Bucket Truck Service in Hale, Lupton & the Tawases
Larry runs the forestry bucket truck himself, on our jobs and by the hour for yours.
Some work is out of reach from the ground and unsafe to climb: a dead top on a big white pine, a limb hanging over the cottage roof, an ash the borer killed that would not hold a climber. The bucket puts the saw exactly where it needs to be with the operator on a platform instead of a limb, and it is faster, which is most of why it costs less than a climb on the trees it can reach.
Reinhardt Tree Service runs a forestry bucket truck with a chip box, and Larry is the one in the bucket. It is how most of our removals and trimming get done wherever the truck can set up on the drive or the lawn. Where it cannot, the tight lots between cottages, the bank above the lake, the tree in the back corner, we climb.
We also hire the truck and operator out by the hour: a farm with a line of dead elms along the road, a church with limbs over the roof, a contractor who needs a tree topped out before the build, a township with hangers over a park trail. Bring the job and we bring the truck.
What is included
- Tall tree removals taken down in sections from the bucket
- High trimming, deadwood and dead-top removal
- Limbs over roofs, decks, drives and docks lowered under control
- Storm damage high in the crown
- Hourly bucket truck and operator hire for farms, churches, contractors and townships
- Chipper on the same truck, so the brush leaves with us
Power lines
The service drop, the wire from the pole to your house, is the homeowner's responsibility, and we will not put a saw near it while it is live. We coordinate a temporary disconnect with Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050 and schedule the work around it.
The primary lines along the road belong to the utility. If a tree is in those, Consumers Energy's own contractors handle it, and we will tell you when that is your situation instead of taking the job.
How it goes
Call or send photos
Call (989) 305-9731 or send photos of the tree and of where the truck would need to park to reach it.
Check the access and price it in writing
The truck needs a firm place to set up. Larry checks the drive, the lawn, the ground conditions and the overhead lines, then gives you a written price, by the job or by the hour.
Work from the bucket
Outriggers down, pads under them, and the work done from the platform piece by piece, roped down wherever there is something under it.
Cleanup and walk-through
Brush into the chip box, wood hauled or stacked, lawn raked, and a look at the tree together before the truck rolls.
Bucket truck by the hour
For work that is really about reach: a sign, a light pole, a roof, or a tree another contractor cannot get to.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Bucket truck with operatorOne hour minimum, portal to portal. | $175 per hour |
| Extra ground hand | $50 to $75 per hour |
| Chipping and haul-away | Priced per load |
Hourly is only cheaper than a fixed price on short jobs. If it will take most of a day, ask for it priced as a job instead.
These are the ranges most jobs in our area land in, not a price list. Every job is priced on site or from your photos, in writing, before anything is cut.
All typical price ranges
Bucket Truck Service questions
How tall a tree can the bucket reach?
Most residential trees around Hale and the lakes are within reach when the truck can get close. When a tree is taller than the bucket or the truck cannot get to it, we work the top from a climb or from the bucket with rigging, and we tell you the plan up front. Send a photo and we will tell you whether it reaches.
Will the truck damage my lawn or driveway?
It can, and we work to avoid it. The truck sets up on the drive when it can. On grass we put pads under the outriggers, and on soft ground we use mats or wait for it to firm up or freeze. We talk it through before the truck leaves the drive.
What does bucket truck work cost by the hour?
Hourly bucket truck hire with Larry operating typically runs around $175 per hour with a minimum, and travel beyond about 25 miles of Lupton is extra. Most homeowner jobs are priced by the job instead, which is usually simpler for you. Either way it is in writing before we start.
Can you work near the power line to my house?
Near the service drop, the line from the pole to the house, yes, with a temporary disconnect from Consumers Energy arranged first at 800-477-5050. We help you set that up. Trees in the primary lines along the road are the utility's job, not ours, and we will point you to the right number.
Bucket Truck Service in your town
Plus everywhere in between across Iosco, Ogemaw, Alcona and Arenac Counties. See the whole service area.
Ready to talk about bucket truck service?
Call Larry or send a few photos. Estimates are free, and you hear back within 24 hours, same day for emergencies.