Elmer and his crew just completed 4-1/2 days of intensive work on our trees and clearing our large sloping, terraced back yard, and we couldn't be happier with the work. His crew of 6 to 8 guys were hardworking, polite, pleasant, neat, and clearly experienced at the work they did. The bid: Elmer arrived on time, spent plenty of time looking at the yard and discussing the project with us before making the bid. We got several other bids, but decided to go with Elmer, whose price was very fair. We checked that he is fully insured (workers comp, etc), and he showed a big concern for safety of his workers (wearing helmets, safety lines, etc). (Warning: one of the other companies we checked, who said they were "fully insured", had no workers comp. This work is too dangerous to risk without proper insurance!) The (big) job: Remove a gigantic 80-100 year old pine tree infested with pine beetle, and grind the stump; trim/thin seven tall redwood trees (80-100 ft. tall); prune and shape a small oak and other trees; remove small trees and shrubs, tons of ivy, brush, vines, dead lawn, etc . Complicating the job was a heavy redwood deck and playhouse in front of the huge pine; they actually removed the playhouse and deck, then replaced everything in position after the pine was removed. Their work: Every day a crew of 6 to 8 guys arrived promptly at 8:30, and worked til 4:30 or later, always leaving the work site clean. Most impressive was that, even with a crew this large, every guy was busy working the whole time--no waiting around or wasted time. Elmer was here part of each day, but whether he was here or not, the crew always knew what to do, and any questions were handled well by his brothers. They also listened well to our concerns. For example, when trimming the 7 redwood trees along a fence, they took into account the function of the trees as a privacy screen, thinning just enough to improve the health and appearance of the trees without eliminating our privacy. A few times we asked them to trim more from a tree, and they would do it willingly. It seemed as if our satisfaction was truly important to them. Overall: I highly recommend Elmer and his crew. Over 35 years in the same house, we've hired lots of workers for various jobs, but have rarely been as satisfied on every aspect of a project. These guys were great! read more

I highly recommend EC Tree Service to anyone needing a professional reliable all purpose gardening company. On Saturday the 8th we received a notice from the City stating that the back of our property needed some attention. The work had to be done by the 17th or fines would be levied. It was a daunting job and we were on a tight schedule. Sunday morning I started making calls looking for someone to help remedy the situation. I couldn't have fournd a better company. Elmer Cano, the owner of EC Tree Service came out that very morning (Sunday) and bid the job at a very reasonable price. Not only was he a well spoken young man but he was very knowledglable as to exactly what needed to be done. It was also reassuring that his company is licensed and bonded. He and his crew arrived first thing Monday morning with a hugh hauling truck and impressive heavy equipment (woodchipper, etc.) . Elmer directed the crew as to what needed to be done and they worked the entire day. By the end of the day our hill (it is rather a large hill) was raked and cleared of all weeds, the trees were beautifully trimmed, all dead shrubs, tree limbs and debree were removed and hauled away. Even the sidewalk was cleared of all dirt. It looked spectacular! Before accepting payment, Elmer had us examine the job to make sure we were pleased with the outcome. Not only were we pleased but EC Tree Company will be the company we use annually from here on out. A Very Satisfied Customer!! read more

Elmer and his crew trimmed our shrubs (almost 40 ft. high) yesterday and we are SO pleased. They did an outstanding job! Initially, I asked our gardner if he could do the work but he said we needed a tree service. He did not have anyone to recommend so I checked out the reviews on Yelp. I've never selected a service through Yelp but everyone was so positive and so impressed with EC Builders/Tree Service, we decided to call Elmer. Elmer returned our call immediately and made an appointment to come see our overgrown shrubs. He arrived on time and gave us his professional opinion and then gave us a written estimate. We made an appointment on the spot and the following week. Elmer and his crew arrived on time. Halfway through the job, Elmer touched base with us to make sure we liked the progress and gave us his input. We were so comfortable with him and his crew and their work, we decided to trim back even more. His crew works very efficiently and they cleaned up during and after the work. They are hard workers and did a spectacular job. Not only do the shrubs look great but it's given us much more sunlight in our backyard and even in our house. It's so amazing. I have extremely high standards and I am pleased to say that Elmer's crew exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend them to my family and friends. We live in Menlo Park...Thank you Elmer and crew! read more

