How much for tree removal in your area?

[inthewoods]

We have a big oak close to the house we are thinking about getting cut down. Estimates from two places were both $800 and that's not even removing the stump!

Is that an average price?

[Bearfootfarm]

That sounds about right. Are they going to haul off the wood too?

[inthewoods]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

That sounds about right. Are they going to haul off the wood too?

Yes, $800 includes removal of the tree. It's $600 just to have it cut down. If it wasn't such a wide tree, we would cut it up ourselves.

[Dirtslinger]

Make sure they have insurance. Some companies will buck it up for you, then you can rent a splitter, it would be worth it for all that hardwood.

[daytrader]

If they are insured. That price is a deal.

Insurance for a tree company is huge. There is only two companies nation wide that will under write the workers comp for tree workers. Roofers get cheaper insurance.

That is why 94% of lic tree cutters CARRY NO workers comp insurance. They may have liability insurance, but not work comp. So if they get hurt on your land. You get to foot the bill. You liability insurance will not because many/most limit tree removel on your policy for hired labor or contracting.

I have a tree removel biz. WE DO NOT CARRY INSURANCE. Instead we have under written our selves by posting a 1 million dollar bond with the sate to satisfy their requirments. All are workers are contractors that bring their own tools and lease our trucks from us on a hourly rate.

Basically its a work comp thing.

To get a idea on our pricing, "WE ARE CHEAP". 500 bucks to start the saw. 800 to meet the saw with wood. 100 a hour to haul wood away. We also charge for log removel. Now, we do sell and grade the logs. Yet we charge you to take they out of your hair.

Even with our limited insurance, we are able to do insurance work.

There is a big diff in cutting it down your self, hiring the guy down the street for 200 bucks and paying us 1200 bucks. The differance is how much money you got?

If you hire out. CHECK WITH YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY. You should be able to make a claim if its a unsafe tree. Insurance counts trees as structures. (over 10 inches). So to insurance its no differant then taking down your garage.

Your home owners insurance will send out a inspector. They will look at the tree. Rank it for safty as a structure, look for any damage and pay you for it.

They will also look at risk to other buildings or trees. A tree falling and hitting a tree is no diff (as long as its over 10") it falling and hitting your roof. That tree has a value on you insurance risk indicator.

The 800 bucks sounds like a deal. I would check with your insurance and have them take a look. they may say the check for removel is 2200 bucks. Do you want a check or want us to call in a company to remove it?

I have yet, to find a tree that insurance would not cover (on property that carried insurance). The investigator will make it work.

Now 800 bucks for a tree you want taken down. No way in heck it could EVER fall down or lightning hit it and hit a building or other tree. Then yes. 800 and they sell the log after it has been greaded. May only be 20-100 bucks.

If the tree COULD EVER hit your home. BRING IT TO YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY.

You have to in most cases by your contract with them when you purchased the policy. Any changes in the landscape clause.

If it can hit you house you call the insurance company that simple. They may say not a problem, take it out. You then ask for a better rate. They valued that tree in your polcy for risk.

[highlands]

That is a fair price. Do make sure they have insurance.

If you're a real thrill seeker and good with both heights and a chain-saw this is a wonderful do-it-yourself project. I'm joking...

This part is not a joke: I took down a big tree that was only six feet from our house in an inside corner of the house ('el'). It was 40' tall of main trunk 3' in diameter at the bottom. I started at the top of the tree and disassembled it down to the ground dropping 4' long sections precisely on the X between the tree and the two big picture windows. I couldn't drop on the other side because that is where the swimming pool was. It took me a day's work and it was very satisfying not to lose the house, windows, pool or any limbs. I would not recommend this job to someone who gets nervous...

