|

You Want To Charge Me HOW MUCH To Trim My Trees?!?!

I’m starting to realize just how easy we’ve had it by owning and living in a condo for the last seven years and not having to worry about any of the exterior maintenance on the property.

The trees at our house have been neglected for years…and yearsand years. We’ve got some really great trees, but they definitely need some attention. Every time I go over to the house, I see more dead branches that have fallen in the yard, and I’m so afraid that one day I’ll go over to find a massive limb on (or through) the roof of the house.

I’ve been putting off calling a tree service because, of course, I can always think of things that I’d rather spend my money on (like paint and fabric and furniture), but when I arrived at the house the other day to see this massive limb down in the back yard, just a few feet from the house, I knew it was time to stop procrastinating.

Large oak tree in back yard 3

That limb was probably 10 feet long, and definitely weighted enough that if it had landed on a person, it would have seriously injured them…or worse. And if it had landed on the roof, there would have been some serious damage.

So I finally made the call.

I didn’t want to hire just any “Joe with a chainsaw” who would come and start whacking away at my trees. I wanted to hire someone who actually knew what they were doing. After all, these trees are very old, very established, very big, and worth a lot of money.

So I called a tree service that’s owned by a certified arborist. He came out and looked at my trees, gave me some good information, made lots of notes, and then handed me a quote for trimming the six trees closest to the house — two oak trees and four pecan trees. The price?

$10,705.00!!!!!!

I’m surprised I didn’t pass out right there from the shock. I was expecting maybe $3,000 at the most. But more than ten freaking thousand dollars??!!

He priced them all out individually. The pecan trees were downright bargains. The most expensive of the four pecan trees, which came in at $1200-ish, was this one on the side towards the back of the house with the dead limbs looming over the roof.

Pecan tree with dead limbs

The other pecan trees were in the $600 to $800 range. Total bargains compared to the two oak trees!

And of course, he said that the two oak trees were the biggest issues and needed to be dealt with immediately. The one in the back of the house, with its dead limbs mixed in with it’s way-too-heavy limbs that arch towards the ground (with some of the arching right over the roof) and look like they’ll snap at any moment, came in at about $3700.

Large oak tree in back yard 1

Large oak tree in back yard 2

The most expensive one was the oak tree in the front, which I had assumed was the least of my worries. But according to him, this massive thing is just waiting for the right opportunity to murder my house.

Large oak tree in front yard 2

He said that this tree has obviously been split in the past (presumably from something like a lightening strike).

Large oak tree in front yard 1

Obviously the tree has healed itself over many years, but he said that the scarring that covered the split isn’t as strong as the tree was originally. So that, combined with the massively long limbs that are carrying way too much weight on the ends is a recipe for disaster. He said if the tree were to split again, half of it would fall on my house and basically crush the entire thing.

His solution? Not only does this tree need to be trimmed quite a bit, with the extra long limbs taken back a few feet, the extra weight removed from the ends, and the dead limbs removed, but this bad boy need to be cabled.

And the cost for taming this deadly ninja tree that’s just waiting to destroy my house under cover of darkness?

$4,500.00 For one tree. ONE.FREAKING.TREE.

Needless to say, by the time the arborist had delivered his news and left, I was not too happy. Everywhere I looked, all I could see where these deadly trees with their wicked branches looming over my house just ready to pounce and destroy my house the moment I turned my back.

Thank goodness my brother came over a little bit later and talked me down from the ledge, and made me realize that these trees, while they do need to be trimmed, have been there for well over 60 years, through rain, snow, sleet, drought, and presumably even a lightening strike, and they’re still standing. They’re not trying to kill my house.

So I’m feeling calmer about it now. But seriously, $10,705 to trim six trees??!!! I just can’t. Could you?

 

 

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

124 Comments

  1. For those size trees and having them that close to the house, that quote not really out of line. No, I don’t own or work for a tree company. 😀 The thing with tree companies is, you can get a cheap one, but they may not have all the insurance and know how you need to protect you. They cut a limb it goes through your roof. They don’t have insurance and now you have to pay for a new roof. I had a similar thing happen with a friend. The tree landed on her pool, cracked and caved in a wall and she has been fighting to get reimbursed for several years now.

    Plus, when you use a company with a certified arborist, they trim the tress to make them healthier. If you just have someone come in and trim (like the power companies do!) they can actually weaken your trees and cause more damage because the tree is weak, off balance and could fall on your house.

    Call in another company and get a second quote. Make sure they have the same qualifications as the first so you can compare apples to apples.

    Take a deep breath and work on those trees one at a time if you need to. Start with the one that worries you most (probably that expensive tree) and use the divide and conquer approach.

    Good luck!

      1. I also agree with Cathy. In the year and a half since we moved into our house, we’ve had a tree removed and 4 cut down to managble size, at a cost of just under Aus$1,000. They were all too close to the house, but nowhere near the size of yours. We had to use an aborist company to cut the palms down as they were too big for our normal landscape guys to do, and their insurance wouldn’t cover the job.

    1. Cathy is right. We’ve had several trees with similar issues, but our trees were not nearly so tall or so heavy, though split by lightning. We also had a 30 foot limb come down on our neighbor’s property (a small church…thankfully it fell when there was a summer break and picnic elsewhere.) Our trees were birches, much lighter weight. We also had to have a massive tree trimmed and cabled. Sigh! We’ve spent about $5K over the last few years. My husband can’t believe the costs…”Nature takes care of all this for FREE!” (Yes, but Nature doesn’t get sued for damaging neighbors’ property. (Our lot is an acre, and it’s 50 feet between the tree and the church door…we were very blessed there was no structural damage done or anyone hurt or that the tree didn’t blow and fall toward our roof.)
      Best Advice: get bids from 2-3 arborists and ask them to itemize each procedure/tree separately, and rank them according to what’s most important. Then plan to do a few each year.

    2. Yes, I own a tree service company in Ocala, Florida. The very best way to negotiate price with a properly insured/experienced tree company: tell the truth! If you are going to attempt to take the trees down yourself ask the tree guy for advise , if you don’t have the cash to pay the tree guy when the job is finished tell them up front or you will get into big trouble with the courts!,don’t ask for a reduced price then tell the tree guy you are going to get more bids….tell them before they come to your house you want 3 more bids. Never lie to a tree guy after he provides a price quote to you and say “I already have a bid that’s half of your bid!” Are the companies equal in experience, equipment, insurance, availability? ?????
      The tree guy has a lot more invested than a pick up truck and a used chainsaw.
      When we go on even a very small job we know to take a pole saw $800, limber $450 each we take 2, a chipper $57,000!!, a truck to pull it $24,000, a dump trailer $12,000, a truck to pull it another $24,000 and each man costs $175 per man per day, fuel $28.00 per day and insurance!!! Don’t try to screw thes guys, they can be great friends to have right after a storm.
      Who do you think is going to help you get huge trees off your house? The guy with the pick up and a junky chainsaw can’t even help himself let alone you, the person that screwed the real tree guy!
      Get a fair price, great! But, don’t lie to a hard working, honest company that is ready and able to help you. After the next big storm you will be happy you picked the tree company with more than $200,000 in equipment invested and years perfected the art.

      1. Oh, poor tree guy. Still making a profit, and would not have that equipment if it was not a gold mine. The only thing an arborist has that cannot be looked up online is the equipment. Just be honest. The fact that the trees are huge is why you get business, not because you have some high level of hard-to-understand info. I have never seen an arborist advertise or hold a seminar that tells people to not plant trees they cannot later pay the arborist industry to chop or prune. Never seen one guarantee that their ‘magic saw’ will save a tree, either. Sounds like the tree guy took advantage of her being afraid and uninformed. Your profession DEPENDS on people planting monster trees close to their house. If you really wanted to help then start telling people to plant little trees unless they are 75 feet away. That is what I will do. Then, nobody is going to rip me off later when a tree starts to fall apart.

        1. Hello everyone my name is Terry Hupp from Cleveland Ohio and I am the owner of Tree Contractors Inc. Just thought I would respond to some of the comments throughout different posts on this site. It might help some or at least lead you in the right direction.

          To the ones saying that tree work is easy and anyone can do it. I advice you to look up James the Narcoleptic tree trimmer on Youtube. 95% of the time this is the quality of work you will receive from hiring someone with a pick up truck, chainsaw and minimum experience, please watch the video.

          Estimates are not an exact science that is why they are called estimates. Any good tree outfit looks at obstacles at any job about to be performed such as – power lines, tight spaces, how close the tree is to houses, garages, etc.. Can we reach the tree with an Ariel lift or will it have to be climbed? All these play a factor in pricing (difficulties of the job) Also location of your home, take for instance New York, New Jersey and Washington. Very expensive states to live in, cost of living is high. Where I live the average income is around 80-100,000 a year. That is average rent or mortgage in the states I listed. I personally have 350,000 invested in equipment, I run a four man crew, a top climber in my company cost me around 30.00 per hour. The lowest pay for a Groundsman is 14.50. you will never find an experienced climber (Foreman) for under 22.00.

