Tree work pricing is hard for a simple reason: two trees of the same height can be completely different jobs. One stands alone in an open backyard and comes down in pieces onto the lawn. The other leans over the house, next to the service drop, with no way to get a truck near it. Homeowner price guides give one number per height. A tree company has to price the job in front of it. This guide covers how to build a price from your own costs, what the published benchmarks say, and how to turn it into options a customer can say yes to.
- Build every tree price from crew hours, equipment time, disposal, overhead and profit, then add for hazards like the house, wires and poor access.
- Fixr puts a medium tree, 30 to 60 feet, at $450 to $700 to remove, and LawnStarter's national average removal is $630, both checked October 8, 2026.
- Price stump grinding and hauling as their own lines. Fixr lists $2 to $5 per inch of stump, with a minimum fee of around $100.
- Storm and emergency work costs more to do and is priced higher. Fixr says emergency removal can cost two or three times more.
How tree work is priced
- Per tree, by height. The most common way homeowners see it: small, medium, large, very large.
- Per foot of height. A quick check for removals. LawnStarter lists $10 to $14 per foot.
- By the crew hour or crew day. How many tree companies price large or complex jobs internally, then present one number.
- Per stump or per inch for stump grinding.
Whatever you show the customer, the number underneath should come from crew time, equipment and disposal.
What homeowners are told to expect
| Job | Published price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Removal by height | ||
| Small, up to 30 ft | $150 to $400 | Fixr |
| Medium, 30 to 60 ft | $450 to $700 | Fixr |
| Large, 60 to 100 ft | $900 to $1,200 | Fixr |
| Very large, over 100 ft | $1,300 to $2,000 | Fixr |
| Per foot of height | $10 to $14 | LawnStarter |
| Trimming by height | ||
| Under 30 ft | $75 to $450 | Thumbtack |
| 30 to 60 ft | $150 to $875 | Thumbtack |
| Over 60 ft | $200 to $1,000 | Thumbtack |
| Add-ons | ||
| Stump grinding, per inch | $2 to $5 | Fixr |
| First stump, then each extra | $80 to $150, then $40 to $75 | Fixr |
| Debris hauling | $50 to $90 | LawnStarter |
| Chipping | $65 to $125 | LawnStarter |
Sources: Fixr tree removal cost, Fixr stump grinding cost, LawnStarter tree removal cost and Thumbtack tree trimming cost, all checked October 8, 2026. LawnStarter's national average removal is $630, with most between $385 and $1,070, and it says access can add up to 50%. Thumbtack says tree trimmers charge $60 to $80 an hour on average and that emergency fees can be as high as $250 an hour. Fixr lists permits at $60 to $150, a minimum fee of around $100 for stump work, and says emergency removal can cost two or three times more.
What a tree job really costs you
- Crew labor. Every person on site for every hour, including setup, cleanup and the drive. BLS's May 2025 survey puts the national mean wage for tree trimmers and pruners at $26.91 an hour, median $24.50 (BLS OEWS 37-3013, checked October 8, 2026). Add payroll taxes and workers' comp, which is high in tree work. That is your burden.
- Equipment. Chipper, saws, stump grinder, truck, and a bucket truck or crane if you use one or rent one. Work out a day rate for each: what it costs you a year in payments, fuel, repairs and insurance, divided by the days it works.
- Disposal. Chips, logs and brush. Some you can sell or give away as mulch or firewood; the rest costs a dump fee. Use your own local rates.
- Permits. Some towns require one to remove certain trees. Fixr's range is $60 to $150.
- Insurance and overhead. Liability insurance for tree work is a big line. So are phone, software, advertising and the office.
- Profit. On top, so the business can replace a chipper without a loan.
A worked example: a medium tree in an open yard
These are example numbers to show the math. Put in your own.
- The job: remove a 45 foot tree with clear access, grind an 18 inch stump, haul the debris.
- Assumptions: a three-person crew for 4 hours, so 12 crew hours. Pay of $26 an hour plus 25% burden, so $32.50 an hour. Equipment share for the job (chipper, saws, grinder, truck) of $150. Disposal of $40. A target margin of 35% for overhead and profit.
- Labor: 12 hours × $32.50 = $390.
- Equipment: $150.
- Disposal: $40.
- Job cost: $390 + $150 + $40 = $580.
- Price for a 35% margin: $580 ÷ (1 − 0.35) = $892, rounded to $895.