So, $800 is cheap. Have the professionals do it.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
http://NoNAIS.org

[Jan in CO]

Have you thought about placing an ad for someone with a portable sawmill, who also is insured and can cut down the tree for the lumber so that you won't have to pay for it? You may then just have to have the stump removed, or do it yourself, at a much lower cost. Do watch for the insurance thing, tho. Jan in Co

[connie in nm]

We have a HUGE mulberry close to our house and two cinderblock fences, plus wires running through the tree. We are concerned about it cracking our concrete foundation.

One estimate to cut and haul it away : $4000

I get the feeling they don't really want to do it, because no way are we paying that much. I knew it would be more due to the logistics, but that is ridiculous. We had one really lowball bid (yes, they looked at it first), but they backed out before we could sign a contract.

Looks like hubby and I will be doing it ourselves....sigh. I'm sure it will turn into a multi-year project. We need to do it before it leafs out, but since we are still remodeling on the inside of the house, I don't think that will happen this year.

[e.alleg]

Doing it yourself is scary. I have cut down a large tree one time. It fell on the wire, I called the utility company they fixed it.

[catmar]

First anything over 10 in we need a permit to cut down ($150)

Then is where it gets interesting, we paid over $1k for a huge tree that was too close to the house. THat price wasn't the best or the worst, they were the most prepared when we interviewed them for price quotes. Yes, they were insured & no my insurance did not cover the cost.
They actually sold the log to a mill (not common here on LI), but they did grind the stump & a couple of other old stumps for us.

I would definitly use that company again, actually I have a huge one that will need to come down within 2 years. (when I get the money for the permit & the cutting)

[ajaxlucy]

The price doesn't sound outlandish to me, either. We had two big trees taken out by a professional company and another tree trimmed. We ended up trading our old car for the work, but it would have cost almost two thousand.

[bluetick]

During a windstorm in 2005, a huge limb broke off a maple tree near my house. As it fell, it hit my roof, a chimney, siding and broke a window. My insurance company covered the cost of repairs, but when I asked if they would cover the cost of removing some other large limbs that looked dead or dangerous, they said no.

I had the work done at my own expense for $600. At my request, they left the wood, that I later had cut up for use in my woodstove.

[hunter63]

$1800 to have one taken down in the back, between the houses, fence, swimming pool.
I thought that was a deal.
That was a poplar tree, so they hauled the wood away, and ground the stump.
Used a 60 ft bucket truck and still had to climb.
$800 sounds like a deal.

[foxtrapper]

$3k estimates for an 80' oak here.

[brushe]

I got a steal. They took down 3 huge pine trees that where 6 feet from house. They took all the wood and raked the yard for $1,200. They left the stumps cut low to the ground and my dh cut them out over about 3 weekends. Hopefully we will sell soon and the next time no trees near house unless I plant it.
Becky

[Tricky Grama]

Wow-guess we got a deal last year.

Have 20 ac & 10 ac wooded. Lots of trees w/mistletoe & dead limbs too high for us to get. Had 3 guys come out all day long & get the misletoe out as well as cut & drag the huge dead limbs. $750.00 for all they could do in one day.

Patty

[vancom]

I paid $1200 in middle TN to have about 15 trees cut, stumps ground, wood cut into 18 inch sections and the rest chipped. We kept all the wood.

Seems like a deal--I better get them back here to clear some more!

Vanessa
near Nashville

[tamsam]

You prob have at least 800 in firewood if the tree is big. Around here I would have them leave the big peices on the ground and them haul away the smaller limbs. We have gone and hauled wood away for several people and used it for firewood. It helps them and us too. Good luck with the tree. Sam

[inthewoods]

Where in Middle TN are you? We are about 1 hour north of Nashville. Wonder if your guys work up this way?

Originally Posted by vancom

I paid $1200 in middle TN to have about 15 trees cut, stumps ground, wood cut into 18 inch sections and the rest chipped. We kept all the wood.

Seems like a deal--I better get them back here to clear some more!

Vanessa
near Nashville

[inthewoods]

Thanks for all of the responses!

We would like to keep the wood to sell but don't have a splitter. We have 6 other trees that we had pushed over this past summer. Maybe it's time to invest in a splitter?