          Here is the kicker, if you are not Incorporated you will pay 64% to Workmen’s Comp. because tree work is CONSIDERED THE MOST DANGEROUS JOB IN THE WORLD. Now mind you that is just Workman’s Comp. I am Incorporated so I pay around 30% to Workman’s Comp. every 100.00 I pay 30.00 goes to Workman’s Comp, that does not include Social security or all of the other taxes that go along with being a Corporation. Do I really need to explain how high my insurance is (doing the most dangerous job in the world) because it is astronomical! To the ones that think tree work is easy, or doesn’t take any schooling, WRONG! I have to be certified every year with CPR, rescue training, working around power lines, let alone learning of all the different types of trees; the way trees react to being pruned in warm and cold conditions, the many diseases that plague trees. Diagnostics of healing diseased trees, soil samples and fighting off insects to keep trees healthy and vibrant. So many other things to list NOT EASY! This is hands on training, on average it takes ten years to become a decent climber and even then being a good climber doesn’t guarantee you will not take an eighty foot fall. All wood have a characteristic about them, some wood is soft, some hard, some wood is stringy, some snap, some will support a lot of weight others will not. That comes with know-how and being in the field for many years to understand these traits. So believe me my job is not easy and not everyone can do it. I am sorry for rambling but there are some responses on here that are laughable. If I am going to be on a job for 8-10 hours, my pricing is going to be 18-2400.00 a day depending on the obstacles, believe me I am not getting rich. My advice to anyone looking to have a tree removed or just general trimming get three quotes.. You should check the BBB or Angie’s list (which is a great tool) to not only understand who you will be dealing with but how their company performs the work. Being in this field for over 20 years what I a have learned most is there is nothing worse than going with a Tree service that is the cheapest but hiring a company that destroys your lawn, cracks your driveway or does damage to a neighbors property (who might be great neighbors) only to find out they are not insured. Hopefully this helps, and everyone has a great day.

          1. Wow fellow tree trimmer you nailed it to a tee. Alot of people that lack exposure to physical labor think its just cutting firewood but alot of skill and a lack of fear is crucial! 16 years of line clearance here just came back from Sussex County,NJ

        2. proper arborist will never tell you to plant a large tree next to your house. Site development is a big part of aboriculture. Whenever I plant a tree, I always make sure that the land owner knows what their in for. I’ve had to remove too many trees that were planted in the wrong place. I’d much rather plant the right tree and make less money just maintaining it. Know it all home owners, like yourself plant enough stupid trees to keep me in business. Anyone you can watch a YouTube video a learn to do something, but it doesn’t mean you’ll get it right the first time. At least when I went online to learn my taxes, it’s didn’t mean me risking the roof over my head (literally). Some thing are better left to capable professionals.

      2. what?!! Lmao. Man I’ve done tree work since I was 12, my father had and still has a tree service. I have my own company now and have for about 8 years, I’m 37 so I have 25 yrs in the tree business as well as detail landscaping ( I don’t cut grass) , I do mulching, sod, islands etc. But tree jobs I do more than anything else. Now, you saying you need 150,000 dollars of equipment is COMPLETELY WRONG!! It depends on what you can do. If you, the owner, can’t climb or you don’t want to pay a climber to work . Then a bucket truck is nice to have. I’ve had one and my dad has had 3. You can get a very nice used bucket truck from 8,000 to 20k .And you dont need no damn chipper! We have never used one and don’t even like them . Just a waste of money, then you need a box truck if you have chipper. Just a huge waste of money and they are a pain in the ass to use for many reasons, all you need is a truck, pickup or SUV which I prefer honestly over a pickup. I use a Suburban , 5k truck to 15k . All Stihl equipment btw. Then a pole saw. 650$. A climbing saw 350-500$. A ground saw like a MS 311 which costs around 500-700$. A belt, ropes, lanyard, spikes, etc , another 1500$ . Rakes and little things lil that, tools etc..another 150$. And a trailer 500$ -3k depending on what kind you want. So about 5 k to 6k will get you everything you need except the truck , so let’s say you get a real nice 15k truck,now we are up to 20k. And if you want a stump grinder that’s 5 all the way up to 50k depending on what state u live in because of different tree sizes. But a 15 k grinder used will take Care of 98% of trees. So that all adds up to 35k and that’s with all really good commercial equipment and a nice 15,000 dollar truck. And just because , lets say you did have 150,000 $ worth of equipment has nothing to do with how much better or worse the job will be done. Im a certified arborist and I’m using about 5k of equipment and I do great. Made 147,000$ last year after taxes and paying my one worker. So idk what your talking about lol but a tree service has a very low overhead, and dont take much at all to start a tree service!!!

    3. I’ve been working with trees for more than 35 years and I can tell you with certainty that you don’t want the cheapest guy around to trim/prune your trees. You need a licensed or certified tree care professional or certified arborist to assess the damage to your trees and the best way to trim/prune them according to the type, size and location of each tree.
      The quote you received is not really that steep… you stated yourself that you have neglected your trees for many, many years and now that the neglect has gotten so bad that they must be trimmed/pruned, it’s going to cost more money now than upkeep of the trees over the years would have cost you in the first place… regular tree maintenance is relatively inexpensive compared to waiting too long and having to have a lot of work done in one visit. If you had maintained your trees over the years, you would have never gotten a quote that high!
      Also, no one that has commented here knows what assessment was given by the arborist and why. A certified arborist or a licensed/certified tree care professional can see things in/on a tree that inexperienced people cannot. For instance, does the tree have insects, if so, what type and what kind of damage can one expect to get from them, was any of the resulting damage or die-back in the tree caused by insects and can they be easily exterminated and the tree be saved or is the damage so severe that total removal is the only option?
      Dead branches can be caused by many factors, such as animals, insects, weather, natural die-back ect. and they can do a considerable amount of damage to anything they fall on, especially if they are large branches.
      I can tell you this for certain… if your front tree falls on your house, it won’t stop until it hits the concrete… it will be totally destroyed…. imagine how much that tree must weigh?!
      Do you self a favor, get a professional to do the work for you, make sure they are licensed or certified along with insured and bonded and it’s always a good idea to check references too.
      No matter how you look at it, there will be a high degree of danger involved with completing your tree trimming… safety is paramount!

      I wish you good luck!

    4. Nope that price is ridiculous. Tree companies make money on fear and the appearance of trained professionals. Any basic biology major who’s taken a plant biology course has more knowledge than your garden variety arborist. It’s an associates degree that can be done in 9 months full time. The entire business model is for them to come for a free estimate, feed you 5% truth, 70% bs, and 25% fear, and then quote you a large amount of money. They’ll say it’ll be a whole day job, they’ll need specialized machines because your trees are this way and that way and too close to this or too close to that, they’ll need a bigger crew. If you’re not biting on that they pitch their certifications, their insurance, they give you their own “you wanna do it once and wanna make sure it’s done right” speech. End of the day, they’re quoting you 300-500% more than what you can get it for.

      So what do you do? You call up the first one, let them give you their whole schtick, act uninterested, don’t show any fear or any inclination that you’re falling for their crap, then tell them how that’s ridiculously high and how you’d do it for maybe 20-25% less than whatever they quote you. They might come down the whole thing or a bit and say you’ll think about it and have them send you a written estimate. Then call the next tree cutting service for their estimate and when price comes, tell them you’ve got an estimate for less and you’re looking for the best price… simple as that. They’ll beat it and then you continue the cycle until you get where you want it. Will you get a 10k job down to 1k? No. But you can very easily get it down to 3k and then get it a little lower when you tell them you’ll be paying cash if they can lower it.

      Been doing this for years and years and years. Set aside a Saturday and Sunday a few weeks from now, call up all your local tree cutting services and schedule them at 60-90 mins windows from each other from 9-5 sat and 9-5 Sunday. By Sunday afternoon you’ll hit the number you want if not sooner. This is coming from someone with a bachelors in bio and a masters in agricultural engineering.

    5. Absolutely! I do own a tree service and those prices for those trees do not seem outside of the norm. I am not sure what season you obtained the quote or what the credentials of the company whom came out but proper tree care can be expensive, if you are hiring someone who cares about the trees and your property. With the higher rate, you are getting more for your money. You are getting someone with education (in our case as certified arborists, we have continuing education classes to attend each year), a company who cares about safety (safety training programs that we send our crew to each year cost, plus property equipment to ensure safety costs), and the insurances… THE INSURANCES, they are excessive due to injuries. Tree workers rank within the top 10 most dangerous professions.

      We always recommend programs too, piece it together and do what you can, when you can. Hiring the right company can not only elongate the life of your trees, it can mitigate any potential unforeseen issues when removals occur.

      1. I found a reputable company (used by Chip & Joanna Gaines — I saw the guy on one of the episodes of Fixer Upper about a year after he trimmed my trees) who is a certified arborist, has all of the trucks, equipment, climbers, etc., is insured and has workman’s comp, and charged me about 1/5 of the price the original guy quoted me. I can assure you that $10,000 is an outrageous price in this area for what I wanted done.

  2. One day at atime; one tree at a time. Get a second & third opinion. Then do the worst first, another next year & on down the line. Above all…breath. You’ll get there.

  3. Cathy is right. A tree arborist is the way to go, especially with the age of these trees as they will do it to keep them healthy.

    I don’t know what it’s like in Texas, but I, for one, lived with several big trees in my first house. Never gave thought to trees before. Then we had tornado like winds and flooding rains and it spelled disaster. My trees were also very old and HUGE. The ground couldn’t take all that rain at once, and trees were being uprooted all over the place…. just straight up out the ground, the whole tree fell. The one in my back yard did…….. and although far from my house, the tree was big and the whole thing came down, so yes………. it damaged the back of my house. The winds were so strong, that it knocked branches out of the huge tree in my front yard that were the size of large trees! Damaged my roof, pulled the power line off of my neighbor’s house, made a “V” to the ground with my chain link fence, and then hit my car that sat outside the fence and totaled it.

    I don’t play with trees anymore. It was so bad, that I never wanted to experience it again and I couldn’t keep putting money into the trees. I had them both taken down!!

