Pine tree removal, before the wind decides for you
Pines are what land on roofs in Mobile. They're tall, thin, shallow in sand, and the 2024 southern pine beetle epidemic left dead ones standing in yards across the county. If yours is leaning, fading or alone, read this before hurricane season.
Loblolly, slash and longleaf pines are the backbone of the Gulf Coast's woods, and they are also the trees most likely to be on a house after a storm. The University of Florida's hurricane research explains why: tall, slender pines that grew up in a stand relied on each other for support, so when a lot is cleared and one or two are left standing they face wind they were never braced for. Add 66 inches of rain a year on sandy soil that goes soft when it's saturated, and a high water table that keeps roots shallow, and a lone 80-foot pine beside a house is a decision waiting to be made.
Then there are the beetles. In September 2024 the Alabama Forestry Commission declared southern pine beetles at epidemic levels: nearly 9,000 beetle spots statewide, averaging 191 dead pines per spot, the highest count in 23 years. The beetles attack loblolly, shortleaf and slash pine most, sometimes longleaf, usually trees already stressed by drought or wind. The signs are popcorn-sized pitch tubes on the bark, boring dust in the bark crevices, and a crown that fades from green to yellow to rust-red over a few weeks. A beetle-killed pine is a particular problem: the U.S. Forest Service warns that they develop structural defects and are likely to fall even while still standing, and the wood goes brittle fast, which is why dead pines come down from a bucket or a crane instead of a climber's rope. The Forestry Commission's advice to landowners is to act quickly and remove infested trees to stop the spread.
Not every pine needs to go. A healthy longleaf with a straight trunk and room around it is a fine tree. The ones we take down are leaning, with mounded soil behind the lean; fading or dead; standing alone where a stand used to be; or simply over the house, the carport or the neighbor's bedroom. A pine comes down in sections, topped out from a bucket and the trunk dropped in rounds, or lifted out by crane on a tight lot. The stump is ground below grade and the hole is ready for a replacement that can take the wind, a live oak or a bald cypress, rather than another pine.
What's included
Honest assessment
Lean, root heave, crown color, pitch tubes and what the tree would hit, checked before we recommend anything.
Beetle-killed pines handled safely
Brittle dead pines come down from a bucket or crane, never climbed, and the wood is removed to limit spread.
Sectioned over structures
Topped out piece by piece and roped down over roofs, fences and pools.
Crane when the lot is tight
Midtown, Spring Hill and the Eastern Shore's wooded lots often need the pine lifted out. See crane removal.
Stump ground below grade
Pine stumps grind easily; chips hauled or left as mulch.
Replacement advice
Which trees stand up to wind here, and where to put them.
Pine tree removal cost in Mobile, AL
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pine under 40 ft, open yard | $300 – $700 | Felled whole, chipped and hauled |
| Pine 40–70 ft, near structures | $800 – $2,000 | Topped out and sectioned |
| Pine over 70 ft, over the house | $1,800 – $4,500 | Often with a crane |
| Dead or beetle-killed pine | + 20% – 40% | Bucket or crane instead of climbing |
| Several pines, one visit | 10% – 20% off per tree | Setup shared across the job |
| Stump grinding, pine | $125 – $350 | Below grade, chips left or hauled |
These are 2026 Mobile-area ranges to help you budget. Your written price is itemized (climb or bucket work, rigging, chipping and haul-off, stump grinding, crane time, the City permit when one applies) and good for 30 days.
Recent work
Questions we get about pine tree removal
How do I know if my pine has beetles?
Look for popcorn-sized blobs of resin (pitch tubes) on the bark, reddish boring dust in the bark crevices and at the base, and a crown turning from green to yellow to rust-red. By the time the crown is red the beetles have usually moved to the next tree. The Alabama Forestry Commission's insect and disease map shows active spots as red dots.
Can a beetle-infested pine be saved?
Almost never once it's attacked; the beetles girdle it under the bark. Healthy neighboring pines can sometimes be protected by removing the infested trees promptly. We take the infested tree down and remove the wood.
My pine is leaning a little. Is that normal?
Some pines grow with a lean. A new lean, or mounded soil and exposed roots on the back side, means the root plate has moved, and Auburn Extension's guidance after Sally was that most leaning trees cannot be straightened. If it's leaning toward anything that matters, it should come down before the next front.
Is one tall pine next to the house really that dangerous?
It depends on its history. A pine that grew up with neighbors and lost them when the lot was cleared is the classic failure in a hurricane. A pine that grew in the open with a full crown and a wide root system is far stronger. We'll tell you which one you have.
Do I need a permit to remove a pine?
Only in specific cases: a pine on the street side of the sidewalk (a City tree), or a longleaf pine of 8 inches or more inside a historic district, where longleaf is on the City's Heritage Tree list. Loblolly and slash on a developed lot outside the historic districts need no permit.
What should I plant instead?
Something that stands up to wind: live oak, southern magnolia, bald cypress or, if you want a pine, a longleaf given room to grow in the open. Not another slash pine two feet from the fence.