Assess
Use this route when you are unsure what work is appropriate, a tree has changed, or you need written advice before deciding.
Tree work across Surrey, England
Tree surgery starts with the tree, the risk and the site around it.
A hanging limb beside a road needs a different response from planned pruning or the removal of a garden tree. Check immediate danger first, then protection, wildlife, access and what you want the work to achieve.
Surrey, England
Before arranging work
- 01 Keep people clear if there is an immediate hazard.
- 02 Check TPO, conservation-area and wildlife constraints.
- 03 Record the tree, access and nearby targets.
Independent enquiry routeCouncil sources citedNo remote safety diagnosis
Make a useful first decision
Removal, pruning or an urgent response?
Start with what has changed and what the tree could affect. An inspecting specialist can then recommend the method instead of working from a guessed percentage or vague request to cut it back.
Plan
Pruning, removal and stump work need different access, equipment and permissions. Describe the objective and constraints first.
Respond
Storm damage, hanging branches or a sudden lean may need urgent professional assessment. Keep people clear of the risk area.
Choose the situation
What needs to happen to the tree?
Removal, pruning, stump work and storm damage involve different equipment, permissions and urgency. These guides show what to check and what an inspecting specialist will need to see.
Tree removal in Surrey
Tree removal
Considering tree removal in Surrey? Understand what changes the method, quotation, permission checks and final condition of the site.
Check this type of workPruning and crown work
Pruning & crown work
Understand crown reduction, lifting, thinning and deadwood work in Surrey, including the objective, permission and access questions to settle first.
Check this type of workStump grinding in Surrey
Stump grinding
Understand stump-grinding access, underground-service and replanting questions before requesting a Surrey quote.
Check this type of workUrgent and storm-damaged trees
Urgent tree work
Practical first steps for fallen, split or storm-damaged trees in Surrey and how to prepare an urgent specialist enquiry safely.
Check this type of workLocal context
Surrey-wide guidance without pretending every job is the same.
Tree protection is administered by the relevant Surrey district or borough council. A county-wide enquiry therefore needs the property postcode and the correct local authority before permissions can be checked.
Surrey Tree Surgery is an independent information and enquiry website published by Surrey Experts. It does not carry out tree work. When the work, postcode and current coverage match, we may introduce one independent specialist.
For work inside Guildford borough, the Guildford protected-tree guide follows the council’s local map and notice route.
Include these details
- Tree location, approximate height and species if known
- The change, concern or outcome you want assessed
- Nearby buildings, roads, cables and neighbouring land
- Garden, driveway and machinery access
- Known TPO, conservation-area or planning conditions
- Clear photos from a safe position
Evidence-backed planning
Check the rules before booking a date.
Common questions
What to establish before work starts.
Do I need permission before tree work?
Possibly. A Tree Preservation Order, conservation area, planning condition, felling-licence requirement or wildlife constraint can affect what may proceed. Check the relevant authority before work starts.
Can you diagnose a dangerous tree from a photograph?
No. Photos can help triage an enquiry, but condition and risk may require an on-site assessment by a competent tree professional.
What affects the cost of tree removal?
The tree’s size, condition and position all matter, along with access, nearby buildings or services, whether sectional dismantling is needed, and what should happen to the timber, waste and stump. A site assessment is normally needed before a reliable quotation can be prepared.
Tell us about the tree
Describe what has changed, what is nearby and how the site is reached.
We check the work type, postcode and current coverage. Where there is a suitable match, we may introduce one independent specialist who will inspect and quote directly.