What is a fair and reasonable price to have a tree completely cut down?

Tree work is one of the hardest jobs to price correctly when you can’t visit the property and make an assessment, not only is every tree different but so is access requirements and what exactly is located underneath the tree!

Whether you end up paying a couple of hundred pounds or several of thousand will depend on:

   Height and width of the tree

   It’s overhang

   Access to the tree location

   Type of tree

   If it’s near a public footpath or road

   If you want the waste material disposed of

   Do you want the stump removing

    Fuel costs

   Transportation

   Machinery wear and tear

  The Distance to the Job

   Specialist Machinery Hire

Height of tree - this is a factor because it will require equipment and time to get up there, there is also the risk that parts of the tree will have further to fall and are more likely to cause damage. Hence why extra care is needed, that all takes time, more manpower and ultimately costs more.

The overhang - some types of trees are more likely to overhang sheds, greenhouses and fences etc. the bigger the overhang the more costly the job!

Access - if your tree surgeon has no access to the rear garden where your tree is located, then how will he get there to cut it down? By going through the house? Or by perhaps by taking down fence panels on neighbouring gardens? This will all add to the cost, especially if he has to cart the felled tree back to his van like this!

Type of tree - some trees are just easier to work on than others. It is a cost factor.

Public road/footpath - if your tree is overhanging a public footpath or road then you will need to get permission to close off the area. This isn’t going to be cheap, depending on the road of course.

Waste disposal - if you can dispose of the waste yourself, perhaps because you have a big garden then you can save a fortune. Carting a felled tree to the front of a property so it can be loaded onto a vehicle takes time, paying to dispose of said waste costs lots of money, especially if the tree weighs several tonnes!

Stump grinding - this will stop the roots forming into a new tree. How far down the stump needs to be grinded to prevent this will depend on the type of tree.

Fuel costs - most chainsaws, hedge trimmers, brush cutters etc use fuel to run. The bigger the job the more fuel will be needed to complete it. Also the vehicles will need to have enough fuel to transport the tools, men and waste. More fuel, more cost.

Transportation costs - bigger vehicles may be needed to carry the rubbish away, this can increase the price alot

Machinery / equipment wear and tear - all machinery and equipment wears from daily use, chains brake, tyres need to be replaced, chainsaw oil needs to be replaced, ropes, slings, climbing equipment need to be replaced as it all wears from the work. The amount of wear has to be taken into account when pricing a job.

Distance to the job - men / women may have to work longer days due to the travelling, this will effect the job price

Specialist Machinery Hire - some jobs may need equipment such as cranes, arial platforms, chipper machines, stump grinders, diggers or tractors this can dramatically increase costs.

Our advise would be to never ask for a quote over the phone as it may change dramatically when the tree surgeon arrives. Also they may  not have the correct equipment and machinery to do the job safely.

Always arrange an available time for the tree surgeon to come out and have a look at the job in hand. Get them to explain to you, the methods they are going to use to do the job safely