  4. I can see why you’d be in shock, that is a LOT of money, but that’s about right for hazards tree removal. We have a friend who does this for a living and he’s on the cheap end at $1000-$2000 per tree. It’s not as easy as it would seem, it’s a pretty complex, technical process. If they include debris removal with that price, it’s actually a good deal. But again, I can see why you are in shock!

  5. This is why I haven’t bit the bullet on even getting a quote about our trees yet. And we’ve lived with crazy limbs hanging over our house for a few years now. We just can’t afford it. But I know we have to get a certified arborist, and that will bring the price up. Another thing that uncertified tree trimmers might do is actually spread disease from tree to tree – if they don’t clean their tools properly, that is.

      1. Bleach will kill your trees. We use rubbing alcohol to sterilize our tools before trimming. Its an easy way to pass diseases from one tree to the next.

  6. We have a yard with a lot of trees too and in the 10 yrs we’ve lived in our house, we’ve had 4 trees removed and 6 others trimmed back. We didn’t pay that much for all of that. I’d get another estimate…and to honest, Joe with a chainsaw does the same thing as the more expensive certified company, just make sure to get references.

    1. Their references won’t pay for your broke fence or the hole in you asphalt. Also if they become injured in you property you can be held liable. Joe shmoe with a chainsaw is trying to make a buck anyway he can and suing you is a lot easier than doing it the honest way. Make sure their licensed, bonded and insured.

  7. Glad to hear your brother talked you down. Sadly, this is an expensive part of owning a little bit of nature. Do get other estimates but stay with the guys who know what they are doing. We are in this same situation now. When they price by tree it makes it no more palatable. Good luck. Remember…………….YOU LOVE YOUR HOUSE.

  8. I manage a neighborhood and our city (Denver) has a city abororist who will come out to individual homes if asked and advise homeowners. Perhaps your city/town or local extension service has such a person? That would be free advice from an unbiased source who isn’t trying to get your business. Also, I would get additional bids and perhaps ask your new neighbors for a recommendation of a company they’ve worked with in the past.

    1. I agree. Check into what, if any, kinds of free help you can get from your city or county, or your utility company, etc.. AND if you go with a local business, NEVER give them ALL the money upfront — I don’t care what the business is — when it comes to these kinds of prices. 1/3 – 1/2 upfront should be a reasonable amount to secure the contract, and the balance payment upon finished approval from you.

      1. Krikit, I soundly agree here! NEVER pay it all up front. If they are reputable, they won’t be asking for that in the first place. If they do, it’s – Thanks, but no thanks. You know, you hope all the people are as honest as you when doing business with them but I am sure we have all learned that the hard way.

      2. Always check to see if someone with the city or the 4-H office has someone who can come and give an unbiased opinion. I have some trees too that I feel need attention, but will have to be worked at a bit at a time.

    2. And be sure they are insured! Ask to see their insurance papers. We had a guy assure that he had insurance but when we asked to see the papers, we never saw him again. It’s too big of a chance to take their word on this-ask to see the paperwork.

      BTW, Angie’s List might be a good place to look for for contractors of all kinds. I found some really good ones in this area by using it.

  9. I’d be inclined to get an extra good chainsaw, rent a bucket lift, go to arbor school and try to kill myself doing it. But then I’m crazy and have no money, so to speak. As a matter of fact, I have a limb waiting to be chopped up into firewood size pieces. It fell just to my patio overhang from a crotch. We cut off the lighter branches resting on the patio and the crotch finished breaking. I would have tied it up with rope to ease the fall. Guys. Bang, bang. (you know how they love to blow things up and smash things down. I moved the outdoor furniture just in the seconds before it finished falling. We locked the dogs in the house during. Maybe you could put up a “donate” button.

    1. Sorry, that’s foodhardy. Don’t do that. If you can’t afford to build a new house when a tree falls on it, don’t try to take care of it yourself. If you care for your family or they care for you, don’t try to take care of it yourself. Tree work is highly specialized work that takes years to learn. That’s why it’s expensive. No, I’m not in the business; I’m just smart enough to know it’s not something I should ever try to do. Don’t experiment on your own trees surrounding your own house.

      1. You people are going WAY OVERBOARD worrying about little 10 foot 3 inch diameter limbs. Yes if they fall on your roof one MIGHT damage a shingle that can be fixed with some roofing tar. You just need to be able to get up there and throw it off the roof and coat the affected shingle. Most of the time they land sideways or are cushioned by foliage so nothing happens. I have seen houses with oak limbs growing all over the top of them that are over two feet in diameter and have been there for over 50 years with no trouble. You want an arborist or other trusted and impartial expert to advise you based on the health of the tree and species–if you want to keep the tree and just get an appropriate non-harmful trim. You do not want Jose with a chain saw advising you because he will tell you whatever it takes to scare you and make you spend money needlessly. If you call someone just because of the “massive limb” shown in the first picture he will be laughing inside because he knows he has an ignorant sucker just waiting to be buttered up and scared out of her money. Really the impetus for this blog is quite laughable if that was your only problem compare to many jobs I have seen. But this blog points out the more important thing that many ARE ignorant of the facts about trees and can save money by being armed with good information so the sleazy guy you call about trimming your trees won’t rip you off. I know I will get offended comments for this one but the guy trimming your tree is doing not because he has an engineering degree and just likes to cut trees he is doing it because he found enough suckers and no reason to use that degree.

  10. I have a huge live oak tree in my front yard. It is probably about 25 yrs. old and I had it trimmed the first time about 4 years ago. That man said it should have been trimmed way before I had it done. I had it trimmed again this spring and here in San Angelo, was only $275. I don’t know that there are any certified arborists here but the man has a tree trimming company and had been highly recommended and they did a wonderful job. I have 2 pecan trees in the back yard that need to be trimmed but neither hang over the house and may have them done later.

  11. Oh Boy, do I know how you feel!! We just moved from a home that had 25 very old maples and one very old Manitoba maple. Every-time the wind blew, I waited for my house to be murdered! The brilliant owners before us planted a stunning maple directly under the main power feed into the home! So I know the fear of trees… I could not spend that much money, I would however tackle the worst tree to make sure the house is okay and then (like your floors) research and learn, the more educated you are the better you can direct someone to trim for you. Hydro companies also come and take care of trees that interfere with power lines, they do do a bit of a hack job and the ones where we live leave the mess for you, but the danger of trees and power, yikes! Good luck, I know you will astound and impress with what you end up doing!

  12. Check your homeowners policy to see if you have coverage for a tree coming thru your roof first. Then consider your homeowners deductible, depending on your situation, your estimate may not be that far off. Also take into consideration the fact if you make a claim thru your insurance what that will do to your premium next year.. Last but not least, consider your inconvenience if something does happen. So take your time, but do something soon.. Best of luck, I will be praying for you! Hugs from Houston, Texas!!!

    1. An insurance company may not cover a new roof or any other damage if a dead limb should fall on the house from an improperly maintained tree. I think it would be wise to get the worst one done right away. Then just do one per year after, in four years you will have perfect, safe trees. Good luck!

  13. Although I sympathize with not wanting your trees trimmed by someone who might botch the job, this is definitely a case of getting a few more estimates!!

  14. Holy cow, are their chainsaws made of gold?! Will it take them an entire month to do this?! How in the world do they justify that??? I don’t think I could’ve restrained my jaw from dropping on that one. Sure it takes some skills, but like honestly, even if they spend an entire 24hrs doing the one big tree in the front, that’s 190$ an hour, it’s so ridiculous from where I’m standing. At this point it might cost less to get them cut down (which I’m sure you don’t want to do, but just saying). Get more quotes, get lots more quotes! Good luck!!

    1. Gen, do you think a tree trimmer works alone? I had a large black oak tree, close to my house, taken down. The company brought out at least six people a day–including the main safety specialist from the company. They all worked for several days. Yes, they all worked all the time; they were not just standing around watching somebody else work. Sometimes they had to stop and go work elsewhere when wind conditions were too dangerous to work here. Their equipment (with a bucket going up 100 feet) must be astronomically expensive, and they need to have at least a million dollars in insurance. Everybody I know who has worked with *professional* tree services has said they are well worth the fees.

      1. Cutting trees should only cost about $150 per person per day and it should only take one or two days for the average yard full of trees. Your figures and the use of a “safety” specialist show your ignorance like the blinding sun. A large bucket truck even if rented which long term is more expensive than owning only costs a few hundred per day at most. After those expenses and a 200 percent profit you are still under $4000 for even the most demanding jobs. So for them to work “several days” says they are bilking you. If you think that is reasonable then go ahead and get suckered. Gen and I will have the facts and be ready to negotiate. We will send the high rollers to your house.

        1. Hi, I also need trees removed and trimmed. I called out a reputable tree service that I had used before and the prices were triple? And this was only a year before? I asked him why the change in prices and he told me the equipment they had to use on my trees would be different than before. So that told me he had bought new equipment and was trying to jack up prices to get it paid for!! I am a tomboy so I have 8 trees that need to come down and I know how to use a chain saw and ropes so I will be doing this myself!! wish me luck but I think I can handle it. My neighbor came over and he asked me to cut off about 16 limbs on his trees so I will be tackling that as well and I will get my 2 brothers to help me. We used to due pulp wooding the old fashioned way when I was a child. I got to cut the limbs off of all the trees when I was 11 years old but I had to use a axe back then. Like I said I am a tomboy and get tools for Christmas. I also have Crohn’s disease I have been battling for 34 years and I may have to have a colostomy bag in the near future but I will not let that get me down either. I have great home insurance so it is my butt if something happens to mine and I told my neighbor that I would not be responsible for any damage that might occur and he said do not worry about it and the thing is they HAVE the money to get it done by a professional person? I also made him sign paper work about me not being held responsible for any damages that might occur.

