A bad storm rolls through overnight. In the morning there's a tree across the driveway, limbs all over the pasture and a fence line flattened under an oak. It's a sick feeling, and it's hard to know where to start.
We're Josh and Mark Collier with Middle TN Grading & Clearing, out of Lawrenceburg. Here's a plain rundown of storm damage cleanup on Middle Tennessee property: what to do first, what to leave alone, and when heavy equipment makes sense.
Safety First, Cleanup Second
Before you touch anything:
- Stay away from downed power lines. Treat every line as live and call your utility. Don't cut a tree that has a line in it.
- Watch for hung-up limbs. Broken limbs caught in a tree overhead can drop with no warning. These are some of the most dangerous parts of storm cleanup.
- Be careful with trees under tension. A trunk bent or pinned under another tree can spring when it's cut.
If a tree is on your roof or house, that's a job for a tree service and your insurance company. We're not going to pretend otherwise.
Take Photos Before Anything Moves
Before cleanup starts, photograph everything: the trees, where they fell, any damage to the house, fences, outbuildings and driveway. Insurance adjusters want to see the damage as it happened.
Does Insurance Cover Storm Cleanup?
Sometimes. According to treelaws.org, homeowners policies typically pay for tree removal only when a covered peril drops a tree on a covered structure or blocks a driveway. A tree that falls in the open yard or pasture often isn't covered. Policies also often cap how much they'll pay for debris removal, so check your own policy and call your agent.
What Heavy Equipment Is Good For
Chainsaws handle a lot. But on rural land and bigger yards, storm cleanup goes faster with machines. Here's where we come in:
- Downed trees across driveways, fields, fence lines and pastures. We push, pile and move them so you can get in and out.
- Hauling debris off or piling it where you want it.
- Stumps and root balls. When a tree uproots, it leaves a big root ball and a hole. We pull, move and fill.
- Regrading ruts and washouts. Storms bring heavy rain, and Nashville averages about 50.5 inches of rain a year according to NOAA's 1991–2020 normals. Driveways and low spots take a beating. We regrade and, when needed, haul gravel from the quarry to rebuild a drive.
- Brush and overgrowth that came down with the storm.
When to Call for Help
If the job is a few limbs, you can likely handle it with a saw and a free afternoon. It's time to call for equipment when trees are big, tangled together, uprooted with root balls standing up, blocking the only way in, or spread across a field or fence line. Those are the jobs where a machine saves days and keeps people out from under unstable wood.
Can You Burn Storm Debris?
Often, yes, with the right permit. The Tennessee Division of Forestry requires a free burn permit for brush and debris piles from October 15 through May 15, obtained the day you burn through BurnSafeTN or the MyTN app. Your county or city may have stricter rules, so check locally.
Whether your county picks up storm debris varies, and we didn't find reliable county-by-county information. Call your county office after a storm.
What Does Storm Damage Cleanup Cost?
We quote after we've seen it. Storm work varies more than most jobs, and published numbers are all over the place, so we won't throw one at you.
What moves the cost: how many trees are down, how big they are, how tangled they are, whether they're on or near a house, fence or power line, how easy it is to get equipment in, and whether debris gets hauled off or burned. Cost varies widely with site conditions, so call (931) 458-1500 for a free estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I call for a tree down across my driveway? If there's a power line involved, the utility first. If it's clear of lines and structures, a crew with equipment like ours can move it and get your drive open.
Does homeowners insurance cover storm cleanup? Usually only when a covered peril drops a tree on a structure or blocks a driveway, according to treelaws.org. Check your policy.
Can I burn storm debris? From October 15 to May 15, you need a free state burn permit. Check local rules too.
Will the county pick up storm debris? It depends on the county. Call your county office.
Let's Get Your Place Back in Shape
You can read more about how we handle this on our storm damage cleanup page.
If a storm left trees and debris on your property, call Josh or Mark at (931) 458-1500. We'll come take a look and tell you plainly what it'll take to clear it.