage across much of northern Illinois. That kind of storm is why the emergency page exists, and why our visit pays as much attention to what a tree would land on as to the trunk itself.
Tree work, grouped by what you need
Our full services list is grouped by what prompts the call: a tree already down or dangerous, trees you want to keep, and the stumps, brush and open ground that come after a removal. Each group has its own page, and the hub sends you to the right one before you dial.
A tree is down or dangerous
Trees you want to keep
Stumps, brush and open ground
How a tree job sets up
The call starts with a plain description of the tree: species if known, rough height and what stands under it. The tree gets a look from the ground before any work, with an eye on what it could land on if it failed. The about page covers the call and the yard side in more detail.
Tree work around Hoffman Estates
Trees around Hoffman Estates come under two owners. The Village owns and maintains the parkway trees1 in the grass strip between the sidewalk and the curb, and trees on private property are the homeowner's responsibility.1 The village's tree canopy sits at 28 percent, up from 26 percent,6 with the most canopy on residential lots and in natural areas. Under the Village code, no one other than Public Works or a Village contractor7 may remove a street tree without a permit from the Director of Public Works. The tree rules page covers who owns the parkway tree and who to call about a wire.
Any digging on a stump brings in the law: Illinois law requires anyone planning outdoor digging, whatever its depth or size, to notify JULIE at least 3 days before.8
Tree guides for Hoffman Estates yards
Tree service in Hoffman Estates: your questions
How is tree work priced in Hoffman Estates?
Price follows the work: the height of the tree, the lean, what it could land on, access through the yard, and the stump. The tree price guide covers each driver.
Should the tree be trimmed or taken down?
Many trees that look finished are worth keeping with a good pruning or a cable in the right fork. A tree with a dead top, soil heaving on one side or a long crack below a union is usually a removal. The call is made at the tree, with the crew walking the whole trunk and the root plate. The tree assessment page covers the look in more detail.
Is a tree on my house an emergency?
Yes. A limb on the roof is still loaded, and the pieces hidden up in the crown decide whether more comes down. Call us, and stay out from under it. See the storm and emergency page for how we handle it, and the storm checklist for the first hours.
A branch is lying on the power line: who do I call?
If anyone is hurt, or a line is down, sparking or burning, call 911 first. Stay well back and keep others clear. Then ComEd asks anyone who sees a broken limb on a power line not to touch it and to report it at 1-800-334-7661.9 We can come for the tree once the line is safe.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Hoffman Estates?
Parkway trees belong to the Village, so only Public Works or a Village contractor may remove one unless the Director of Public Works issues a permit. Private trees are the homeowner's responsibility, and the Village's Development Services answers permit questions for a given lot. More in the tree rules page.
Can I keep the wood?
That decision is the homeowner's. Say on the call whether you want logs kept on the lot or everything gone.
When should trees be pruned here?
For oaks, the Morton Arboretum says the safest window is early November to very early April, and no pruning between mid-April and mid-October. For most other trees, dead and hanging wood can come off any month. The oak pruning calendar runs through the full year.
Call (847) 201-4879 and tell us what you are seeing: what the tree is doing, where it is on the lot, what stands under it, and whether anything is near a wire. If calling is not the moment, leave your number in the form below and we will call you back. Either way, please stay clear of the tree, and keep people, pets and cars out from under it until we get there.
Sources
- Village of Hoffman Estates, Forestry (FAQ: How often will my parkway tree be trimmed?)
- The Morton Arboretum, Emerald ash borer
- Village of Hoffman Estates, Silver Maple Program
- The Morton Arboretum, Oak Wilt
- National Weather Service Chicago, June 10, 2026: Derecho Produces Widespread Wind Damage
- Chicago Region Trees Initiative (The Morton Arboretum), Hoffman Estates Urban Forestry Summary (2022)
- Village of Hoffman Estates Municipal Code, Chapter 10, Section 10-4-8 (Tree Removal), via Municode
- JULIE (Illinois one-call), Homeowner FAQs
- ComEd, Our Crews Respond Quickly to Storm Damage
Limb hanging, trunk leaning, stump in the way?
Describe the tree from where you are standing, and stay clear of anything near a wire.