Tree Trimming Cost – Prices To Charge For Pruning

How much does tree trimming cost? Here are the average pruning prices that most tree care companies charge based on certain conditions.

Let’s face it, there’s nothing in this world that can beautify your yard as much as trees.

On the flip side, there’s nothing worse than overgrown, shabby-looking trees with long, unkempt branches that’ll make your home look like a haunted house from a Hollywood flick.

Average Cost to Trim A Tree

This all boils down to one thing, tree trimming. Whether you want to hire a professional to handle the trimming or you want to do it yourself, it’s going to cost you some money.

So, how much does it cost to trim a tree?

The answer to this is dependent on so many factors. These include –

Size of the tree – The bigger the tree, the more expensive it would be to trim. This is for obvious reasons, as a large-sized tree would have more dimensions that need to be cut.

It would also require more manpower (labor fees) and heavy-duty tools.

If you’re trimming a small tree, then the trimming service will have shorter branches and smaller foliage to deal with. On the flipside, trimming a large tree would mean cutting bigger branches and climbing greater heights.

The bigger the tree, the harder the trim, and the higher the amount you will have to pay.

Location of the tree – If the tree is located in an easily accessible area, then the tree trimming service wouldn’t have such a hard time doing their jobs. But the tree is located in an area that is hard to access, then the job becomes harder, and the bill becomes higher.

A tree with branches caught in a power line is a good example, the same as a tree whose branches have grown over the roof of your home or a neighbor’s fence.

Trimming trees in these situations requires a lot of skill and experience, which aren’t cheap to hire.

Obstacles – Imagine if parts of your tree get entangled in power cables or hang over a fence. The cost of trimming such a tree wouldn’t be the same as trimming a tree-free from such obstacles.

The reason for this is that, when trimming a tree surrounded by obstacles, the workers would be conscientious not to damage the fence or power line.

This would, of course, mean spending more time on the job. It would also require a higher level of expertise, which will spike your fees.

The number of trees to be trimmed – Some tree trimming services can offer a discount if you’re trimming more than one tree, while others may not.

Nonetheless, you should check for such tree trimming companies that offer discounts when trimming more than one tree, as this will save you some hard-earned money.

Size (or the number of branches) that need trimming – This is another factor influencing the trimming costs. The higher the number of branches, the more money you will have to pay to get them trimmed.

Condition of the tree – If the tree has a dead or decayed branch (or branches), then the tree trimming service will have some pests to deal with. You guessed right, this will make the job tougher and, of course, will attract a higher fee.

Trimming a healthy tree will cost less.

Calculating The Cost Of Trimming A Tree

As I mentioned earlier, the cost of trimming a tree depends on several factors. However, we can try to be as general as possible.

On average, be prepared to spend between $120 and $1,300 for tree trimming.

These figures are based on national averages across many states.

Tree Trimming Cost by Tree Size

You must have heard “size doesn’t matter” so many times. Maybe so, but not when it comes to tree trimming. As far as this context is concerned, size matters a great deal.

For this reason, I have decided to break down the average cost of trimming a tree according to size. The information I will provide will give you a clue on how much you’d be required to pay to trim your tree, according to its size range.

Keep reading!

Small tree trimming – 15 to 20 feet tall

For a tree of this size, taking off 10 to 20% of its foliage or branches would cost you between $300 to $500.

Remember that this figure may rise if the tree in question is surrounded by obstacles, such as a power line or a fence.

Medium tree trimming – 20 to 30 feet tall

For this size, taking 10 to 20% of its foliage will cost you between $400 and $750.

The number of branches on such a tree can reach up to 10, but it depends on the tree in question.

Large tree trimming – 30 to 50 feet tall

This might cost you around $500 to $1,200. This may depend on the number of branches you want to be removed.

Of course, taking off a few branches will be cheaper than having a full tree reduction.

Large Tree Trimming Costs

Large trees can be classified as those that grow between 50ft to 100ft tall. As you can guess, these trees attract a much higher cost. You could spend as much as $2,000 for professional trimming, but this depends on the type of prune you want to give the tree.

For instance, a simple canopy lift will cost less than a crown thinning.

How To Save Money On Tree Trimming

Tree trimming is usually expensive, but this is not to say that you can’t find cheaper options near you. It would be hard to find, but it’s possible.

Below are a few tips to help you save some money on tree trimming.

Hire in winter – During the winter season, many tree trimming services wouldn’t have much to do, as the service is usually in low demand at that time of the year.

