Do you need a logger for free tree removal?
Having your tree removed for free is an offer that is very hard to come by.
This is not to say it’s impossible, as there are a few options for free tree removal.
One of such options that a lot of people seek is tree removal in exchange for wood near me.
Tree removal can cost quite a sum of money, depending on the size and location, and difficulty involved. There is no way to escape the cost in most cases, but there are some instances where your tree can be removed for free.
If you’re on a low or zero budget, then this article will be of great help to you.
How To Get A Tree Removed For Free
Who will cut down trees for free?
This is what I’ll be discussing in this article.
Listed out below is how you can have your trees removed for free. If you’re in a position to take advantage of any of these means, then you can have your tree removed at no cost.
If you have prized tree species: There are so many types of trees in the world, some attract very little interest because they are common, while others can have onlookers gawking and wishing they were theirs.
Such species are prized tree species and can be considered a “collector’s item”. If you have such a tree in your yard and want to remove it, then some companies will be willing to take it off your yard without paying anything.
The good thing is, if it is a well sought after species, the company will not only remove it for free, they will also pay you for it.
Such prized palm species removed free of charge include the Ravanela Madagascariensis Palm tree.
Timber For Removal: Don’t get your hopes up just yet, most lumber companies will charge you for tree removal. Usually, lumber companies make a profit by selling the wood from your tree to furniture makers.
However, if by any chance you find one around your area that is interested in the timber from your tree, then they may remove it for free.
The thing is, you would need to have some top-of-the-range wood to strike this kind of deal.
There are many varieties of timber that can catch the interest of lumberjacks. These include the following –
- Western red cedar
- Dalbergia species of rosewood
- Swietenia mahogany wood
- Oakwood (Quercus variety)
- Ashwood (Fraxinus)
- Black cherry wood
- Kingwood
Other wood types that could be of interest to lumberjacks include the Cocobolo, Bombay blackwood, Tulipwood, and African blackwood.
If the trees planted in your yard produce any of the above-mentioned types of wood (or others that are in high demand), then a lumberjack can remove them at no financial cost. You may even get paid for them.
Contact landscapers: There are a few landscapers out there that are very interested in collecting mature trees.
If the tree you plan to remove has reached a mature age, don’t cut it down just yet. Get in touch with any landscaper in your locality to see if they’d like to have it.
If you’ve done a good job of maintaining your tree over the years and it looks really good, then the landscaping company can have it removed for free and use it for other landscaping projects.
You have to go online and search for such companies around your area. But remember, your tree has to be in very good shape, no landscaping company will be interested in a raggedy-looking tree.
Remove the tree yourself: If you don’t own any prized trees, or the wood your tree produces is of little or no interest to lumberjacks, and you still wish you can have it removed without payment, then be prepared to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself.
This option will require you to expend your energy, but your money will be saved, especially if you already own tree-felling tools.
Be careful though, tree removal is dangerous work so you might want to consider a few things first.
These include –
Size of the tree: If the tree is as tall as 15 feet, then don’t be a cheapskate, forget about felling it yourself and call on the professionals to do it.
This is because a rookie such as yourself shouldn’t be handling a chainsaw from that sort of height.
Disposal: If you cut the tree down yourself then you would be responsible for disposing of it. If you have a wood chipper then you can make mulch out of your tree, if not, then you have to pay for it to be dumped at the local tip.
Hiring a chainsaw and other items: If you don’t own a chainsaw, then you have to hire one to cut your tree down. You will also need other items such as ground anchors, ropes, and protective gear.
Tree Removal For Free & Wood Exchange
Having your tree removed in exchange for wood is one of the viable tree removal options, although some situations can make this possible.
I will list out some important factors to consider below.
The wood has to have good value: Not all trees are suitable for firewood or furniture. Softwood trees that burn out too quickly won’t attract many lumberjacks.
On the flip side, hardwood trees with slow-burning, sweet-smelling scents are the preferred option.
Lumberjacks will also be interested in wood that doesn’t produce too much harsh smoke when it burns.
If the trees you have in your yard have these qualities, then the lumberjacks may be interested in doing business with you.
