How much does tree surgery cost?

Tree surgery is a beneficial and worthwhile investment for homeowners. It can make your trees safer and healthier and even add value to your home. At Simpson Arboriculture, one of the questions we are most asked is ‘How much does tree surgery cost?’. This is an important question for anyone considering having tree work carried out.  

There are many factors that we take into consideration when pricing tree surgery work. It is important for customers to be aware of these factors. Our aim in this blog is to demystify the process. We want to help our customers to understand more about how a price is reached. We are always happy to provide a breakdown of a given price and answer any questions you may have.

One size doesn’t fit all

Every job is different and there is no ‘One size fits all’ when it comes to tree surgery. There are copious different species of trees. There are also numerous types of tree surgery, from pruning to removal. All of these require different lengths of time, different equipment and approaches. For example, the annual pruning of a small fruit tree may only take an hour using hand tools. This may involve an arborist working from the ground. This would therefore result in a lower price than any larger job.

A removal of a large beech tree would require a completely different approach. This may require a larger team of arborists, the hiring of equipment such as a Mobile Elevated Work Platform (MEWP). A job of this scale could take several days. This would therefore increase both the labour and equipment costs. These are just two examples and there are many more in between that would result in a different cost. This is due to factors such as the labour, equipment involved and the method required to carry out the work.

Location

When it comes to tree surgery, location is an important factor to consider. This encompasses many elements within it and can certainly have an impact on tree surgery cost. We ask questions such as:

• What is the access like?
• Is it in close proximity to a building?
• Are there any powerlines overhead?
• Is there space for our equipment close to the tree?
• Are there any other obstacles to avoid?

A situation we often come across is trees being situated in a garden with a narrow access from the road. This sort of job would likely take longer due to our team having to remove any waste by hand. Our team may be required to remove any waste by hand, and then chipped on the roadside or removed in a van or trailer.

Another consideration would be if a tree was situated in a garden with many obstacles. For example, this could be a conservatory, a summer house or a children’s play area. Our experienced team can work carefully to avoid any such obstacles, but this can mean that a job takes longer.

The condition of a tree

This is another important factor that needs careful consideration from an expert. Is the tree in poor condition? What about evidence of disease or fungi? Is the tree safe for our arborists to climb? Does it have dangerous overhanging branches?

If a tree is dead/ dying or generally in poor condition, this would have a big impact on what approach is needed. Safety is always a top priority for us at Simpson Arboriculture, and minimising the risk requires careful planning prior to work being carried out.

If a tree is unsafe to climb, we may choose to use mechanical methods such as a tractor, excavator or MEWP. The hiring of mechanical equipment can make a job more expensive. Although, it’s also worth considering that mechanical methods can be much quicker and more efficient than manual methods, so in some cases it would decrease the overall cost. Again, all jobs are different and it will depend on the circumstances and nature of the work.

What next?

At Simpson Arboriculture, we will arrange for an experienced member of our team to come out and do a quote in person. We find that this is the best way to understand what work is required, and the scale and nature of the job. They will also be able to access what the access is like and whether it would be possible to access the trees with our equipment such as a chipper, MEWP or stump grinder.

If you are interested in finding out tree surgery cost, get in touch with us either by phone or via our website. We would be happy to provide any information you need and discuss options with you.