How to Price a Tree Service Job: A Guide

Going green is one of the latest trends that has captured the attention of most homeowners around the country. Even commercial space owners are finding new and innovative ways to incorporate nature into their environments.

As such, many trees are being planted in backyards, parks, gardens, and company premises. This makes 2025 the prime time to consider starting a tree care company. At any given time, people are looking for tree removal, trimming, and pruning services.

However, as promising as such a venture may be, new business owners need to ensure they get their tree-trimming prices right if they are to walk the tightrope between profitability and remaining competitive.

This article will examine some of the factors that affect the price of a tree service. Small businesses looking to make a splash in this industry can benefit from the right software and websites. Blue Collar Websites is ready to help with insight on how to price an excavating job.

How Much Does a Small Tree Removal Project Cost?

Tree removal, trimming, and pruning services are usually priced based on a variety of factors that contribute to the total man-hours it will take to get the job done.

The national average cost of obtaining tree removal services is around the $630 mark. A typical tree removal job can cost anywhere between $385 to $1,070, which is quite a wide margin.

However, some extremely low-end services cost as little as $150, while high-end services can cost as much as $1,935. This shows that there is often more to tree removal than just cutting down a tree that might be interfering with power lines.

Tree Removal Vs. Tree Trimming/Tree Pruning

Before digging deeper into how tree removal is priced, it is important to discuss the difference between tree removal and trimming or pruning. This is because these services are often priced very differently.

As the name suggests, tree removal involves cutting down a tree and completely removing it for a particular location. Usually, it is done when a tree has grown too old and now poses a safety hazard if it falls or when a healthy tree needs to be removed for construction, landscaping, or other activities.

With pruning and trimming, rather than having the tree removed, it is simply shortened or has its branches clipped. Such a service is often done to improve the aesthetic appeal of the plant and leaves the tree trunk intact. Unlike removal, trimming and pruning do not include labor-intensive projects such as stump removal.

Eight Factors That Affect Pricing a Tree Removal Service

Prices for tree removal usually vary significantly depending on a variety of factors, such as the following:

1. Size of the Tree

Companies that remove trees usually check the size of the tree before giving an estimate. This is because taller trees require a lot of work and pose more risks when it comes to chopping them down in a spot with many surrounding buildings.

Palm trees and other larger trees that fall into this category may be charged extra. A look at the national average cost of cutting down trees will prove this, with trees that are around 25 feet tall costing about $250 to $525. Taller trees that reach a massive height of over 50 feet will usually cost about $300 to more than $1,000.

2. Type of Tree

What type of tree is being removed? Besides the height, the type of tree also determines the thickness of its trunk and branches, and also the depth of its roots in case those have to be removed too to avoid leaving behind an ugly stump.

As such, an established tree removal company may also have different price tiers based on tree types. Without this, an hour's job cutting down a small tree might end up being priced the same as a labor-intensive project to remove a thick tree from the yard.

3. Location

Here, location refers to two important things, which are the place where the client lives and how easily accessible the tree is.

In terms of the area, some states and major metropolitan areas are more expensive to live in, which often extends to the cost of important services such as tree trimming or removal.

The tree also has to be in an easily accessible place to make the job easier. If it is growing in a confined space where any wrong move could cause the tree to fall on buildings, the job will be a lot more difficult and costly.

Some objects that may complicate things in this regard include houses, sheds, pools, tree houses, power lines, and other trees.

4. Number of Trees

How many trees are going to be cut down? If it is just one tree, the client can easily be quoted an estimate for a few hours of work.

Cutting down a lot of trees at once, however, will take a lot more time and be more labor intensive. As such, the cost will be much higher.

The tree removal experts need to discuss the number of trees in question with the customer ahead of time so that they can receive the right estimate.

5. Debris Removal

After a tree has been cut down or trimmed, there is often a lot of debris left mainly including wood chips and cut branches.

Debris removal is a great service that will leave your home looking as new as it was before the trees were cut. However, such services will often incur additional costs for fuel and labor that need to be considered when pricing.

6. Emergency Tree Removal

Another important factor to consider is how quickly the tree work needs to be completed. At times, customers may require emergency tree removal services because, for example, they are worried about tree health in the face of an oncoming storm that may be able to uproot it.

A rush job will often cost a lot more than a project that has been well-planned in advance. This is because workers, vehicles, and equipment will need to be found quickly, which may not be available at that time.

7. Equipment Needed

Tree trimming, pruning, and removal often require a lot of specialized equipment that may cost extra to hire.

Some big projects, such as trimming an entire length of forest that is encroaching on a major highway or power line, may require the use of aircraft and huge hanging blades.

All this will only serve to make the job more expensive and complicated, which must be reflected in the price.

8. Additional Services

The cost of a tree trimming job will also depend on any additional services that the client may request.

Even if these may be as simple as removing debris after the job is complete or trimming the branches in certain shapes or designs, the company will not charge the same price for additional work as for regular tree trimming and removal. For more ideas, consider tree service website design.

9. Frequency

How many times a year do the trees need to be cut or trimmed? Is it a seasonal job or a one-off thing that will take years before another project is required?

These questions will help guide companies on the best way to charge for any tree-trimming services provided.

If it is going to be regular maintenance work, the tree-cutting business needs to carefully consider the age of the trees and factor this into its pricing strategy.

Key Elements of a Tree Service Estimate

Unlike regular landscaping jobs, tree removal services are not usually charged by the hour. This is because no one can say for certain how long it will take, for example, to remove a stump.

Ground clearance and cleaning after the job is complete may also end up taking a much longer time than anticipated.

However, the labor portion of any estimate must be charged by the hour. The average hourly rate for tree trimming professionals is $21.18, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As such, it is best to conduct a visual assessment of the job before drafting a rough estimate. Based on the various factors mentioned above, a flat rate fee can then be charged for the labor and main portion of the job while leaving room to charge for any additional services that may need to be done.

All the regular expenses of a tree trimming, pruning, or removal job need to be included in the estimate, and these are:

• Profit

• Overhead

• Equipment

• Transport

• Labor

Final Thought

Before pricing a tree service job, it is important to know all the important aspects that will affect the cost, such as the average cost charged by other companies in the area and the complexity of the job ahead.

However, while it is important to make a good profit from the job, staying competitive is also crucial. This kind of balance is not always easy to achieve and has been the downfall of many small tree-trimming businesses. Pricing is also important when deciding how to price a pressure washing job.

That is why new companies need all the help they can get in terms of determining fair price estimates, creating a good website, and maintaining a healthy tree-trimming company.

Blue Collar Websites has what new business owners need and can be reached today by visiting its web page.