        2. $150 per person per day? How could you possibly own a business run a business by paying even your lowest-paid workers $150 a day which averages out to a 10 hour day $15 an hour without paying any taxes or anything that man would still not be able to support afamily working a 60-hour week now when he gets his hundred and fifty a day for 5 days which turns out to be $750 and then taxes taken out which is going to average 30% so say is really getting $100 a day so a $500 paycheck a week if you do the math on that I don’t find that very profiting for the worker now when you talk about the employer paying that worker where does he get profit for $150 a day per person nowhere. I mean really you got States and get $15 an hour for minimum wage why in the heck would anyone want to go trim trees out in the sun that’s more dangerous than obviously flipping hamburgers at McDonald’s for the same amount of money that’s not going to make him the best supporter for a family especially taking into consideration if they have children and have to pay insurance for health and everything else that’s taken out of their hundred and $50 today so with taxes in their own insurance here figuring $80 a day just an estimate. So if you have a 4 man crew 150 a day you’re talking $600 a day? Where is there a possibility of first of all owning a company second of all making money and not going into bankruptcy and third of all having employees that would actually work for that especially when considering you really need one laborer and you need some people with experience that have skill in the trade comma that’s called trade skills, which doesn’t just come from Reading comments on post are looking on YouTube because it’s one thing to watch Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel and it’s another thing to go out there and do it. Just think about things if you know anything about business before I comment is made because in reality everybody is working for themselves and their family and to be able to support their family comfortably hopefully not paycheck to paycheck in order to do so you’re going to have to make profit and every single person on here does the exact same thing they work for themselves and their family they do not work to make other people’s lives easier even though their job might include doing that that is not their main goal and purpose because we all have to provide for ourselves and our loved ones first and I believe everybody would agree on that. So that’s like telling McDonald’s no way I’m going to pay $5 for that Big Mac according to the Manpower that it takes to make it and the time in decals with your free animals they were born on this Earth it should only be $2 when in all honesty that’s probably what McDonald’s would pay for all of the processing and everything of each ingredient in that Big Mac to get completed including man hours and everything else so why would they charge you the $2 that they pay and make no profit and have no way to support their cells or grow just because you were hungry and too lazy to grab an extra $3 out of your wallet? They’re not going to and you’re going to pay the $5 because 1 if that’s what you want you’re going to get it to you need food so you have to eat, just like you need a house to live in so you might have to pay for a tree to get removed to protect you and your family, + 3 that’s how the World Turns by paying somebody a little more to do something that you can’t do so if you can’t do it and you don’t know anybody that will do it for free and I’ll take kindness of their heart just for the fun of it then suck it up pay a fair reasonable price Buy instead of using this time the right response on websites use it to get more quotes and find out more information about it and what would be the most beneficial for you and your family all at the same time? Where is there a possibility of first of all owning a company second of all making money not going to bankruptcy in 30 ball have employees that would actually work for that special in considering you really need 1 labor and you need to beat with experience that have still in the trade, that’s called trade schools, which doesn’t just come from reading comments on post are looking on youtube because it’s 1 thing to watch deadliest catch on the discovery channel and another thing to go out there and do it. Just think about things if you know anything about business before I come in and made because in reality everybody is working for themselves in their family and to be able to support your family comfortably hopefully not paycheck picture in order to do so you have to make profit and everything will personally here does the exact same thing they work for themselves their family in not work to make other people’s lives easier even know their job might include doing that that is not the main goal in purpose because we all have to provide for ourselves and our loved ones first and I believe everybody would agree on that. So that’s like telling mcdonald’s no way I’m going to pay 5 dollars for that big mac according to the manpower that it takes to make it in the time in the cals with your free animals they were born on this earth it should only be 2 dollars when in a long st that’s probably what mcdonald’s with pain for all of the processing in everything on each ingredient in that big mac to get completed including man hours everything else so why would they charge you the 2 dollars that they pay and make no profit and have no way to support there so I’ll grow just because I knew you were hungry and too lazy to grab an extra 30 dollars on your wallet? Not going to and you’re going to pay the 5 dollars because 1 if that’s what you want you need to get it to me food so you have to eat, just like you need help 11 so you might have to pay for a tree get removed to protect you and your family, and 3 that’s how the world turns bye pain somebody a little more to do something that you can do so if you can’t do it and you don’t know anybody that will do it for free in a bit on your heart just for the fun of it then suck it up heyy hey fair reasonable price buy instead of using this time to write response on website use it too get more quotes and find out more information about it and what would be the most beneficial for you n your family are the same time. So just realize that you’re going to pay more than it’s going to cost you and three friends to cut down this tree or haul it off because unless you and three friends are going to do it and use that time and risk getting hurt you’re just going to have to pay someone else more to do it and take care of it for you because they gotta put food on there family stable just like the time that you could use to cut the tree you’ll probably be at work earning money to put food on your family’s table. And if you would like to learn more about that learn or take a few classes and business managing and possibly economics and marketing and you’ll realize that of course nobody’s going to only charge you 150 per person for an all-day work when nobody will profit from it but you and it won’t help the economy job creation or anything for that matter. Sorry for all the typos and maybe autocorrect that doesn’t make sense comma I’m using it talk to text on my phone so just bear with me but I’m sure everyone would be able to piece together the meaning behind the comment. I apologize for the lengthy comment I just get a little aggravated when people don’t understand why the world doesn’t fall to their knees in front of them and give everybody handouts for free or for the bare minimum at their cost or at their will and they don’t understand the whole concept behind earning a living and being able to profit 4 your work instead of giving it away for free. Life isn’t a charity event even though charity is a great thing and it is a nice car and I do plenty of charity work that is a part-time job my full-time job involves making money by people paying reasonable Fair cost for my trade schools Kama which if I didn’t already mention isn’t tree trimming but engineering and construction so I understand the whole concept of prices and beds and values specially of employees

        3. Yes the quote does sound a little high and the best thing to do would be obviously to get multiple quotes. Now in doing so understand your trees and their value because involving those big Oaks you would want them to pretty much cut them all down and split them and stack them for the cost that they are charging you that way you would have plenty of wood to sell for yourself or you tell them you can come have this healthy tree for free if you cut it and haul it off because I just had a grandfather his son and his grandson come and remove Three Trees from my yard that I did not want for free because that’s how they made their money X cutting up firewood and selling it. So both of those oak trees would be gone for free if not tell them to cut the limbs off and cut it in the minimum of 10 foot pieces from the main trunk and bring it yourself 2 a wood mill and sell it because another tree that was in my yard was a 60-foot Cypress tree that once was cut down and branched I sold home for $500 at the Mill. So when you call the next person and for a bit just do a little information research about each tree how much people are Mills pay for the tree or how much the wood is worth either and chips or cut up and split into fire logs are so forth and post an ad on Craigslist for free firewood just come remove it and many people will be more than happy butt with that you also have to take an account and make sure that first of all your homeowners insurance would cover any kind of damage to the house if it were to happen during the removal process and make sure they have insurance if they do not you need to get a written contract for you and them to sign stating that if there is any damages to the home landscaping powerlines driveways sidewalks anything and they don’t have the insurance to cover it then they will be liable to pay for your deductible Plus the raise in your insurance for the next two years. I drew up the same kind of contract simple and worded maybe a little more in detail than that and got me and the removal party to sign it while getting it notarized in front of a notary and it was covered it’s a legal binding document and contract. Even if it is a professional tree trimming and removal group our business and it’s not a single own Mom and Pop’s place they still know the value of the would the value of each tree if it is dead if it is healthy how much can I sell it for if hauling it off and this and that and you can get the cost of they’re wood splitter taking off the bed because the only reason they’re bringing that it’s so that they could already have it split up ready to sell for firewood so that’s not anything that you need at your home that would just be them bringing that on their Penny not yours. Also if they want to haul a trailer and or a dump truck or something to put large long pieces of drunk in there that the limbs have been cut off obviously they’re bringing it to a mill and they’re getting it just ready for profit so you can also get that equipment removed and then figure out how much the Millers playing at that time for what size and diameter of that kind of wood and request that the amount of profit they’re going to make is going to be taken off of your bill because then they would be doubling for-profit obviously so make it fair. Now from their perspective obviously you’re going to have to pay a little bit more than what it would cost you in three friends to go buy a chainsaw and have a trailer hooked up to a pickup truck and cut it down yourself and haul it off and sell it and think you might make some money because 1 The Professional and hopefully have insurance and have safety training stand won’t your home damaged but if something is damaged it will be covered hopefully under their insurance it’s not yours. So in all honesty we all work to provide for our loved ones and our family correct? So why wouldn’t they? So yes the price is going to be a little more than $150 per person per day because really who could live off of $150 a day for a 10-hour day and then have 30% which is about 50 bucks taken out for taxes for that day and if they have to have insurance for medical and dental for their wife and kids they got another $20 for that day so really only making $80 a day while doing a dangerous job the employer will never be able to find an employee that can work for that and comfortable and be able to support their family. That’s just the price for a labor with no experience and I would consider that low when you start to talk about Forman and climbers and the guys that are experienced and working with the machineries the tools lowering the limbs down safely so they don’t drop through your roof don’t hit power lines don’t damage concrete driveways and sidewalks then you’re looking at somebody that’s going to be around $30 an hour and you’re going to have a 4 Min it’s going to be about $30 an hour so just those two guys alone for 10 hours and six hundred bucks a day then you add in let’s just be fair and say $200 for the other two a day which comes to a total of about $1,000 a day safely and successfully remove the tree and be able to still make profit put food on their table pay for their equipment their expense their time and try not to live paycheck-to-paycheck while being able to afford insurance and put food on the table. Then you got a factor in the owner if the owner isn’t the foreman out there he’s got to make some money on a company paying the insurance for his guys paying insurance for the company thing his own insurance for his health and his family and all the equipment that he owns Plus Fuel travel time wear and tear it comes out to be more than you might think so Factor it in Fairly understand the markups of prices and why some might sound High but when you figure out details such as taxes Medical insurance Social Security and all of that plus try to make profit to keep the business afloat you got to be fair with them and in order to be fair with them while making sure they are fair with you all you have to do is understand prices from there perspective. obviously you’re going to have to pay little bit more than what it would cost you in 3 friends to go buy a chainsaw and have a trailer adopt a pickup truck intended on yourself and your three friends that are going to work for free to help you remove these dangerous trees if you can’t do that you have to price in the trade skills and everything else so would it be fair toupee three guys are four guys $150 a day which ends up being $400 for a full day when obviously they’re not going to make too much money because just the form in the loan and the climber should make $30 an hour for a 10-hour day that’s $300 that $600 for those two and let’s say two hundred for the other two it’s $1,000 a day for a group of 4 and that is with the company making a bare minimum profit considering the taxes they have to pay the equipment they have to own in insurance they have to factor in on all of it. So come down to it basically you have to understand the value of the wood that is getting cut and if they are going to be able to sell that wood for profit either to a meal or split it and sell it for firewood. Or if the wood is no good and going to get burnt up that’s when you factor in if they are going to get paid twice once by you once by whoever they sell the wood to or if they’re only profit is just off of you. Worst case scenario if you have wood that is a live healthy tree and can be sold for either firewood or branched off and sold to the mill hole then get them to cut it that way and you can go sell it yourself. Those big Oaks in the amount of good firewood you can get off of that should pay for the tree removal or cut down and split itself. So I just recommend that with the next quotes you do a little research and understand the wood that’s being cut checked the prices at the local Mills and what they are paying for what kind of wood on average and factor that into their bid or quote and tell them that if you’re going to charge me this amount for this tree because it’s dangerous that if you’re going to charge me this amount for this tree because it’s dangerous and close to the house and power lines then I want you to leave that would with me so I can sell it because you’re going to make double the profit and once they hear you say that and realize that you have at least some knowledge in the business then that will be a game-changer and making everything Fair butt it has to be fair both ways so just try to be reasonable while at the same time be very Stern and don’t let them walk over you or push you into paying for something that they are just going to make a killing on but understand that they do have to make a profit somehow in order to put food on the table for their families and keep their business running so you’re going to have to pay a little more then what you might think but you have to realize that little bit of extra money not only helps out them to provide for their families and loved ones but also helps ensure that your family and love ones are safe and protected from a tree not following through your home and harming or worse 2 your family and it will save you money in the long run from either the amount of money that will be paid for your deductible Plus a place to stay until you can move back into your home and also the medical bills that would cost if somebody got injured. I hope anything that I mentioned was helpful and I wish you the best of luck but just know for sure those oak trees look healthy and they are worth some money so if they charge you that same amount to take them down don’t let them haul them off and selling yourself and you will at least get half of your money back so a $4,000 tree turns into only 2000 I forgot what the other trees were butt just take a look into prices for wood around your area and hopefully we will make the right call and decision on what’s best for you and your family. Best of luck to you