Check it against the market: Fixr's medium tree removal is $450 to $700, its first stump is $80 to $150, and LawnStarter's debris hauling is $50 to $90. Added up, that is $580 at the low end and $940 at the high end. At $895, this job sits in the upper part of that range, which fits a three-person crew and full cleanup. If the same tree leaned over the house and took 6 hours instead of 4, labor would be $585, the job cost $775, and the same margin would need about $1,192.
The free profit margin calculator runs this math, and shows why adding 35% to cost (which gives a 26% margin) is not the same as a 35% margin.
Price the add-ons as their own lines
Customers compare quotes line by line. Separate lines also stop you from giving away work:
- Stump grinding. By the inch, with a minimum for the first stump. Fixr lists $2 to $5 per inch and $40 to $75 for each extra stump on the same visit.
- Hauling. Some customers want to keep the wood. Price hauling separately so the price drops honestly if they do.
- Log splitting and chipping. Thumbtack lists $50 to $100 each.
- Permits, if your town requires one.
- Hazard adders for the house, wires, fences and access.
Storm and emergency work
A tree on a roof at night is a different job: unknown loads, wet ground, damaged structures and often wires. It is fair to price it higher, and the market does. Fixr says emergency removal can cost two or three times more; Thumbtack says emergency tree service fees can be as high as $250 an hour. Set your storm rate before the storm, not on the phone at midnight, and say clearly what it includes.
Safety comes first in tree work. OSHA's tree care pages publish guidance on falls and falling objects and on electrical hazards near power lines (osha.gov/tree-care, checked October 8, 2026). Work near lines may need the utility or a qualified line clearance crew.
Pricing trimming and pruning
Trimming is harder to price per tree because the work varies so much: a light crown cleaning against a heavy reduction. Price it from crew hours: estimate how long the crew will spend in the tree and on the ground, apply your loaded rate, add equipment and disposal, then margin. Thumbtack's national range for trimming is $436 to $1,221, around $730 typical, checked October 8, 2026. A recurring trimming plan for a property with many trees can smooth out your slow months.
Offer good, better and best
Three options let the customer choose how much cleanup they want to pay for:
- Good: take the tree down and leave the wood cut to length.
- Better: take it down, grind the stump, and chip the brush.
- Best: take it down, grind the stump, haul everything, and rake the area.
Koira estimates carry up to three options from your price list, and the customer picks one, signs and pays a deposit on one page. Koira follows up on day two and day four, then stops. Our guide to good, better, best estimates covers how to write them.
When to raise your prices
- When your insurance renews higher.
- When a new piece of equipment changes your day rates.
- When dump fees or fuel go up.
- When you are booked out more than a couple of weeks outside storm season.
Where Koira fits
Snap photos of the tree and Koira drafts the estimate from your price list, with up to three options. Signed estimates take a deposit on the same page. When the job is done, the invoice goes out when you tap done, and after each job Koira can mail cards to the nearby homes most likely to hire you. Estimates, invoices and card payments are on the free Office plan. See how a tree service runs on Koira and the plans.
Questions contractors ask
How do tree services price a removal?
From crew hours, equipment time and disposal, plus overhead and profit, with adders for hazards like the house, wires and poor access. The height is a starting point, not the whole price.
How much does it cost to remove a medium tree?
Fixr lists $450 to $700 for a tree 30 to 60 feet tall, and LawnStarter's national average removal is $630, both checked October 8, 2026. Stump grinding and hauling are often extra.
How should I price stump grinding?
By the inch of diameter with a minimum for the first stump. Fixr lists $2 to $5 per inch, $80 to $150 for the first stump, $40 to $75 for each extra, and a common minimum around $100.
How much more should I charge for storm work?
Set a storm rate in advance and say what it covers. Fixr says emergency removal can cost two or three times more; Thumbtack says emergency fees can be as high as $250 an hour.
Should hauling be included in a tree removal price?
Price it as its own line. Some customers want the wood, and a separate line lets the price change honestly when they do.
What is a good hourly rate for tree work?
Work it out from your wages plus burden, equipment day rates, overhead and profit. For reference, Thumbtack says tree trimmers charge $60 to $80 an hour on average, and BLS lists a May 2025 national mean wage of $26.91 an hour for tree trimmers and pruners.
Can I quote tree jobs from photos?
For simple jobs, photos and a height estimate are often enough for a range. For trees near the house or lines, see it in person before you commit to a number.
