Bigger or unusual job? Compare bids from local pros and you pick who does the work.
The service
What tree planting & transplanting is, what a visit covers and where the line is.
The short answer
Tree planting is setting a nursery tree in a hole sized to its root ball, at the right depth, with the soil firmed and the trunk supported if needed. Tree Planting & Transplanting in San Francisco is booked through pros who cover its 28 ZIP codes, in neighborhoods such as The Mission, Noe Valley, and The Sunset. SF's microclimates mean fog, wind, and moisture vary dramatically by neighborhood. Providers account for this in material selection. Pros on NorTech set their own planting prices and warranties, and the final pick of pro is yours.
What a tree planting & transplanting visit includes
What is included depends on the jobs you pick and on how each pro sets up their visit and timing. You see the exact scope with each pro's price before you book.
- Assessment of the tree and its new location
- Root pruning ahead of the move when possible
- Digging and wrapping of the root ball
- Moving by hand, dolly or tree spade
- Replanting at the correct depth
- Watering plan, staking and aftercare
Pick what is on your list
Tick what you want done, or add your own. Your list goes under the booking card and to the pro you choose, and you can describe anything else when you book.
Planting new trees
Tick what you want done. One visit can cover several.
Tick jobs above, or add your own. Your list goes under the booking card and to the pro you choose, so they see exactly what you need before they arrive.
What shapes a tree planting & transplanting job
These are the things that make one job different from another. Mention them in your notes so each pro can scope your job properly.
How a tree gets moved
The way a tree is lifted and relocated depends on its size, the access and the species. Each method has real tradeoffs for the roots and the lot. Tap an option to compare, then add your pick to your job notes.
What is not part of tree planting & transplanting
Knowing where the line is keeps the visit on track and keeps you safe. When a job belongs to a specialist, NorTech tells you before you book.
- A project that climbs to $1,000 or more in labor and materials belongs to a licensed contractor, and NorTech raises that before you book.
- Buying the tree itself unless the pro includes it in the quote. Ask whether the tree is supplied or you bring your own.
- Irrigation system installation or repair, which is its own service on NorTech.
- Digging near unmarked gas, water, sewer or electric lines. Utilities must be located before the hole is dug.
- Removing a large tree or stump that is in the way, which is a separate tree removal job.
- In San Francisco, sF DBI permit requirements are among the strictest in California. Smaller jobs stay within the handyman exemption; permitted work is bid on by NorTech-verified licensed contractors.
Plan your visit
How booking works, how to get ready, and what to expect where you live.
How booking tree planting & transplanting works
Say what needs doing
Add your ZIP and a few words about the job.
Compare pros near you
Each pro sets their own price and warranty. NorTech does not pick for you.
Book the pro you pick
Add photos and details on their page. Your card is held and only charged after the work and the photos.
Photos and a warranty
Your pro backs the work with a workmanship warranty — if covered work is not right, your pro makes it right, free.
Before you book tree planting & transplanting
Quick things that save a trip. Tick them off as you go; none of it is required to book.
Choose the spot before the visit
Mark where you want the tree with a stake or a spray line, then step back from the street, the house and the windows. A tree that looks right on paper can block a view or a gutter once it grows.
Check what is underground
Ask your utility locator to mark lines before digging, and tell the pro about irrigation lines, drains and septic areas. Hitting a pipe on planting day turns a simple job into a repair.
Take photos of the tree and the site
Send a photo of the tree, its trunk size and the path from the tree to its new home. For a move, a photo of the soil and the surrounding roots helps the pro plan the lift.
Plan your watering
New and moved trees need deep, slow watering for the first one to three growing seasons. Ask the pro for a schedule and decide how you will water, with a hose, a bag or a drip line.
Ask what the quote includes
Confirm whether the tree is supplied, whether the hole, the stakes, the mulch and the first watering are included, and whether the pro will remove the waste soil and the container.
Ask about the warranty
Look on the pro profile for the workmanship warranty that pro gives, and ask if it extends to the tree. Ask whether it covers the tree itself and what care you must follow, because a missed watering may affect that coverage.
Say where in San Francisco you are
Add your neighborhood, for example The Mission, Noe Valley, and The Sunset, or your ZIP code to your notes. Pros choose the neighborhoods they cover, and it tells them how far they have to travel.
How where you live changes tree planting & transplanting
Best time to book tree planting & transplanting
Planting when the tree is dormant, in cool and moist weather, gives the roots time to grow before summer heat or winter freeze. Fall planting lets roots establish while the soil is still warm. Spring planting works well if you can water steadily through the first summer. In San Francisco, the dry season from late spring to fall is the easiest time for outside work, and the fall calendar fills before the first big rain.
Together
Book tree planting & transplanting with your neighbors
Every home on the street gets the pro’s neighbor rate, and each one books and pays on its own.
Start a Street Day- Start one
Pick the job, your street, a day and a pro who offers a neighbor rate.
- Share the link
Send it to neighbors. Only the city is ever shown publicly, never your street.
- Neighbors join
Neighbors on your street book the same pro on the same day.
- Everyone saves
Each home gets the pro’s neighbor rate, a percent off the pro’s own price, and books and pays on its own.
Often booked together with tree planting & transplanting
Book several services with one pro. Pros set their own bundle discounts.
A new tree needs steady water, and irrigation lines may need adjusting to reach it.
A mulch ring around the new tree holds moisture and protects the trunk from mowers.
Taking out an old tree and stump is often done before planting a replacement.
The planting area often needs clearing, raking and tidying around the new tree.
Around San Francisco
Where in San Francisco the work happens, and the cities close by.
Tree Planting & Transplanting across San Francisco
Pick your neighborhood to see what homes there tend to need. Pros choose the neighborhoods they cover, so enter your ZIP code to see who covers yours.
Cities near San Francisco
Pros often cover more than one city. The rings show 5 and 10 miles from the center of town.
Other services in San Francisco
Each one has its own page for this city.
Ideal for the long punch list of small fixes that pile up in older SF Victorians and Edwardians, from sticking doors to loose trim, with each pro's visit price shown before you book.
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See pros in San FranciscoTall ceilings, ornate Victorian moldings, and compact condo rooms all get a fresh, even finish that holds up to the city's damp, foggy microclimates.
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See pros in San FranciscoOriginal SF doorways shift on steep-slope foundations, so providers re-hang, adjust, and weatherproof doors that stick or no longer latch in older homes.
See pros in San FranciscoEmergency removal of storm-damaged trees and limbs, cleanup of debris and securing of hazards by a qualified tree service, with rapid response when roads, roofs or power lines are affected.
See pros in San FranciscoTrust and answers
What backs the work, who is licensed and insured, what customers say, and your questions.
Backed by your provider’s warranty. If covered work fails, your provider makes it right, free.
San Francisco homeowners
Tree Planting & Transplanting reviews in San Francisco
Verified tree planting & transplanting reviews from San Francisco homeowners will appear here.
Be the first tree planting & transplanting review in San Francisco
Your pro backs the work with a workmanship warranty — if covered work is not right, your pro makes it right, free. Book with confidence and tell San Francisco how your pro did.
Book Tree Planting & Transplanting in San FranciscoFrequently asked