Answer first: The trimming that matters in Gregg County: limbs overhanging the roof cut back to sound wood, dead wood out of the crown before it becomes falling wood, and clearance around the service drop, done only when the line is safe to work near. Storm season here peaks May and June. The time to trim is before it.
What we trim, and what we refuse to do
We take off: limbs over the roof and driveway, dead and broken wood, crossing limbs that rub, and low growth that blocks sight lines or gutters. Water oaks and sweetgums around Longview carry a lot of dead wood by middle age and shed it in every blow; a proper dead-wooding visit every few years keeps that off your shingles.
We will not top your trees. Topping a pine or an oak, cutting the main stems back to stubs, produces a flush of weakly attached regrowth that fails harder in the next storm than what was removed. It is banned practice among reputable crews. If someone offers to top your trees cheap, that price includes the next failure.
One boundary: limbs near the SWEPCO service drop to your house are your responsibility, but they get trimmed only with the line dead or protected. Anything near the pole-to-pole lines is SWEPCO's, at 888-216-3523. We work to that rule with no exceptions.
What it costs
Most Longview trimming visits land between $250 and $800 depending on tree count, height, and how much comes out. A half-day crew visit covering everything on a normal city lot is the most common ticket. You get the scope and the number in writing first.