Branch pruning

Tom Hanks, owner, 24/7 Express Handyman Service · Updated September 2026

24/7 Express Handyman Service prunes dead branches in Salt Lake, Park City and Heber. 20 to 25% of a tree's leaf area is the most that should be pruned off in any one year. (004 - Pruning Landscape Trees: An Overview | USU Extension Forestry)

What branch pruning costs

Salt Lake City & Millcreek	from $205
Park City & Summit County	from $225
Heber Valley & Wasatch County	from $225

Branch pruning in Salt Lake City & Millcreek starts at $205: the 2-hour minimum at $95/hour ($190) plus the $15 fuel surcharge, with no dispatch fee. Time past 2 hours is billed in 30-minute steps. Larger parts are billed at cost plus 25%.

Full price sheet and estimator

Call now

(801) 999-0827 Text photos

Answered 24/7 by Tom or his dispatcher.

24/7 Express Handyman Service confirms the address, the zone rate and the dispatch fee, and takes a card, before rolling.

Quick answers

Is it okay to prune dead branches in the fall?

Yes, dead, diseased and hazardous branches can be removed in fall. Heavier pruning of live wood is best done in winter or early spring before buds swell, when the tree is dormant, because fall pruning of healthy wood can delay dormancy.

Where should a pruning cut be made on a dead branch?

Cut just outside the branch collar, the swollen, wrinkled area where the branch meets the trunk, without leaving a stub or cutting flush against the trunk. Arborists call this a natural target cut.

Who should prune branches near power lines?

Only certified line clearance professionals should prune near utility lines, so call the electric company first. OSHA also advises looking for overhead power lines before handling or climbing a ladder.

Bypass loppers for cutting small branches, lying open on concrete — Photo: Dvortygirl, CC BY-SA 3.0

What 24/7 Express Handyman Service does on site

Dead, broken and diseased branches removed from the ground or a short ladder with hand pruners, loppers or a pruning saw
Each cut made just outside the branch collar, with no flush cuts and no stubs left behind
Dead limbs rubbing the house or hanging over walks and driveways cut back, and the brush hauled away

How it works

Walk the trees and mark dead, broken or rubbing limbs that can be reached safely from the ground or a short ladder
Look for overhead power lines before any ladder goes up, and skip any limb near a line
Cut to the branch collar, bag or bundle the brush, and haul it away
Referred out: any limb near a power line goes to the electric utility or a certified line clearance professional, and climbing work, large limbs or anything above ground-level ladder reach goes to a certified arborist

When to stop and call

If a dead limb hangs over a walkway, car or roof and snow is on the way, do not wait for it to drop. 24/7 Express Handyman Service can take down dead wood within reach of the ground and refer anything higher to a certified arborist.

What happens next

The written scope and price come first; every branch to be cut is marked before any saw comes out.
Photograph the damage before anything is moved and keep every receipt; 24/7 Express Handyman Service provides an itemised invoice your insurer may ask for. The dispatch fee and job cost are paid by you on the day.

Every job 24/7 Express Handyman Service takes on is under $3,000 including labor, materials and any change orders (Utah Code §58-55-305); a change that would push a job over that line is referred to a licensed contractor, not written up as a second job. plumbing, electrical, HVAC, gas appliance / combustion system work is referred to a licensed trade.

Sources

004 - Pruning Landscape Trees: An Overview | USU Extension Forestry — retrieved 2026-09-23
Ask an Expert: Final Fall Pruning and Projects | USU Extension — retrieved 2026-09-23
Ask an Expert: Five Fall Must-Do Yard Tasks | USU Extension — retrieved 2026-09-23
Stepladder Safety (OSHA 3662) | OSHA — retrieved 2026-09-23

All sources