Tree Services in Carrollwood, FL

Tampa Elite Tree Service prunes, removes and assesses trees in Carrollwood, where many of the oaks are as old as the houses beneath them. An ISA Certified Arborist inspects each tree before we price it, and estimates are always free.

Matt Jetton's Sun State Homes started Carrollwood in 1959, and more than 900 homes went up around Lake Carroll by 1970. Carrollwood Village followed in the early 1970s, and the country club opened in 1972. That timeline matters for your yard: many of the laurel oaks planted with those first homes are now 50 to 65 years old, right at the end of their usual lifespan.

Our crews work off Dale Mabry Highway, Gunn Highway, Ehrlich Road, Busch Boulevard, Bearss Avenue and Fletcher Avenue, in Original Carrollwood, Carrollwood Village and the streets toward Lake Magdalene. Out past the Veterans Expressway, we also serve Westchase.

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Tree Services in Carrollwood, FL

Aging Oaks Around Lake Carroll

If you live in Original Carrollwood, your biggest tree question is probably how much longer the oak over your roof has.

Laurel Oaks at 60 Years

Laurel oaks typically live 50 to 70 years and develop heart rot from the inside as they age. A tree can carry a full green canopy while the trunk is hollowing out, and the first sign many owners see is a large limb on the driveway.

We sound trunks with a mallet, probe cavities and look closely at the root flare for Ganoderma conks. That tells us whether the tree needs a reduction, tree cabling and bracing on a weak union, or removal.

Live Oaks Worth Keeping

Live oaks are far longer-lived, and a healthy 60-year-old live oak is an asset. We prune them to ANSI A300 standards, removing deadwood and crossing limbs and lightening long horizontal limbs over the roof, without topping or lion-tailing.

Storm History in Carrollwood

Carrollwood has seen severe weather beyond hurricanes.

The 1966 Tornado

A tornado outbreak struck the area on April 4, 1966, only a few years after the first homes were finished. Tornadoes can still spin out of hurricane rain bands and spring squall lines, so keeping heavy limbs off the roof is not just a hurricane-season concern.

Helene, Milton and Canopy Loss

Tampa's citywide canopy fell from 31.4 percent to 29.9 percent after Helene and Milton. Carrollwood sits just outside city limits, but the same storms hit its older canopy, and many of the trees still standing carry cracked unions and hangers that should come down before June 1.

Our storm damage clean up crews handle downed trees and broken tops, and we document damage for your insurer when you need it.

County Rules for Carrollwood Yards

Carrollwood is unincorporated Hillsborough County, so county permits apply here even though the City of Tampa is next door.

The 12-Inch and Right-of-Way Rules

A single-family yard tree measuring 12 inches or more in diameter at breast height needs a county permit to remove. Right-of-way trees in a subdivision need one at any size, and in Carrollwood those strips often hold some of the oldest oaks on the street.

An oak of 34 inches or larger in good condition with a symmetrical canopy may qualify as a Grand Oak, which gets the strictest review. Many of the big live oaks around Lake Carroll come close to that size.

Arborist Documentation and Village Approval

Florida Statute 163.045 allows a single-family owner to remove a tree without a local permit when an ISA Certified Arborist documents an unacceptable risk. Carrollwood Village homes also go through the association's Architectural Review Committee, and we provide the photos and notes that form asks for.

Working on Older Carrollwood Lots

Lots from the 1960s and 1970s come with their own obstacles.

Tight Access and Old Utilities

Pool enclosures, screened lanais and backyard fences built decades ago leave little room for equipment. We rope limbs down in sections and carry wood out by hand when needed, and we call Sunshine 811 before any grinding so old water and gas lines get marked.

Lakeside Lots

Homes on Lake Carroll often have oaks leaning out over the water. We remove those by rigging the trunk back toward the yard so nothing ends up in the lake, and we keep heavy trucks off soft lawns.

Mixed-Age Streets

Teardowns and rebuilds are common in Original Carrollwood, so a new two-story home often sits beside a 1960s ranch under the same oak. Construction near old roots is one of the main reasons we see mature trees decline here, and we can advise on protecting a tree before the builder trenches for footers.

Carrollwood Tree FAQs

What Carrollwood homeowners ask us most.

How much does it cost to remove a large oak?

Large trees of 50 to 75 feet usually run $1,400 to $2,500. If a crane is needed to reach over a house, add $500 to $1,500.

Can a hollow oak be saved?

Sometimes. If enough sound wood remains around the cavity, crown reduction and cabling can keep it safe for years. We measure the shell thickness before recommending anything.

Do you work in Carrollwood Village Park?

The park and its collection of more than 300 trees are maintained by the county. We work on private property next to it and keep debris on your side of the line.

Is a dead oak exempt from the county permit?

A tree that is completely dead, with no living tissue, does not need a county permit unless it stands in an environmentally sensitive area. Lake Carroll shoreline lots can fall into that category, so we check before cutting.