Trees that produce good firewood include –
- Maple tree
- Oaktree
- Ash tree
- Birch tree
- Most fruit trees
The above-mentioned trees produce very good wood that burns hot for longer periods. Such wood is also ideal for furniture making.
Overall, they are of better furniture and firewood quality and they don’t leave an annoying mess behind after they are burnt.
Lumberjacks can come for trees like these and remove them without collecting a dime from you, then take the wood in return.
Having many trees in your yard or land: Honestly, professional lumberjacks may not be interested in just one tree, even if it has very good wood.
Most will consider that to be a waste of time and not worth the effort of bringing all their tree felling equipment over to your place.
Tree felling is pretty expensive, and the lumberjacks will need resources to cut the trees down. These resources include money to pay workers, equipment, transportation, and insurance.
Why go through all that trouble for just one tree.
On the other hand, if your yard is filled with a good number of trees (I really can’t put a number to it), then it will be worth their time and effort coming to cut them down for wood.
The season: Firewood is not something most people would need in their homes during the blazing hot summer seasons. The demand for firewood during this season would be relatively low, as the weather is already warm.
You will have a better chance of exchanging the tree removal service for firewood during the winter seasons. This period is very cold, and people will be spending more time near their fireplaces at home.
This will be a good time to call on the lumberjacks and strike a deal with them.
They understand the firewood business and they know when it’s in or out of demand.
Trust me, no lumberjack wants to have piles of unsold firewood sitting in their storage houses. They would want to sell it off almost as fast as they bought them.
Having too much-unsold firewood means the consumption of too much storage space.
By selling the wood off early, they are sure they are selling the wood in its prime condition, as opposed to selling when the wood may have been accidentally soaked in water during storage or attacked by carpenter ants.
The faster they can sell off the wood the better, and the right season is what will spike demand.
The wood has to be healthy and pest-free: Those who are in the market to buy any product will be looking for those that are in tip-top shape. The same goes for your trees.
If you’ve done a good job of maintaining your trees, then you have a better chance of sealing a tree removal deal with the lumberjacks.
Rotten trees will have no commercial appeal, neither will trees with too many dead, decayed, or infested branches. Trees in this state are of poor quality and won’t attract any good deals.
To remove such a tree, you will be left with no choice but to pay the fellers for their services.
Legal Concerns: Depending on where you live, or where the trees are located, you may have permit requirements to deal with. You may also have to face certain cultural and historic limitations related to having your tree removed from your property.
If the trees you are planning to have removed are protected by certain laws, then forget it, no tree felling service will be able to remove it in exchange for wood. Doing so will be illegal and you will be charged for your actions.
On the other hand, if you are legally free to carry out tree removal from your property, then you would need the services of an attorney.
The attorney will meet with you and a representative of the interested tree felling/wood company and discuss terms. Agreements would be drafted and signed by all concerned parties to make the contract legally binding.
It is best to hire an attorney that has vast experience in land use. He/she will let you know if your plans to remove your tree in exchange for wood are within the confines of the law.
Fraudulent lumberjacks: This might seem like a non-issue when you plan to remove your trees in exchange for wood. However, you have to be careful when dealing with tree-felling companies you come across online, especially the ones from untrusted sources.
You’d do yourself a favor by not disclosing the location of your trees until you have had a one-on-one meeting with them at their office and confirmed their authenticity.
Some innocent tree owners have had to go through the unpleasant experience of having their trees felled and sold without even knowing. This happens when your trees are located in an unguarded piece of property or farmland.
Who Can You Call For Tree Removal In Exchange For Wood?
Does anyone remove trees for free? Yes.
Finding someone to remove your trees in exchange for wood could be quite tasking, as the situation has to be right for that to happen. You may not have a clue on who to call on, but you still stand a chance of achieving this.
Who Will Cut Down Trees For Free?
If you search hard enough, you can find a few tree trimming and felling companies that can do business with you.
You would have to call as many tree-felling companies as you can find and explain the situation to them. If your terms are agreeable, then you’re in business.
Another option is to call the wood company directly and see if they would be interested. By doing this, you would be cutting out the middle man (the tree felling service) and if you’re lucky enough, you could even get paid for the wood.
Securing a 2-in-one deal such as that is a dream come true for those who want to have their trees removed at no charge.