    2. The job looks like it would takes about three days(yes 24 hrs. On the job), with a five man crew. That two climbers(30.00+ per hr.) a lead on the ground (20.00 per hr.) and 2 laborers (14.00 per hr.) That’s over $100 there. Then add in liecense, inscurance, bond, equipment payments, equipment maintenance, fuel, workers comp, and taxes and I’m sure I’m missing something. I guarantee these business owners aren’t making much more than their highest paid employee.

  15. Having a house with lots of big trees is like having a child………just count on having to spend big dollars as long as you live for their upkeep! Trees are beautiful – especially old trees – but are a continuous expense.

  16. Wow. $10K+. I don’t know how you didn’t faint. I definitely would have. (And then maybe the guy would’ve felt bad and lowered the price a little? 😉

    For the split oak in the front, might it be cheaper to simply remove the entire tree? Same for all the other trees. I also agree with prior advice given, to take it one tree at a time, say one tree per year?

    On the bright side, since you don’t have a basement, you don’t have to worry about tree roots busting through your basement walls! That’s one of the concerns at my house (although mainly, the tree is simply rotted through and through, so it’s a colossal disaster just waiting to crash through my roof), but I admit I’ve been putting it off … (Again, it’s all about the money!)

  17. Yikes, that is expensive. Maybe do 1 tree a year? Start with the worst and work from there?

    Where I live its all new construction and piddly trees and no shade. I’m so envious of yards with mature trees!

  18. That seems like a huge amount of money for 6 trees to be trimmed. I would check with the Agriculture/Horticulture Dept of a nearby university or community college and ask if they have recommendations for such work OR if their intern programs are willing to do it for a donation. My sister had a couple of trees trimmed by a community college hort class as part of their internship. (we live in Illinois) They did a beautiful job, under the direction of their instructor, and she gave them a $1000 donation to their department.

  19. I know you don’t want to hear this but that quote is probably about right….my husband owns his own landscape business and has a friend that does his tree work for him so I’m somewhat aware of what ‘tree work’ costs. I do think you should get 2-3 estimates but be sure to check references….you don’t want to end up worse than you already are with shoddy work.

    Best of luck to you….hopefully you can find someone a little more affordable but that still provides you with expert and satisfactory work.

  20. Talk with your home owner’s insurance company. Some companies would consider this “preventing damage” and pay a percentage of the cost.

  21. You definitely need to get a second opinion from somebody who is not trying to sell you services. From looking at the picture that he said was struck by lightning and split, I think he was catastrophizing to scare you. That is a natural growth pattern, and while it is weaker than a straight growth single stem trunk, it is not necessarily going to fall down on you. What he said is scarring is “included” or “vaginated” bark and that happens naturally when a branch shooting off the trunk has a narrow angle, so the branch bark ridge can’t expand out like it would in a wider angle. I would suggest you call your county’s extension office at the courthouse and ask if they have an arborist on staff or even a Master Gardener they could recommend that has a good tree based knowledge to get an idea of what they actually believe needs to be trimmed. I can tell from the pictures that the dead branches need removed, but beyond that it is hard to tell too much.

    Another suggestion to lower the price somewhat is to have them leave the branches for you to dispose of yourself. That will eliminate the haul off and disposal fees for you. Then you can rent a chipper and make your own free mulch.

  22. I live in an area where there are a lot of trees… And there are plenty responsible and inexpensive companies that will trim and cut your trees.. The best way to find out is word of mouth, but I do live in a small community. Try to find someone that has been around for years and talk to someone at a local hardware store, or somewhere that is frequented by the local community… That is a ridiculous amount of money.. Also, just pick the trees closest to the house that are in the most need to start with… Good luck!

  23. Pay for a good arborist, compare prices of at least 3. Then, ask what they would charge to just drop the trees, not cut them up or haul them away. You can then find someone on Craigslist that would love to come cut them up and haul them away for firewood – some will even pay you for the option. (Save a bunch for an outdoor firepit 🙂 The limbs and leaves can be fed through a rented chipper for mulch. We cut the bill in half for having 15 trees dropped in our yard that way. Bought a chipper, used it, sold it a few months later. It cost less than we could have rented one.

  24. HOLY CRAP! I almost fell out of my chair when I read this. We had somewhat the same situation (not nearly as severe) and our inspector caught it. We put it in our list of things that would prevent us from buying the house and the seller had everything removed. I HATE that you are dealing with that.

    You should shop around.

  25. It does cost a lot to have trees trimmed or removed. Make sure you get multiple quotes. I have had trees removed more than once and the quotes were all over the place. Also ask each one their opinions on what really needs to be done, that may vary too. Make sure they are insured also. Remember though, your house insurance usually covers storm damage, so if something happens before you can trim them, you have that to help in case of emergency.

  26. From north of you by 3-4 hours.
    Oh yes, one house we were considering had a dead tree in the side yard. Up here, that removal + grinding runs $2,000 for one dead tree in a side yard on a corner house. We skipped that house for other reasons.
    Our current house required $1900 for tree removal by the driveway and a still upright and living ash tree, 40 years old. It dropped limbs after a hatchet yard crew pruning on windless days. Our neighbor said he’s seen 60+mph winds through our neighborhood. Our ash tree? arborist said it seemed to be dieing from the drought stress the last few years. We lost the driveway and backyard shade, but no more worries about the limb falling on the garage, the limb wiping out driveway cars, or the limbs blocking the street or taking out neighbors’ cars. I watched that tree come down. insects(you name ’em), wet rot, dry rot, and so on. Was no longer if, it was when it would come down. We saved our roof that day. Since then, the crew came back to prune up our live oak limb scrubbing the neighbor’s roof and her tall shrubs scrubbing ours.

    Many cities up here require tree trimmers to be licensed. City will charge to haul away tree trimmings outside of certain days of the year. For city haul-away, the branches must be max sizes in stacks of specified dimensions. So, tree crews add in haul-away charges for customer convenience and their own convenience.

