Tree trim estimate?

[speeder]

Just got an estimate to trim the top of a small/medium size tree that is blocking the view from this deck. Tree is probably 30-40’ high and approximately 10’ needs to come off the top. It’s on a medium steep hillside and want a professional who will not butcher the tree. A good haircut, if you will.

Just got a bid from the gardener who is also a tree guy, he’s cut down some big ones on the property w/o falling them on the roof, etc. He wants $800 to top this tree, seem high or reasonable? TIA.

[Cdnone1]

Seems like a lot of money.
I has two large trees trimmed and shaped and ended up getting three estimates. They went from $800 to $2500.
Used the $800 guy as he was the one recommended by a friend and did a great job.
$800 for just 10 feet off the top seem steep. I would get more bids

[porsche tech]

Nice view...even with the tree! Looks like it could be a difficult place to access with the equipment. Maybe that has some bearing on the cost.

[john walker's workshop]

Looks mostly dead. Why not take the whole thing down?

[look 171]

Dennis, I had one trimmed similar to yours on my property. No access and the limbs and such had to be hauled out by hand up a steep slope. Just watching them haul all that kicked my ass. Its not the actual cutting, that's only a couple hours of work, its the cleaning up and humping it out to their truck then out to the dump. 800 bucks isn't bad

[VincentVega]

Looks mostly dead. Why not take the whole thing down?

Topping it will do that, but more slowly.

1k /tree is about right around here. Thats with most of it chipped and the rest hauled away. Involves either a crane and 2-3 guys or 3-4 guys and lots of rope.

[jcommin]

seems like a good price. It isn't the cutting - it's everything else. Liability insurance is very high for tree cutting services which affects the cost.

[JavaBrewer]

Agree the $$ is for the prep and cleanup work. A guy with a chainsaw could take care of the actual cutting/pruning pretty quickly. I just had our Canary Palm trimmed, shaped, and cleanup for $700. I had other quotes as high as $1200, these folks gave me a bid @ 800 and then called to say they finished a job earlier in day and could do it for $100 off if they could stop by immediately.



A couple removed tons later

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

Looks mostly dead. Why not take the whole thing down?

This

That is a reasonable bid.

[drkshdw]

Seems pretty spot on for around here. But if you're going to spend that much to 'top' the tree I would consider taking the rest of it down while you're at it. You'll just have to top it again in a few years.

[vash]

$800 is a great deal in my opinion.

if it is a fully licensed (and insured) pro. but i agree..i think i would take the entire tree out.

maybe plant some mint and bamboo in it's place.

[Jerome74911S]

I have 8 dead trees on my 'yard'. Six are near the house and need to be disassembled from the top, in pieces. One leans toward the house, so this will need extra attention. The other two can be cut down easily. The trees average 30 to 35 feet in height; one is 40 feet.

I got a quote from a professional tree trimming guy who really knows what he is doing - he's been in the business for 25 years. $600 for the whole job, including hauling off all of the mess to another location.

You guys are paying too much.

[speeder]

Thanks to everyone. I don't think that the tree is dead, just a few branches. It's common around here w the extreme heat and lack of water in recent years.

I think you guys are right about the cost of the estimate being ok.

[wdfifteen]

Taking ten feet of the top is butchering the tree. Take it down, thin it a little, or leave it alone.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Jerome74911S

You guys are paying too much.

That depends entirely on where you are. I had 9 trees taken out here for $1000. It would have cost $3000 at my old place 60 miles east of here.

[Bugsinrugs]

Just got an estimate to trim 8 trees around my rental in Reno $2300. Seems high but I don’t have to do anything but cut the check. Make sure he has workman’s Comp insurance. That and liability insurance.

[Arizona_928]

That's a good price to have some Yahoo climb a tree and cut off branches with a chainsaw...

Just go out and fall it yourself, and leave it to rot.

[herr_oberst]

Just make sure the garage door is closed when they come to do the estimate. If they see the 911 you'll get an extra 20% tacked on!

[drkshdw]

Originally Posted by Jerome74911S

You guys are paying too much.

Tree services around here don't even put gas in their chainsaws for less than $1K. Mainly because of the insurance, bonding and licenses that are required to be a legitimate tree service here ($100K property and $500K personal/injury for every employee of the crew).

For reference, this tree here cost me $3600 to have removed. Was it the most expensive quote? No. It also wasn't the cheapest either. But this sprawled over 4 different properties and electrical wires covering the entire block. If something went wrong, I didn't want to be the one footing the bill.

[timchar]

I just had 2 dead birch trees removed, stumps ground, 3 other birch trees trimmed, 1 non-flowering pear tree trimmed, 600.00. Pretty fair deal I think. Tim