When it comes to tree felling and associated works, there’s no one price that fits all. Every project is different and prices can only be realistically given after an assessment.
However, we know that lots of people want an idea of how much it costs so with that in mind, we contacted six tree surgeons and firms in the UK and asked them to supply us with prices for common projects:
- A crown reduction to a medium-sized tree
- Tree felling of a medium-sized tree.
- 3ft stump removal.
The prices on this page are an average of the figures given to us but how you’ll pay depends on several factors:
- How tall the tree is.
- The type of tree.
- Where it’s located on the property.
- Safety considerations (ie blocking road or footpath).
- Does it need to be felled or reduced?
- Can the waste be left on-site or must it be removed?
- Leave, grind or fully remove the stump?
- Is the business VAT registered?
Here is a “First Person” View of Tree Felling
To give you an idea of how much work is involved with a tree felling project, here is an informative “first person” viewpoint of a tree being taken down.
Example Prices
Below you’ll find details of the three projects with the average price displayed below.
We sourced these prices from a selection of tree surgeons in 2022.
Tree Removal Cost 1
Project details – Completely fell a medium-sized multi-stem tree in the rear garden of a property.
Leave the stump just above ground level and remove all the timber and dispose of.
The average price was £950 inc VAT
Tree Surgeon Price 2
Project details – Tree crown reduction to a medium-sized tree in a rear garden.
All waste is to be removed by the tree surgeons.
The average price was £750 inc VAT
We also asked our chosen tree surgeons how much they typically charge to fully fell a large oak tree located in a garden with poor access and requiring stump removal. All of them stated that they would need to inspect the tree first but the price would be in the “thousands”.
Stump Grinding Cost
Stump grinding is the best way to get rid of the stump and most trees won’t grow back after being ground down to a certain depth.
We asked how much stump grinding typically costs and were advised that prices of between £125 and £250 were the norm, depending on whether the garden could be easily accessed and whether the surgeons were already working on the property or if this was a separate project.
Day Rates For Tree Surgeons
Tree surgeons don’t generally quote for work on a “day rate” but we know roughly how much they charge.
A team of two or three experienced tree surgeons on site and including the removal of the waste, will set you back around £950 per day including VAT.
Smaller firms, such as those that only undertake easier projects, working in a team of one or two people, will charge anything from £250-£400 per day depending on location.
Tree Surgeon’s Prices are Subjective
The prices shown above are based on the responses we received for work to a specific tree.
How much you pay will depend not just on where you live and the type of tree involved but also the size of the business you employ.
A larger firm will have considerably more overheads, vans cost upwards of £20k and equipment can run into tens of thousands of pounds.
Smaller firms will have fewer overheads, perhaps hiring equipment as and when needed.
Therefore, for smaller jobs at least, you could make a saving by going with a smaller firm.
There are also plenty of landscape gardeners that will offer to take down smaller trees even if they aren’t formally trained in this area.
Also, if the business is operating below the VAT threshold they won’t charge VAT so you could make quite a substantial saving here too.
What About Waste Removal Costs?
Most of the prices we have investigated here on Job Prices have involved some form of waste removal charge (think builders and roofers etc).
Tree felling is somewhat different in that much of the waste material has some value and can be sold on.
The waste material can be broken down into two groups:
The first is chippings, this is the remains of all the timber after the branches have been put through a chipping machine.
You have probably seen these before, tree surgeons usually tow these behind their vehicles.
This type of waste can be used as mulch in gardens.
Material that isn’t sold as mulch is usually mixed with the second type of waste that is generated. That is low-value waste such as hedge trimmings and the mixture is then sold to the biomass industry for use in power stations.
Large logs are kept and often put up for sale.
Checklist – Read This Before Getting Quotes
For larger and dangerous projects, we suggest you follow our tips here to keep costs down while still employing a safe tree surgeon:
- Make sure your chosen contractors are registered with Arboricultural Association.
- Get written quotes that include an assessment of the tree/work.
- Ask lots of questions. A knowledgeable and experienced contractor will able to answer any queries you have.
- Contact the local planning office beforehand. Your contractor will know if permission is required but doing this is a good way to confirm their knowledge.
- Double-check any insurance policies that they have.
- More tips from the AA can be found here – it’s worth reading.
When Should You Contact a Tree Surgeon?
Homeowners are responsible for the condition of any trees on their land. You may even find that insurance companies refuse to pay out if you fail to have certain trees periodically inspected, so do check the small print of any policies you have.
The list below is very general but if you notice any of the following, then now would be a good time to have your tree checked:
- Cavities or decaying wood on the trunk
- Mushrooms near the base
- Cracks or splits in the trunk
- Adjacent or nearby trees have already fallen over, are dying or dead
- Roots have broken off or are obviously diseased
- The tree has started leaning to one side
Get a Price Online
We hope you found our price guide insightful.
How much you are quoted will obviously depend on your location the type and size of tree you have.
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The work tree surgeons do often overlaps with general gardening work and it's not unusual for them to spend most of their time trimming hedges, planting trees or doing similar work.
The average wage for a tree surgeon is around £27000 and is around the UK average.
Experience can increase the wage up to around £32000. Being self-employed also brings many benefits, as the tree surgeon can work directly for customers.
Below you can find a link to our recently updated trade day rates page:
We work in the property renovation business and have spent the last few years buying properties, renovating them and then selling them on.
Part of our work involves estimating how much work will cost on our houses. That is where the idea for this site came from.
This guide was written by Danny Woodley and was last updated in April 2022.
Don’t forget; we have price guides for hundreds of home improvement projects.
Explore our full list of detailed price guides here.