There is a small issue though, you must have what the commercial tree company is looking for.
Most commercial wood companies will show little to no interest if you have to say, 2 trees to offer. As I have mentioned before, they may deem it unworthy of all the stress and logistics involved in tree felling and cutting.
If you’re fortunate enough to find a start-up tree felling service or wood company that wouldn’t mind starting with small amounts of wood, then good for you. Still, your wood has to be in prime condition to make this deal work.
What If I Decide To Sell The Wood Myself?
This is almost the same as exchanging the tree felling service for firewood.
Here’s what I mean –
If you exchange the service for firewood, it means you wouldn’t have to pay for the tree’s removal. The wood company or lumberjacks who want the wood would bear any expenses involved in felling the tree and moving it away.
Whereas if you decide to sell the wood for cash, then you may have to pay a tree removal company to first remove the tree before you find a buyer for the wood.
You may decide to take this approach if you feel you’ll get a better deal selling the wood yourself as opposed to exchanging it for a service, but it’s all relative.
This is the part where you’ll need a pen, paper, and a calculator to write down quotes, estimates, and wood-selling prices.
If after your calculations you find that selling the wood for cash after felling the tree yourself would be more profitable, then go for it. But if your estimates show you’ll be running at a loss, then it’s best to find a wood dealer or wood company to remove the tree in exchange for the wood.
Can The City Or Council Remove A Tree For Free?
This may be possible, but it will depend on a few factors.
If the tree is situated on any piece of land owned by the city, then they will remove it free.
Also, if the tree is on the city’s land and is leaning towards your fence or has branches hanging across your yard, the city will be responsible for paying for its removal.
The above-mentioned instances are applicable when the tree is on the city’s land. If the tree is in your yard, the city will not pay for its removal. You have to pay for that yourself.
Are There Free Tree Removal Services?
This might break your heart, but there are no free tree removal services, just as there are no free plumbing services or roofing services. Tree removal companies are in business to make money, and not for charity’s sake.
It is true they can offer discounts, but to remove a tree for free? Don’t bet on it.
Your best shot at enjoying free tree removal service is if your tree has a decent commercial value (timber for furniture or other wooden structures). If you own a prized tree then the company can also buy it from you and remove it for free.
Other than that, you will need to dip your hands into your pockets and pull out between $600 to $1000 to remove your tree. Sorry!
Realistically, there are only 3 ways you can have your tree removed without paying anything.
You can sell the tree: There are exotic palm tree species that many landscaping companies would be interested in.
If they buy the tree from you, they will also be responsible for removing it. They wouldn’t mind doing this since they can resell the tree and make a profit.
A friend or family member does you a favor: If you have a close friend or family member who owns tree felling equipment and doesn’t mind the stress, then they can help you remove your tree free of charge.
Just be sure to serve them a cold glass of juice after all the hard work has been done.
Barter service for tree removal: While this may not be considered as “free” (since you’re giving service in return), you wouldn’t be spending any cash.
If you render a service of equal value that your local tree removal service may be interested in, then you can strike a straightforward deal with them – I provide you with XYZ service and you remove my tree.
Maybe you have a popular blog and you decide to give them an advert placement in exchange for tree removal. Something along that line.
If My Tree’s Branches Have Grown Into A Utility Cable, Will The Utility Company Remove It For Free?
It depends, having branches encroached in-between power lines is a dangerous situation and the utility company may remove it for free.
The case could also be that you will share the cost with them.
Can Someone Pay For My Tree Removal?
Yes, a government agency definitely can, but that will depend on the city or state you live in.
Also, most tree removal grants cater to farmers, as it helps with the expense of maintaining a farm. Such grants do not cater to residential trees.
Conclusion
I hope this article on how to get a tree removed for free has been informative enough. Consider your peculiar situation and see what kinds of deals you can get.
Exchanging tree removal services for wood remains a good option for free tree removal.
It may not be easy to find a company interested in such a deal, but if you have good wood-producing trees in the right quantity, then you may have yourself a good deal.
I hope this article has provided more than enough free tree removal options.
Good luck!
Hey is there anyone out there that does small and large FREE OAK TREE and a magnolia tree REMOVAL for the wood ?