Homes, palms and trees above the San Diego County coastline

About Cortez Tree Care

An owner-run, licensed tree service based in Vista, serving North San Diego County — CA License #945074.

Our Story

Tree work done safely, cleanly and honestly

Cortez Tree Care Inc was built by Ernesto Cortez on a simple promise: show up when you say you will, tell people the truth about what their trees actually need, and leave the property cleaner than you found it. From our base in Vista we work across North San Diego County — Fallbrook, Valley Center, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Rancho Santa Fe, Encinitas, Solana Beach, La Jolla, Rancho Peñasquitos, Poway, San Marcos and Escondido.

Tree work in North County has its own challenges. Towering fan palms with dead skirts beside apartment buildings. Century-old eucalyptus over Rancho Santa Fe homes. Tight coastal lots in Encinitas and La Jolla where every piece has to be rigged and lowered. Hillside properties in Fallbrook, Valley Center and Poway where fire clearance is not optional. Santa Ana winds that bring down whatever was already weak. We have learned all of it on the job.

Today we handle residential and commercial work alike: tree removal, tree and palm trimming, stump grinding, apartment fire prevention, scheduled tree care for HOAs and property managers, and emergency response around the clock. We are a licensed California contractor, License #945074. Regular hours are 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Saturday — and we answer emergencies 24/7.

What We Stand For

Reliability

We show up on the day we said, at the time we said, and we call ahead if a job before yours runs long. HOA and fire-notice work is deadline work, and we treat it that way.

Safety

Climbers work on ropes and harness, heavy wood is rigged and lowered rather than dropped, and drop zones are set before anything is cut. Your property, your neighbors and our crew all go home in one piece.

Doing It Right

Cuts made to the branch collar, no topping, palms trimmed without over-stripping — tree work that leaves the tree healthier, not just shorter.

Community

We live and work in North County. We hire local, our reputation travels by word of mouth, and we offer a senior citizen discount because a lot of our neighbors need a hand with their trees.

Our Mission

Keep North County's trees safe and healthy, and the properties around them protected — at a price agreed before we started. Treat every customer like a neighbor, because most of them are.

Our Promise

You'll know the price before we start, and we leave every job raked and blown clean. If something isn't right, tell us and we'll come back and make it right. No questions, no excuses.

Ready to Work With Us?

Get a free, no-pressure estimate for a removal, a trim, a stump — or every tree on your property — today.

(619) 781-6353View Services