Get three estimates for removing the same tree and you'll often see $800, $1,400, and $2,800. They're not random. Each number reflects what's actually included — and what isn't.
What goes into the number
Tree work pricing is driven by five things:
- Size and species. A 30-inch DBH oak is more wood, more time, and more risk than a 12-inch maple. Hardwood vs. softwood matters too — hardwoods are denser, slower to cut, harder to chip.
- Access. Can a bucket truck get to it? Or do we have to climb? Is there a clear drop zone or do we have to rig and lower every piece? Backyard trees with narrow side gates can cost 2–3x what the same tree would cost in an open front yard.
- Targets. The tree is the easy part — the house, the fence, the deck, the power line, the kid's swing set, the neighbor's shed, the irrigation lines underground. Every target nearby adds rigging complexity.
- Cleanup scope. Wood chipped and hauled? Logs cut to firewood length and left? Stump grinding included? Just brush hauled and you keep the trunk? Each option changes the number.
- Conditions. Frozen ground, soft spring lawn, dry summer, drought-stressed soil — all of it affects how heavy equipment can move on the property.
What separates a $800 quote from a $2,800 quote
Same tree. Same property. The cheap quote almost always:
- Doesn't carry full insurance. General liability and workers comp on every crew member costs money. The cheap guy often runs without it, which means if someone gets hurt on your property, you're the insurance.
- Drops everything from the top. No rigging, no lowering. Whatever falls falls, including the lawn underneath.
- Leaves logs for you to deal with. The 60-inch sections of trunk are now your problem.
- Doesn't include cleanup beyond "the big pieces." Brush, sawdust, leaf debris — that's yours.
- Doesn't include the stump. Either left flush or cut at a foot above grade.
- Isn't actually a quote — it's a verbal range. When the job is half done, the price changes.
The expensive quote usually includes all of the above — and a properly capitalized business that will be around next year to come back if there's a follow-up issue.
Three things to look for on any written estimate: (1) Is the scope of cleanup specified? (2) Is stump grinding included or separate? (3) Will they provide a current certificate of insurance on request? If any of those are vague, the number is meaningless.
Where ranges actually come from
For ballparks — and these are very rough, every tree is different:
- Small trees (under 25 ft): $200–$600 to remove
- Mid-size trees (25–50 ft, open access): $500–$1,500 to remove
- Large trees (50–80 ft, structural targets): $1,200–$3,500 to remove
- Specimen trees (80+ ft, complex rigging): $2,500–$8,000+ to remove
- Stump grinding: typically $4–8 per inch of stump diameter at grade
- Routine pruning: $300–$1,500 per tree depending on size and scope
Real numbers come from a real visit. We do estimates free — no obligation, no pressure, just a written number you can compare.
