· Michael Blair
Tree removal quotes vary far more than homeowners expect for trees that look similar. The variables are mostly about risk and access rather than size.
What is underneath it
A tree with open ground beneath can be felled in large sections and dropped. A tree over a roof, a fence, a pool or power lines must be dismantled piece by piece and lowered on ropes.
That difference — felling versus rigging — is the single largest factor, and it can multiply the labour several times over.
Getting the wood out
A tree a chipper truck can park beside is far cheaper than one in a back garden reached only through a narrow side gate, where every piece is carried by hand.
Crane access changes this again. On a difficult tree a crane can be cheaper overall than days of climbing, which surprises people.
- Targets beneath: roof, fence, pool, lines
- Vehicle access to the tree and to the wood
- Species and wood density
- Dead or decayed wood, which is unsafe to climb
- Whether stump grinding and haul-away are included
Species and condition
Dense hardwood is heavier and slower to process than softwood of the same size. Dead trees cost more, not less, because decayed wood is unpredictable and often cannot be climbed safely.
A dead tree left standing for years is the most expensive version of the same job.
What is and is not included
Stump grinding is usually separate. So is hauling away the chips and the wood, and so is repairing lawn damage from equipment.
Get all of it itemised. The gap between two quotes is often entirely in what happens after the tree is on the ground.