This is an advantage for you, simply because the tree trimming service will be looking for work and will be willing to drop their prices.

You can save as much as 25% when you trim during the winter.

Avoid marketers – Tree trimming services that run marketing campaigns via social media and Google ads will charge higher. This is because they need to recoup the money they spent running these ads.

The cheaper option would be to find local trimming services, which depend more on word-of-mouth marketing.

Get up to 4 quotes – Sticking with just one quote is a bad and expensive idea. Try and get as many as four quotes and compare prices. Need I mention you go for the cheapest option?

However, as cheap as the selected option may be, ensure they can handle the job effectively.

Ask for options – Before the work begins, ask the trimming service about your options.

First, how much would it cost for them to trim and clear out the foliage and chippings? Secondly, how much would it cost to trim and leave the foliage there for you to dispose of yourself?

If you find that it doesn’t cost so much for them to clear out the mess after trimming, then you can go for it. But if the clearing cost is on the high side, I suggest you roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Remove obstacles for better access – The faster the trimming service can get the job done, the cheaper it would be for you.

One thing that can slow the job down is obstacles. So be sure to remove the ones you can if it will make the job go faster.

Keep in mind that not all obstacles can be removed, so there’s nothing you can do about that situation.

What Would It Cost To Trim A Tree Myself?

If you’re not interested in hiring a professional to trim your tree, then the only option left would be to trim the tree yourself.

This may be the cheaper option cash-wise, but cash isn’t all it takes to trim a tree.

Below is a list of the things you will have to expend to trim a tree yourself.

Your time – Since you want to do the job yourself, you must dedicate your time to it.

Tree trimming can take hours, so you need to create time for this.

If you have a job or a business you run (which I assume you do), then you may not have all the time to spare. However, it is up to you to pick out a day in the week to work on your tree.

Your energy – Trimming a tree is hard work, so you should brace yourself for the task ahead. This may be something you are not used to, so expect some fatigue from the energy you have expended.

Ok, maybe you’ve created the time to trim the tree yourself. That’s great, but remember, tree trimming is no easy job.

It will require hours of climbing up and down a tree, as well as carrying heavy cutting tools like a chainsaw.

After trimming the tree, you will still need to clear out the trimming site and dispose of all the cut-off branches and foliage.

Trust me, it is a physically tasking job.

Your level of experience – Since you are not a professional tree trimmer, you will not have the level of experience the pros do.

This is not to say you can’t get the job done because you can. But first, you must have had some prior experience in trimming trees before you attempt trimming yours.

Trimming equipmentYou’re not going to trim the tree with your bare hands, so you will have to spend some money buying tree-cutting equipment.

Such equipment includes chainsaws, pruners, shears, ladders, harnesses, nylon ropes, etc.

A budget of about $300 to $500 can get you the trimming equipment you need for domestic trimming. Although this depends on the brand or model of trimming equipment, you decide to buy, as some are more expensive than others.

The good thing is, that the equipment will be yours, and you can use them anytime you need them.

Safety gear – As you already know, tree trimming can be dangerous since you’ll be climbing up and down the tree. You will also have falling branches to deal with.

Tree trimming can be dangerous, especially when trimming a tall tree.

Trimming a tall tree would require climbing up the tree, which can be tricky if you don’t have enough experience.

Also, you’d be handling a chainsaw with sharp and powerful blades while you’re at it.

Also, if the tree branches stretch in-between a power line, then going up there to trim would be very dangerous.

Be warned, DO NOT attempt to trim a branch caught in a power line yourself. That is a job STRICTLY for professionals to handle. If you do, then you put yourself at risk of electrocution!

For this reason, you must invest some money in buying safety gear.

These include gloves, a helmet, work boots, protective goggles, and earbuds.

A budget of $150 to $300 can buy you the protective gear you need. Once again, the prices will depend on the quality of the brands you choose to buy.

So, money isn’t the only thing tree trimming can cost. If you were to trim the tree yourself, it would cost you time, energy, and safety.

Potential Damages That Can Arise From Trimming Yourself

Inexperience can lead to mistakes or accidents that could have been avoided.

Such accidents include –

  • Branches falling on and breaking roof tiles or windows
  • Branches falling off and damaging your car windshield

Keep these in mind before you start trimming, as you will have to pay for any damages you cause from trimming.

Conclusion

Hiring a trimming professional remains the best option. Although this attracts higher tree trimming costs, it is safer, takes less time, and is more effective.

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