    Get more arborist quotes, and choose from those. You know it’s cheaper insurance-wise to schedule the pruning on your time before the storms get worse. My childhood home had a neighbor who refused to have her red maples trimmed in the fall around the power lines and transformer. Ice storm in January convinced her too late. Angry strolling folks following the arcing transformers as they blew to her house with red maple limbs iced to power lines that took out a city block of homes.
    A skilled crew works faster and safer than unskilled and also covers its own insurance, etc.

    Trees are something the inspector should have caught for you during the inspection. Might have been a deal-breaker if the owner wouldn’t trim them or offer you a discounted home price. Hindsight is always clear and perfect. Oh, look at each tree canopy and double the canopy size for the rootball. Roots + sewer/water + foundation= oh. boy.

  27. I’ve been down this road a few times. Ask around. Get estimates from reputable companies that are in neighboring towns or slightly less affluent areas. They are generally significantly less expensive. Your job is large enough that a company would be willing to travel a bit to get to you. If you have neighbors that also need work done, you can negotiate a discount with the larger job. You’ll pay less if they can leave the wood. I put an ungodly amount of wood out on the sidewalk and it was claimed before I finished stapling the “free wood” signs. And, as others have said, this problem didn’t happen overnight and you don’t have to solve it all at once. (Quite a few years back, I skipped the arborist and just hired a guy with a chainsaw, and that worked out fine, too.)

  28. I’m with the “second estimate/opinion” crowd. When you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail, when you are a lawyer, everything looks like a legal issue, when you are a doctor, everyone looks sick, yada, yada! If you lived in a “gated community” I’ll bet the estimate would have been 20% more.

  29. My advice to young homeowners is to only plant crepe myrtle trees. I know that it’s too late for you. I love our trees, but what a mess they make. Then they get old and you have to spend a ton of money to trim them or cut them down. I wish someone had told me when we built our house to only plant crepe myrtles!

  30. P. S. I live in Texas, too, and almost weekly someone knocks on my door and asks if we need our trees trimmed. We’ve let them do it a couple of times and it’s been hit and miss. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. But, so far, no disasters.

  31. Wow, we are in pretty much the same boat. We have to have one cut down and some others trimmed. I had no clue it was going to cost so much! I hope there is some good news to this and you find someone with the same skills and significantly cheaper.

  32. My husband is a certified arborist and I had him read this post with me. He said that that price is kind of steep even for 6 large trees, but it all depends on the area, access to trees, the cabling, the overall difficulty of the job, clean up, and many other factors. He says to stick with an ISA certified arborist (International Society of Arboriculture), and to definitely get a second opinion. If you want to save some money, you could do the clean up yourself, but know that is A LOT of work on your own, especially with how many and how big your trees are. For a list of ISA certified arborists follow this link to find one in your area: http://www.isa-arbor.com/publicOutreach/findATreeCareService/index.aspx

  33. Trees are a mixed blessing for sure. I moved into a house where the trees were were neglected also. Oak tree 100 feet in front yard. Over $2000 to have trimmed and thinned and worth every penny. Backyard tree waiting until next year. It’s one of those things you need to do Kristi. They won’t need touched again for at least 10 years and you will have peace of mind.

  34. WOW! That is pretty insane! I thought that mine were a lot when we bought our home!! I might have actually passed out in front of him! I would seriously call at least 3 other reputable companies to come and give you an estimate. When we called around it was amazing how much of a vast difference there was!

  35. Scare tactics are all about upsizing (kind of like “do you want fries with that?”). Give a lot of thought to options because any company with all kinds of certifications (like arborist) are going to cost plenty. You could do them one at a time over the next several years. You could consider if there are any you don’t really want to keep because sometimes people wanting firewood will cut it down for free or a nominal fee and haul away the wood. You are a smart person and I know you will come up with the answer. Just let us know as obviously many of us have the same issues.

  36. Do NOT hire some Joe with a chainsaw, whatever you do. (I know you won’t, but several people here were telling you of their good luck doing this, and it made me cringe!) If Joe with a chainsaw climbs your tree and cuts his leg off instead of your tree limb — and he has NO insurance — you might end up paying him with your entire house! Don’t do it. I think the sensible advice you’ve been given is to get more estimates, choose a reputable company, and work on one tree at a time. From most to least worrisome. Spending $$ on this kind of shizz is definitely one of yukky parts of homeownership. :/

  37. Christi been there done that and I have to say I didn’t check around the first few times (we have 2 houses) and then I started checking and guess what? Everyone is looking for work they aren’t all just crazed people with a chain saw and have been doing this for a long time. Last time had some trees done (because of huge storm and one branch came down on my neighbors a.c.unit) I got 5 estimates (something I HATE HATE HATE doing since I feel like I am wasting these peoples time) and the price range was all over the place a good $5,000. between the one who had big dreams and the incredibly good people who did the work for us and not one leaf was left on the ground by the time these people were done working (we had decided to get 10 trees altogether taken down at one time). There are good people out there who don’t want your first born male child to get work done. I so enjoy reading your posts and seeing all the incredible work you do, you are so inspiring.

  38. First of all, climb down from the ledge! Second, always get more than one estimate for any project, especially if it is in a very specific area of knowledge. For a job the size of yours, I usually get a minimum of 3 to 5 estimates and I look on Kudzu, Hometalk, and other local sites for companies that have reviews. ALWAYS get references and check them. Also, make certain they can provide you with a certificate of insurance and check with the provider to make certain they are still insured. If they are really good they will expect this and will have to problem providing the information or with you checking it. Some not so good companies will take out the insurance then, once they have the certificate, will cancel the policy.
    We had to have all of our trees checked and most pruned and it was no where close to your estimate but none where the age or size of yours. I’ve read the other comments so you know all about what can happen. An arborist is definitely the way to go. The one we had was really good. He took us around the yard after his inspection and pointed out what was needed for each tree and why. Sometimes it was surprising to learn that the problem was not where we thought it was. After the job was completed, he took us on another tour around the yard and gave us info on how each one should be maintained, where potential problems might be, what to watch for in a certain species of tree that could indicate damage and, best of all for me, which trees should NOT be pruned at all. I have a beautiful tree in the back of the yard and its my favorite. He explained that it is a “self pruning” and should never be pruned except for damage or disease. (Now I love it even more) BTW I also got some good info from him on landscapers in the area. He did not disparaged any of them but he did point us the in direction of several very good, reliable companies. It will all work out believe it or not just make sure you do your due diligence before hiring. Believe me, the relief you will feel once you know you needn’t worry and the trees are now strong and healthy is unimaginable. Good luck!
    PS A good arborist will also tell you which needs to be done first too.

  39. We had one of those $500-Jose-with-a-chainsaws come and cut our big tree in the front yard and they totally botched it and the tree is now dying (Apparently they didn’t leave enough canapy and the sun fried the tree in the heat of summer) 🙁 So not only did we not really save any money with him, we have to pay more to remove our tree and now have no big, amazing tree in our front yard.

  40. We’re planning on going the opposite direction you are going this year. We are selling our house and moving to a condo. I have to say that the main reason we’re doing it is because we’re so sick of the yard work. We’ve been here for 12 years and we’re just over it. We pulled everything out a few years ago and put in fake grass and DG paths.
    I seriously hope you find someone with a better price. We only have palm trees here in San Diego.

  41. I, too, had “sticker shock” when I had an arborist quote me to take down some trees in my yard. First, he only agreed to do one and refused to do others and then wanted $3,000 for the one. Haven’t had it done yet, but know the time will come. I plan to do what all are telling you to do: get more estimates!

  42. Hi Christi. Homeownership is so much fun as you are finding out. We purchased a beautiful 1925 colonial in Western NY with a yard surrounded by trees. Great privacy in the back yard. What we did not realize until after we moved in was that there were a lot of stumps left from previous removals and a large maple near the house that needed to be removed. We hired a company to remove that tree and grind 8 stumps for $1200. We use the wood for heating tho, so they did not have to cart away a gigantic tree. Trees are not only aesthetically pleasing, but provide much needed shade and a refuge for birds, etc. I love the trees here and they do all of that. I agree with getting more estimates, take care of the priority ones first. If hauling wood away is expensive, put an ad on Craig’s list and someone will come an take the wood for free. Our neighbor did that before she knew we heated with wood and the wood was gone the day the ad was placed. You can sell hardwoods too instead of letting the trimmers take the wood…let them chip the small branches and leave large ones in a pile. Not sure if people camp around where you live, but camp wood goes for $5 an armful here :). We are praying right now for a good estimate as we need a roof on our 2260 sq ft house….due to tree debris :). Thanks so much for all of your inspiration.

  43. Welcome to the wonderful word of home ownership. This is the first of many such “surprises.” and usually they are necessary and immediate like the water heater just died. Next you will face leaf pick up and mowing of your huge property as well as buying an expensive lawn tractor/leaf pick up unit ($3,000 to $10,000) are you prepared for that?

    Moving to a new community finding professionals, with adequate skills, that can be trusted can be a real serious issue. This has been one of the most difficult things we encountered when we moved to our current home 14 years ago. I encountered a number of “local boys” that 1) Didn’t have the skills they said they had and 2) Screwed up the job. We got taken several times and no longer work with the local boys. This means I have to hired from an hours distance away to get competent skills and that means a higher bill as I have to pay for their travel time of an hour each way. But this has been a necessity to get quality work.

    I always get a minimum of three estimates for any project, and sometime more. I rarely choose the one that is the cheapest, as that can also mean low balling and problems ahead. I am assuming you know about checking with the Better Business Bureau and getting personal referrals from neighbors, your church, local people etc. not just on-line referrals that can be false or written by family members. Also, your gut will eventually help you make the best decision too once you get use to the process. ALWAYS get your estimate in writing (the local boy here won’t do a written estimate and I tell them upfront on the phone, “I am expecting a written estimate or don’t waste my time.” And never pay in full BEFORE the job is done. Make sure you are there to conduct a thorough inventory of the work done before you pay as that is another way you can go wrong. Keep scrupious records as well in case you ultimately have to go to small claims court as the person with the most documentation, wins. I’ve been there / done that to unfortunately.

