Should I Get a Tree Inspection Before Buying a House in Florida?

Florida sets standards of practice for licensed home inspectors. Those standards include site conditions that affect the structure, and vegetation is on that list. So a good inspector will usually note limbs on the roof, a tree growing against a wall, or roots lifting a walkway.

What the standards describe is a visual check of what is readily visible, and they say the inspection does not predict future conditions. A home inspector is not expected to judge internal decay, rate the chance a large limb fails, identify a fungus, or tell you what a removal will cost or whether it needs a permit. That is arborist work.

I would not hold that against the home inspector. It is simply a different job.

• Trees that could reach the house. Which trees are tall enough and close enough to hit the roof, pool cage, or driveway if a limb or the whole tree failed.
• Defects. Cracks, cavities, co-dominant stems that can form a weak V, dead limbs, leaning trunks, and roots that have been cut. Our tree defects page shows what these look like.
• Fungus. Ganoderma and other decay fungi can show up as conks, shelf-like growths, at the base of palms and hardwood trees. A conk tells you decay is present inside.
• Laurel oak age. Laurel oaks are common in north Pinellas neighborhoods. UF/IFAS gives them a life span of about 50 to 70 years and notes they tend to hollow with age as they near 50. A big laurel oak over a 1970s or 1980s home is worth a close look.
• Roots and the house. Large roots near the foundation, raised slabs or walks, and signs of past root cutting.
• Upcoming costs. Pruning or removal that may be needed in the next few years, so you know what you are buying.

Roots near the foundation are a common worry for buyers, and the answer is more nuanced than most people expect.

According to UF/IFAS, many roots grow up to a foundation and turn to run along it. Roots can still cause damage in two ways: by lifting part of a structure, or by drying out clay soil so it shrinks. UF also warns that cutting large roots, those over about an inch thick, can make a tree unstable. If someone suggests cutting roots next to the house, an arborist should be part of that decision.

With sewer and drain lines, extension sources generally say roots do not crack sound pipe. They find a leak, a crack, or a poorly sealed joint that is already there, and grow into it. If there is a large tree near the drain line, a camera inspection from a plumber during your inspection period can answer that question directly.

Insurance is worth sorting out before closing, not after. News reports from Jacksonville have described Florida homeowners told by their insurers to cut back trees, including limbs over the roof, or risk losing their policy. Citizens Property Insurance says its underwriting surveys can require an owner to repair hazards it finds.

Requirements vary by company and by policy, and I cannot tell you what your carrier will ask for. What I would suggest is asking your insurance agent early whether the carrier has any rules about trees or limbs over the roof. A limb over a roof is not automatically a problem; many can safely stay with the right pruning. If work is needed, an arborist’s written findings give you something specific to show the carrier and to negotiate with the seller.

A buyer often plans to remove a tree after closing and finds out later that a permit is required. Rules differ by city. In unincorporated Pinellas County, including Palm Harbor, what is protected can depend on whether the home is homesteaded.

Florida Statute 163.045 lets the owner of a single-family home prune or remove a tree without a local permit if the owner has documentation from an ISA Certified Arborist or a Florida licensed landscape architect that the tree poses an unacceptable risk. Not every tree you dislike will qualify. Our page on tree removal permits walks through the city and county rules.

1. Check how many days your contract gives you for inspections, and book the arborist at the same time as the home inspector.
2. Ask the seller’s agent for access to the yard, and be there if you can. Standing under the tree while the arborist explains what they see is worth more than the report alone.
3. Ask for written findings, not just a verbal opinion. Our tree risk assessment includes a written report with the findings, the risk rating, and the options.
4. Get estimates for any work that is recommended, so you can bring numbers to your agent.
5. Decide with your agent whether to ask for a repair credit, ask the seller to do the work, or simply plan for it.

The goal is not to scare you off a house. Many trees turn out to be fine, and good shade trees can add value. It is to make sure the trees are part of the decision, not a surprise after closing.