We called Elmer Cano (the owner of EC Builders/Tree Service) on Wednesday of this week to give us an estimate on a tall Birch tree on a rental property. The tree had a partially broken trunk and the tree was leaning precariously towards a building on the property. We were happy with the estimate and called Elmer back that day. He and his crew started work the very next day, Thursday. Elmer had explained ahead of time that since the trunk was broken, the tree was unsafe to be climbed in the usual manner. Instead, they would tie it securely to the surrounding trees and use ladders to cut off the limbs. After that, they would cut down the tree trunk. We had made arrangements to have Elmer not only remove the Birch, but several small Black Acacia & Privet along the fence line as well. We were extremely happy with the professional demeanor and knowledge that Elmer displayed. He explained everything from the start and answered all questions. He and his team worked quickly and left the grounds sparkling. We will use the Birch trunk for firewood. The EC team stacked it neatly in the yard for us. They know the names of all the trees in the yard and will be back in the near future to trim and cut down trees we discussed. Thanks for the great work EC Tree Service! read more

I am very satisfied with EC Tree Service, and its owner Elmer. Last winter, two days before Christmas, a large tree blew down in my back yard and knocked down part of my fence. I found Elmer on YELP and called him for an estimate, needing the work done ASAP. Elmer came right over, even though it was a wet and cold Sunday, and he gave me an estimate that I thought was very reasonable. He offered to stay to do the work that afternoon, which surprised me, and he brought his crew back within the hour and finished the work even though it took them past sundown. They removed the stump and even propped the fence back up with 2x4s until I could get the repairs done. All in all an excellent job. I called Elmer back this summer when a large branch broke off another tree, and was partially submerged in the canal in my back yard. Elmer came by when he said he would to give me an estimate and was able to remove the tree limb very quickly for a reasonable price. While his crew was there, I asked them to trim the rest of the tree, which they did for a nominal extra charge. I am completely satisfied with their work, professionalism, care for my property, promptness and thoroughness. read more

My neighbor gave me Elmer's number, and I called his number (650-714-8894) to get a quote to remove a large Magnolia tree (over 36 inches diameter & over 65' in height) that was a hazard to my house (due to the proximity to the structure - less than 10'). He returned my call within a reasonable time frame and we schedule an appointment (after work to accommodate my schedule was very impressed with his calm personality and he advise me on what I needed to do to get a permit (I wanted to get the permit myself, but had no idea what or where I needed to go/do - Elmer is very familiar with the local regulations -that was very helpful and free) and that same day he gave me a verbal quote that was followed with a detailed quote in writing via email (how much it will cost to get the job done and how long it will taker's quote/price was very fair and the service that his professional team delivered exceeded all my expectations (the job was done on schedule, it was done in a safely manner - no damage to my house or my yard, and they did a great job cleaning everything). I would give Elmer's team the highest recommendation. read more

I had learned of EC Tree Service when they first did work for my wife's parents in San Bruno. We had a large tree on our property that was impinging upon a shared fence and was also affecting a brick patio. We also wanted a number of other trees trimmed and some ivy removed from the back yard. Finally, we had a tree that the city of Fremont formerly maintained, but no longer does. We asked Elmer to come out and give us an estimate for all of the work. We were impressed with his knowledge of each of the trees in our yard, and his description as to how he would work on them. We were also impressed by the fact that he was registered with the city to perform service on the tree next to the street. Then, when he performed the work, we were again impressed by the professional manner each of his workers displayed. They did the job quickly and correctly, and the clean-up afterwards left nothing for us to worry about. His price was very fair - we had obtained other estimates. The bottom line is that Elmer is now our tree guy! read more

I needed to cut down some trees in our backyard for the deck we are planning to build in. Called him up last Wednesday and Elmer said he could come by the next morning to take a look. He arrived promptly at the agreed upon time and I showed him the trees that needed to be chopped down. While I was pointing out the trees, Elmer noticed another tree that was almost dead and said he could he that one down while he there doing the others. My wife had mentioned before she left that morning that she wanted a shrub in the front yard yanked out because she wanted to plant something else there. While pointing out the shrub, I asked Elmer his opinion of a medium sized tree we had in the front that I thought needed some pruning. He pointed out a large hole in the tree which had hollowed out the trunk and recommended it be cut down before it fell on its own and damaging property and/or hurting some. The trees have been cut and I will call them again if need any kind of tree work. read more

I got 3 bids to remove 8 trees, grind all stumps, and top off 15 trees. Elmer was literally 1/4 the price of my gardener, and less than half the cost of the third estimate. You hear stories about being cautious going with the low bid, but that isn't the case here. Elmer owns all of his own equipment so there is no equipment rental fees he needs to cover. He brought his 3 competent men to assist on the job and it was all done quickly and as thoroughly as promised. I already recommended Elmer to a coworker and my brother who only have small jobs, but Elmer said he is always interested in any job that keeps him busy... he sets his prices low so he keeps busy... refreshing. I highly recommend Elmer's services to anybody who has tree needs. He also can install turf which I will have him bid on in the near future. He is licensed and insured and I would trust him with whatever work needs to be done around my house, that is about the best endorsement I could give anybody. read more