    Good luck!

    Small House / Big Sky Donna

  44. I should have also mentioned we just paid $1,200 to have ONE large tree cut down last summer. This was cutting down, cutting up and hauling away of wood. These guys have to have expensive equipment and expensive insurance too. In Michigan they have to make their income in about 6 months as we have 6 months of snow/winter here too.

    So it is advisable to make sure your home insurance covers your trees, if possible.

  45. Yes, it’s expensive. We had some horrendous quotes and ending up having some good work done for a fraction of most of the quotes. Before you go crazy, ask for referrals from locals, neighbors and check them out. Check their insurance, license, referrals, etc. Take your time and find someone reasonable. Don’t panic. There a lot of tree guys looking for work. Negotiate, get a price and then offer less for cash, if you can do that. DO get the work done. You don’t want to be one of those horror stories. Be with them at a safe distance while they work and they will usually do more than the original plan. They usually check with you about this limb or that limb, unless the whole tree is going down. Do have the children in a Safe place to watch, but let them watch. It’s an experience to see these guys work! I have such respect for their abilities. No time for amateur night! Really cool! We’ve had it done at several locations and it’s a time to have your camera handy!! Good luck!

  46. I totally get it. I have totally felt how you do until hurricane Sandy hit and I saw the damage trees could do to a house, devastating. A quick moving storm going the right way could knock a tree into your house – it could ruin your roof and much more, displacing you for months and even hurting or killing anyone inside. I would definitely figure out a way to trim those trees – this season is storm season up by me but I’m not sure what it’s like by in you in Texas. With that said, $10k is ridiculous and my opinion is really based on poor weather experiences in the northeast so may not apply to you. I would figure out a way to safely DIY it!

  47. We are in northern California. Can you say redwood trees? To have two of the giants removed from our front yard, $12,000!! On the plus side we could then sell the trees to a mill and at some point in the future when our trees are milled we would get a certain amount of money per board foot. It’s just coming up with the initial investment. DEFINITELY get someone who is licensed and insured.

  48. I live about 3 hours East of you and we’ve had tress cut and trimmed. I would make sure that whoever does your work has insurance and ask to see proof. We have tree companies that have been here for years and have excellent reputations. We have used one of those companies. I’m pretty sure we didn’t have an arborist, but the trees are looking good. We paid 500 each to have some taken down and 800 each to have some shaped up and the canopy raised. Try asking some of your neighbors and friends for references. Your brother sounds a lot like my husband. Remember when Hurricane Rita came across Texas in 2005 and Ike in 2007 we had unbelievable winds and your trees made it through that. 🙂 Also, somebody else mentioned calling a University. It’s possible that Baylor has a Horticulture Dept and I’m sure A&M has lots of programs like that. Good Luck. 10K sounds unreal to me.

  49. Okay..so take this for what it’s worth…
    I lived in Houston and owned a home there for a couple of years, and only moved back to Canada this past year (my whole family is here). We had a HUGE oak tree in the front yard that was hazardous to the house. It was really rather frightening. I knew it needed to be trimmed – badly – branches were falling, it had killed the grass under it due to being too ‘top heavy’, blocking out all of the sun.
    One day I saw some guys trimming our neighbour’s tree. And they were fast. And they were GOOD. They knew what they were doing. I went out, talked with them, and for $400, they did our tree – plus removal. Five guys in about an hour and a half. The tree was about the same size as yours, judging from the photos. Huge.
    Like you, I had an arborist come out first. I mean, I’m from Canada. We <3 our trees. My brother has his degree in forestry and I know what he charges when he 'tops' trees. I knew that $500-800 was reasonable. The arborist quoted $1500. $400 was a steal.
    They did an amazing job. I'm sure they weren't insured. They were mexican. I watched what they were doing, and I saw the results of my neighbours' yard. They were fast, professional, and worked together, using proper harnesses etc. They had been doing this for some 20 years. The morale of the story? You don't need a degree to do the job. Experience is often a better teacher. I'd get more quotes.

  50. I suggest you get not just 2, but 3 quotes from qualified arborists. I do not recommend the utilities route unless you know that they do good work. My utility company have butchered so many trees and they have all dies within a few years. Water seaped into the cuts and the trees rotted from the inside out.

  51. Hi Kristi, I’m in Colorado and have several 60 yr old trees in my yard. My ‘tree guy’ is a young man with his own business who is an arborist and is very good. He is very fair in his pricing and it’s less than this man quoted you (but not by a whole lot). I found this man by word of mouth. He has never advertised his business. 🙂 As someone said, it is amazing to watch them work. I did stay home to watch the first time he came to my house as I was nervous about possible damage to my house or my neighbor’s house. He obviously knows what he is doing, with the right harness and ropes for safely climbing, to using partners for the big trees. He always leaves my yard cleaner than he found it. His latest bill was $600 to remove an elm, trim the one next to it, and trim out one large linden tree and shape a smaller linden. We plan out together what he will do in a given season, and what can wait for a year or two. Definitely ask neighbors if they have anyone they like. Good Luck!

    1. You should offer to pay him 25% more. He’s not going to be in business long slitting his own throat. A good worker does not necessarily know the business side to what he’s doing, and he definitely does not. No matter what he thinks he knows. No way.

  52. I live up I-35 from you (I’m in Burleson) and we have a tree service here in town with Much Better pricing…not sure if they would go as far south as you. But I have large trees in my yard and we don’t get charged anywhere like that. Look around for other deals; but be sure the company you choose is licensed and bonded with proper insurance in case there is an injury on the job or property damage.

    Good Luck

  53. That is certainly a lot of money for some trees but I spent $2500 10 years ago to remove 1 tree (a poplar next to the house that took four men to remove) and trimming 3 huge gum trees. The work can be quite dangerous and because of the risks insurance is expensive.

    However, oak trees are something special and you need to take care of them.

    I would get at least 4 or 5 opinions and quotes. Perhaps you could spread out the work over a period of time to lessen the pain.

    Love your banquette seating and the yarn cushions were genius! Tried unsuccessfully to copy them. Will have to try again. Love your blog and have followed for a while but this is my first comment.

  54. Those are beautiful trees! Get at least 2 more quotes. You of course what a tree company that is bonded and knows what they are doing but that quote sounded extremely high to me. Over the years I have had quite a bit of tree work done and the cost is high but nothing like that!

  55. Well, I nearly passed out as I was reading the quotes…definately worth a second opinion and second estimate. That seems like a whole lotta moolah to me. I’m very lucky, my hubby is a forestry engineer & can still wield a chainsaw & a friend of ours has a “lopper” (its a long cutter for doing high limbs). And hubby also has the proper gear (safety pants, boots & eye protection), so he can trim trees on our property and for friends who require small jobs done. But when it comes to the electrical lines…the city comes along and trims the trees at the edge of our property.
    I remember when we purchased our home in the late 80’s..the trees were barely tall as me. Now they are majestic….and drop lots of leaves in the fall.
    I hope you find a more economical way to protect your home from downed trees!

  56. Kristi, I was formerly married to a tree man…he has since passed. But it has only been about 10 years since he was working doing this very thing. No way would he have charged even these 10 years later that much for those trees. Maybe less than 1/2 as much. He had trimmed trees since he was 20 and he stopped at the age of 63 as far as climbing them and doing the trimming himself….but he was an excellent on the ground supervisor to younger men. He directed every move.. he also was not an educated man in books….but clearly in the tree business he was more educated than most new upstarts as he called them. he had years of experience on the conditions and reactions of trees. What I am getting at is this….those trees have been standing many years but like most of us years are no reflection into what they may do next….all trees come to an end. As these will eventually. But there is a less expensive man out there who has more knowledge than your arborist. Take the time to search for one. You will continually need someone to trim your trees back and keep them trim in the coming years. Well worth finding someone who can do this well and not take your arms with it. Just my two cents worth.

  57. Check your house insurance to see if this work is covered and did you notice the more expensive his quotes were the more scare tactics he employed? It’s normal to get three quotes for any works so find 2 more and maybe ask around your neighbours in case they can recommend someone or even get in touch with any local logging / forest maintenance body who could come and take a look. However, having seen the photos of how close those trees are to your home I wouldn’t wait to long and just think how much daylight will flood your new home. Good luck. Mary

  58. My husbands an arborist in Calgary Alberta Canada and I think he could include a flight to your town and still do the work for less. That seems insane.

  59. $10,705? As in 10 thousand, seven hundred and five dollars? Real dollars???? Oh good golly Miss Molly! I have never heard of such a thing! I’ve had tree work done before but not for anything near that amount! That’s as bad as the guy who wanted $45 thousand to replace our windows – excuse me? I think I’d get a few more estimates and see if there are any other resources, such as a town agricultural office or something along those lines that may do it for less. You want quality but that price is just insane! Good luck! Hugs, Leena

  60. Oh dear, I sure as heck hope this doesn’t mean we are going to be getting a blog entry with pics of YOU in a harness swinging from your trees handling a chainsaw! I know you like to DIY, but this job may just be too big even for you, Kristi LOL! 😀

    And no, I couldn’t. That’s a boat load of money to spend on something like tree trimming. Your brother is right, the trees have been there for a very long time without incident. That said, they are live beings and they are still growing, and they may have grown to the point where a really deep haircut is needed for all of them.

