I live in SC Wisconsin, just north of the Illinois border.
It took me two weeks to get someone to come to my property and do an estimate for removal of three dead trees. The estimate is $2100, which my wife thinks is too high.
One tree is close to power lines, which of course complicates removal. The trees are also not safe to climb, so they need to bring out a lift to cut them down safely.
I really think the estimate is about right for the job, if I could get other companies out to do an estimate I would have a better idea. What do the arborists on here think?
by Jerstopholes
42 Comments
Always get more than 1 quote for tree work. Prices can vary dramatically
I think that’s more than fair for three dead trees. Lots of risk especially with the power lines. I’m surprised the quote wasn’t higher.
That doesn’t seem too high.
Might be worth contacting the energy company. Don’t want to get your hopes up, but they’ll sometimes handle removal if something is an imminent threat to power lines. That could bring your cost down some.
If they’re renting a lift that quote is more than fair, but it looks like there’s lots of space to just fell those trees. Just make sure they are certified and have insurance.
I think that price is very fair. My mind says $700-900 a tree fully cleaned up. The machinery, insurance, and man power is an investment that pushes most tree companies in to this price range or higher for most one day jobs and there still so many other variables and expenses. Pricing does vary a lot by location and local economy. For my area most 2-3 man landscape companies can do $900-1200 a day while tree companies are double to triple that a day.
Thats pretty cheap tbh? Your wife’s wrong as per usual
Yes. I just paid $650 yesterday. I live in a HCOL area. Anything under $1k is fair game I’d say.
Full removal for 3 trees seems reasonable, but they’re very easy fells.
Is that with stump removal or not?
If theyre cleaning it up, youre getting a good deal. Large dead hazard trees that are going to explode into a million pieces when they hit the ground.
Ill come by and quote you 3000 if you’d like.
for 3? with removal? bargin where i live
2100 not bad. Just make sure whoever yo get to do it is insured
Yes
3 big trees for $2100 is fair as hell.
No. It’s a good deal
How are prices determined under capitalism?
A combination of what is the customer willing to pay and what is the seller willing to charge?
If you don’t like the price, you can try to negotiate lower or you can try to find a competitor.
Arguably maybe the arborist should be quoting higher prices because they seem to be the only arborist in the area picking up their phone
That’s a good price
Call the power company first, if those are power lines
Whats that yellow rope about? Looks like if you remove the tree the fence will fall down. lol
Yeah, the power line would make me not want to take this job, so that instantly makes the price skyrocket due to the risk. IMO that’s a good price, you should take it.
A lot of places would charge 1500-2000 per tree.
In my area it’s $500 – $700 per tree so that price is fair. One near wires is more technical, likely charging more for that.
If it’s risky dead, you ought to be able to winch it into your lawn.
If I were a tree guy, I wound’t even get close to those power lines for that price.
Yea tree removal is expensive. Lots of guys, lots of equipment, insurance, hazardous work. You can get additional quotes, but it likely won’t deviate much from that. Let us know if it does.
The tree near the line doesn’t complicate anything, that tree is easily roped and pulled over. Ropeed and bucked in 20-30 minutes. More or less the same for the other trees. Your cost is coming from the clean up mostly, I’d guess. That’s a lot of exploding tree to rake up and haul out of there.
I paid $3000 for a large, mature oak tree that was too close to the house. At 1st I thought you meant 1 tree for $2100 and I thought that’s not too bad. 3 trees like that close to the power line is a good deal, provided they’re a reputable company with good reviews and insurance and not just somebody’s BIL with a chainsaw.
I’ll get that shit done right now someone hand me a sthl chainsaw
Good value …
I once did a downed tree cleanup for 450 and took down a pair of trees it damaged when fell. It took me 10 hours. I should have charged so much more. Amateur making amateur prices I suppose.
Decent price. Wifey derp
I’m not an arborist, I just live in the woods and have unfortunately had to have a number of trees removed over the years.
Absolutely get multiple quotes. When I first moved in I got quotes for some red oaks too near the house. They varied from over $10k with no stump grinding or removal, to just above $3k with removal, cleanup, and stump grinding. I picked the $3k offer and they did a great job. The $10k company is the one with the most yard and business lot signs all over town and the most trucks driving around. I think it was a “Your job is too small” quote.
I wouldn’t always choose the cheapest, but in my case I had no idea what was reasonable. The only way to find out is to get multiple bids. I have pretty much settled into working with one company now, but I learned an important lesson back then to get multiple bids on any contract work I’m having done, and to mention it up front. Most will expect it or not be surprised, and they will offer up a reasonable bid the first time. Some will even say on the phone “I probably can’t compete right now so I’m gonna pass” so it also saves time.
Would be for me I’d rent a lift and do it myself for half the cost . But I have no idea how handy you are. As far as someone doing it for you I’d say it’s fair . Make sure they are insured
More than fair
I live in Virginia and was always told the equipment is the expensive part. So if you need to take multiple trees down. Do it while they’re there. 2100 doesn’t sound bad, but always shop around. Most companies around me do 2-3k per tree, depending on difficulty.
I’m a municipal tree warden and the tree crews I contract are usually $2500/day and they probably do 4-5 trees a day and come back a later day to pick up the wood. I’d say this is a reasonable deal with the utility lines, are they leaving the stumps?
Should be more like $3000 IMO. Take him up on it before he is too busy at prices like that
In Madison, that would easily cost double (if not more). Give me the name of the company, I’d love to see if they will come out to Madison 🙂
2 out of the 3 are pretty easy diy
To me ? If them trees are leaning away from the power line? I’m gonna cut it down myself. You got plenty of room where damage to an important structure isn’t a concern. Maybe take the one fence piece down and fall it between the posts.
That one leaner is DYING to take out a fence. $2100 seems like a great price, if for no other reason than someone else is responsible for the repairs if that fence gets crushed.