I have used Elmer for tree trimming and tree cutting, as well as fence building, fence repair, deck repair, etc. for the last 10 years. He is reliable and his charges are very reasonable for all his work, but especially for tree cutting which can be a very expensive proposition for large trees. His crew knows what they are doing, they work quickly, and they clean-up. Over the years he has acquired the best equipment including a large chipper. I have even had Elmer do the log splitting so that the wood can be used in our wood-burning stove on non "spare-the-air" cold winter nights. Now-a-days, when he starts a job, I don't even ask "how much is it going to cost?" because I know that I am going to get the best price and service possible, and whatever it is that I am asking for, it's something that I have to have done anyway. Elmer is not only contractor to me, he has become a friend, and I am happy to be one of his "regular customers". read more

This is my first review on Yelp and I want to echo the prior reviews - EC Tree Service does a great job! My wife and I asked Elmer to come over to get us an estimate for trimming a tree in the front yard. We were very impressed with his knowledge and professionalism so we asked him to also quote us on cutting four trees in the back of the house and removing a big pile of tree limbs accumulated in the last few years on the hill side beyond the back yard. His price was so good we cancelled the appointments for estimates from other contractors. The next day, Elmer and his team arrived at the time promised, did the work exactly as described, and cleaned up the sites when completed. We couldn't be happier. I highly recommend Elmer and his team for any tree-based projects you are planning. read more

Mid April based on reviews on Yelp I contacted EC Builders/Tree Service for an estimate on cleaning up a number of trees. Elmer came out the following day. He looked at what I thought needed work and pointed out a lot more that I had not noticed. We decided on doing everything which involved a crew of 4 for a day. 2 days later on Saturday morning they showed up and pruned trees on the steep hill behind the house and 6 oak trees in the side and front, climbing all and thinning the canape. They worked steady and did a great job and cleaned up better then when they arrived. My neighbor hired them on the spot and they did a smaller job at his house after finishing mine. He was also pleased. read more

I highly recommend Elmer and his crew. Met with me to view the work site and discuss all work to be done. Gave written estimate including all details and dates of work. Came on the days specified did all of the expected work (and more!). Had no problems what so ever. Communication was excellent. All expectations met and exceeded. Cost was very reasonable. Tremendous value!! Would recommend to anyone. Great understanding and execution of what to trim and how (trees, shrubs). Hauling and clean up was superb (many types of items to handle). I called him back for more work the next day after completion of the first large contract. I felt like I got more than I paid for. read more

We've engaged several tree companies in the Bay Area during our 18 years in business, and this company stands out as exceptional. Their communication and responsiveness are top-notch. After contacting them on a Monday, they promptly visited the property the following day to provide an estimate. Work commenced the day after that! Not only did they keep us informed throughout the process, but they also proactively checked in to ensure our satisfaction. Remarkably, when we requested minor adjustments, they promptly addressed them the very next day. We're thoroughly impressed with their service. read more

Throughout the years, we have thoroughly enjoyed doing business with EC Tree Service. Elmer's (the owner) bids are always fair and prompt. His wife, Analia and her staff run the office very proficiently, responding to all communications timely and efficiently. The crew is always professional, courteous and do the job to our total satisfaction. Rather it is an emergency job (twice the city has given us short notice to trim trees on the back of our hill) or a scheduled job, EC Tree Service has taken care of whatever has been requested. We highly recommend this excellent company. read more

I just had eight LARGE pine trees removed from my back yard by Elmer and his crew. The price was right, and the work was excellent. The estimate was that it would take 2 1/2 days. It took 2 1/2 days. I was told they would remove 4 trucks of debris. They removed exactly 4 trucks of debris. The contract called for cutting the trees to ground level. The trees were cut to ground level (and that was on a hill). They arrived on time every day, worked hard all day, and left the premises cleaner than they were before the work started. I would recommend EC to anyone without qualification. read more

I highly recommend EC Tree Service and would use them again. Here's why. I used them to remove a 30-year old backyard apple tree that was diseased. They (Elmer Cano and his crew) .... 1) ... quickly responded to my request for a bid; 2) ... offered services to match my needs; 3) ... were the most competitive by a significant amount; 4) ... were on time; 5) ... did their work knowledgeably and efficiently; 6) ... left the premises neat and clean. Elmer is a personable, savvy business man who's goal is to achieve customer satisfaction by providing high quality, high value services. read more

My rental property in Fremont was overgrown by privets, shrubs, and other weed related plants both in the front and back yards. Several trees needed to be cut back and trimmed as well. The tenants left with all their garbage inside and out of the house. I'm so glad and grateful to find Elmer. Not only his estimates were reasonable but the work from his crew was excellent and fast. Everything (trees and garbage) was done and cleaned up in one day as Elmer predicted. It's such a pleasure to find a company that's honest in every step of the way. I'll hire them again in a heartbeat. read more