Everything homeowners ask before the hedge goes in.

They can if nobody plans for them — ficus roots are vigorous. That's why we trench a 24-inch HDPE root barrier ($22/ft) alongside any ficus planted near hardscape, and steer you toward podocarpus when a hedge must sit tight against a pool or plumbing. Full honest breakdown on our ficus roots page.

Depends on the size you install. 36-inch box trees stand 10–12 feet on day one — instant screening. 24-inch boxes give eye-level privacy immediately and full height within a season or two. 15-gallon rows are the budget path: 2–3 feet of growth per year, real privacy in 2–3 seasons.

Fence height is capped in most SoCal cities (commonly 6 ft in back, 42 inches at the front setback), but hedges are treated differently city by city — many allow substantially taller planting, with corner-visibility exceptions. We flag the local rule for your city during the confirmation call before install.

Very. Linear footage measured from satellite imagery is typically within a few percent of a tape measure. Your fixed price is computed from that footage, and a project manager confirms everything before install day. If the site genuinely differs from the imagery — a retaining wall the satellite can't see, no irrigation stub anywhere nearby — we tell you before any work starts, and you can walk away with your deposit refunded.

40% is due the day before install — it secures your hand-tagged trees at the nursery and locks the crew. The balance is due on completion, after you've walked the line and signed off. Payments are tied to real milestones, never ahead of work performed.

Most projects are installed within two weeks of the deposit, subject to nursery availability for your species and size. Most residential hedges are planted in a single day.

Short version: Ficus for maximum density fast, Podocarpus for a clean look with no invasive roots, Privet for classic formal hedges under 12 feet, Italian Cypress for narrow spaces and height, Silver Sheen for designer texture. The quiz shows pricing for all of them against your actual footage, and we'll flag it if your pick fights your site conditions.

Yes — add drip irrigation with a smart controller as a one-tap add-on in the estimate, priced from your exact footage. New hedges fail from thirst more than anything else; if you skip it, make sure the line reaches existing irrigation.

We provide species, height, and setback documentation suitable for architectural review boards, and we're familiar with the common requirements across Irvine, Orange County, and Conejo Valley communities.

Yes. Trees that fail to establish under our care guidelines are replaced. We'll give you a one-page care sheet — mostly about not overwatering — and your irrigation schedule is programmed before we leave.

Demo of old shrubs, stumps, or small trees along the line can be added to your quote after the satellite review — it's the one common item we price after seeing the site, since satellite imagery can't show what's under a canopy.

Orange County through Los Angeles and Ventura County up to Santa Barbara. If your address geocodes inside that stretch, the quiz will price it.