    I’d be calling every tree trimmer in the area for bids on this project. You don’t want any Joe with a chainsaw out there hacking at your trees, because you want to trim them, not kill them, and a bad trim job can look good at first, but utlimately irreparably damage the tree to where it dies. But you also don’t want to pay a year’s worth of house payments on tree trimming, either. Please get more bids, make sure the people have insurance, ask to see the policy, and make sure it’s still in effect when the job happens.

    You’re gotten a lot of good advice, I like the bit from people saying to call a school to see if their horticulture department might intern the project for you. Also, if you can keep the wood and sell it yourself, that might helpy you make some money back on this project. It’d be the last thing I did – pay some guy (even if he is super qualified) over $10k to do the job, then let him take the wood so he could make money off that.

    Good luck with getting this done at a reasonable cost, and please, let’s NOT have pictures of you in a harness and chainsaw!

    Best,

    Kimberly

    1. Haha! Oh my, that made me laugh. 😀 No, there definitely will NOT be a blog post with pics of me swinging from a tree with a chainsaw in hand. 😀 Chainsaws scare the heck out of me, and I’m a bit afraid of heights too. That would be a recipe for disaster for sure.

      1. You have no idea how happy I am that you’re not going to DIY this one yourself, Kristi! I love your energy and sense of adventure, but there’s a point where we just gotta draw the line! LOL! 😀

  61. This is why my best friend is an arborist! He looked at your photos and said he wishes he was closer! Would totally do it for 1500!

  62. hello, my name is gary and i am an ISA certified arborist. i would like to help you with your tree problems. i live in florida and would like to talk to you about the photos. from what i could see the tree trunk has a standard branch bark ridge. this is where the two trees fuse together and the tissue rises up . this should be on ALL of your limb. this is from the photo. if we could talk i could have you take more pictures to be sure. also i can give you the ISA web site and you can call other arborist in your area to lead you on the proper path.

  63. hello again i would like to comment also about the cable for the tree. the current systems are a rope system with NO drilling into the tree.

    1. Hi Gary~
      Thanks so much for your offer to help me! I truly appreciate it. I actually did find someone in the area who is qualified to do the job and will do it for a very reasonable price (a fraction of this first quote). Thanks again!

  64. We had the same dilemma when we first moved into our home. My first quote was astronomical and three quotes later we completed the tree work for $2000. We had 17 holly bushes removed, 4 stumps grinded, one tree cut down, 1sidewalk plus a 2 car concrete slab removed and one tree lifted/trimmed. Plus they added top soil for our grass. I was so happy after I had the work completed.

    I hope your tree work came out okay and I feel that was the best $2000 we spend so far since we moved in our house. Good luck

  65. In some situations it is necessary to charge a lot but I can say one thing, I have made sooo much money over the years just being honest with people. Tree companies take advantage of people more times than not because they know they can, not many people can do the job so they rip you off. Check many different companies before making a decision, trust me big companies aren’t always the way to go. Many times small companies are just people who have broken off from big companies beacuse they actually care about being fair instead of taking advantage and just making more money

  66. Omg I have ten 90ft pine trees and was quoted 3000$ to have them taken down and removed with no stump grinding. 3 of the trees are intertwined with the power cables. With trees like that you would be better off getting other quotes and some trees you can sell the wood and make money back. Problem is no one want my rickety old pine.

  67. I live in a pretty pricey city, and just had about 6 30-40′ trees trimmed for $900 – total. They included two with branch’s hanging over the house, just like yours. They did a fantastic job – even cutting and stacking the wood into firewood. I got three quotes; one from a friend’s recommendation: $3300, which as soon as I balked, was reduced to $2600. The next bid came in at $1875. While I was deliberating I saw a neighbor’s yard being trimmed up by a good sized crew with a chipper. The boss came by, gave me the price for work if I had it done that day – and volia! Deliberating just a bit is good!

  68. You didn’t find a knowledgeable a Arborists
    Pruning is a investment, you can’t turn a severely neglected tree around in one afternoon, with a chainsaw , especially with the obvious DIE-BACK. (ARBORIST TERM)

    Plus all pruning is stressful and good pruning , done in moderation is the norm for educated tree care professionals .

    Plus you never prune Oaks until first frost or dormant.( OAK-WILT another meaningless Term..)

    I’m a Arborist I fix problems you don’t know you have in ways you Don’t Understand.

    Price should be based on time involved. Nationwide Average $400 per hour, with a full crew..
    Or $50- $200 a tree by a idiot and $ 1200-$2800 + to remove the now dying tree a couple season later by the company you should have used..

  69. I have a question. Does anyone know about or have any experience with the company online called sellyourtrees.com? I can’t find anything about their reputaton. They claim to be able to cut your yard trees down and pay you money for them.

  70. That price was with in range. The trees are extra large over the house and each limb has to be lowered by roping them. The process is time consuming but safe. Time is money.
    Go ahead and hire a tree service that has the attitude: We will just drop the trees and do it quicker than roping each limb. I am almost sure they will do some property damage. Go watch a good tree service work on some other job and you might realize it is worth paying the money.

  71. Hello and I appreciate all the comments about this subject.
    I want to start by saying I am a tree service in the Dallas fort worth area and have been servicing trees in this business for a total of 16 years.
    I have never took a test nor will to call my self an Certified Arborist.
    But I reassure you I have over 10,000 clients I service every 24 months that will tell you I am an Arborists.
    They will also tell you that they are in my community on Google plus and actively participate in questions and answers about tree diseases and visit my web site wth concerns they have.
    I reassure you that if you put me and my crew up against a high dollar licensed arborist in Texas, I will do the exact same thing and probably will charge 1/2 hat they will charge.
    I am not the cheapiest tree service out there and never want to be.
    However what I read was ridiculous prices that only a person who is not reasonable with their money would hire this arborist at those prices.
    The pictures I saw was about 4000.00 worth of tree trimming. That would be removing and or trimming several large branches to reduce crown of lateral weight that makes tree swoop down which is what causes trees to snap and breaj at the core of the trunk in most cases.
    Yes I use a truck and trailer for all of my work.
    However I had a chipper and chipper truck and I always had to have a truck and trailer following the chipper truck.
    The chipper and chipper truck did not benifit my client in any way accept I had to charge more to maintain the service and the insurance was higher.

    I do not feel like any one here does not have any good points.
    However I have never had a single complaint about my tree work and I have repaired many customers trees with reshaping and proper pruning.

    I have several years experience with pest control before I started tree service so This added training really helped me understand the diseases and the insects which carry most of the diseases.
    Not that I claim to be the best however, I am not gonna charge 10,000 for 6 trees because I have to go home and sleep after I do that and this is just proof that a man who thinks he is worth 10,000 will not get it every time but he has to work less hours with out pay than the one such as me.

    I hope with all that I wrote you and other people who read this will consider that if you visit six flags once a year you will not buy a season pass however if you visit 10 times in a year this seems to be a bargain also six flags knows you can not be there and not make them money so they make it to where you come back.

    Companies like mine will return year after year usually every 2 years and prune your trees and reshape them and keep them off properties and keep them healthy.
    Some one like this arborist will trim the trees every 5 years or maybe never again because of shell shock however it averages out to the same.
    However the difference is the trees stay healthy with some one like my company who makes prices more reasonable and schedules the next trim the day they finish the first one.

    I have one last conclusion to consider,
    Tornados are an exception to any rule, however
    If you are out and about after a really good wind burst storm in DfW you will see the trees that was trimmed a year ago or may be 2 years ago substain a lot less damage than the one that has not been done in 5 years. Why we are maintaining the cause that causes these damages and we can not prevent it all, however the thought that we help is why any of us should and would call them a professional Arborist.
    I hope this will help,
    I left my link here to any one in my area who may need a professional at
    reasonable offer
    Tree Eagles
    414 oak wood ln arlington tx
    76012
    6829904083
    http://arlington.treeremovalservices.org

  72. Well we have one tree we are wanting to prune/trim because we are about to sell our home.
    After reading comments here and other places online as to how expensive it can be and arborists pulling a bait and switch with prices (quoting one price then going above that) my husband and i have decided we will tackle the job ourselves with a little help from a friend.
    And yes with a “chainsaw”
    Oh heavens to betsy how on earth did our grandparents and great grandparents survive trimming/cutting their own trees in the days before hiring an “arborist” became fashionable?
    My husband has already trimmed this tree multiple times in the past. This time we just have to go higher up on the canopy thats what he has safety belts for (he works in utilities climbing poles higher than our tree). So this time he’s just going to get a friend he works with to trim the tree.
    But i agree with another poster that suggested replacing their really tall trees with shorter ones say less than 25 feet. Its much easier for the homeowner to DIY and bypasses hiring a tree service. Smaller trees are also perfect for those who can’t or wont prune their own trees because it allows for hiring a regular landscape company who will charge MUCH LESS to prune trees than an arborist would.
    I think the only time i would hire a tree specialist is if i was trying to save a very old tree. Say something that is 80+ years old. I don’t anticipate ever having that situation.
    Reading all this taught me a valuable lesson. Don’t buy property with huge trees or if we do…cut the trees down and replace them with smaller ones to eliminate huge costs and potential liability down the road.

    1. When I bought my house 20 years ago it never dawned on me just how big the trees I have in my yard would get – they weren’t big at the time! They sure are now though and I’m paying the price to keep them trimmed. I love the shade but the cost is something I didn’t anticipate being a rather naïve homeowner. And to have them taken out would cost a fortune as well. So I couldn’t agree more – don’t buy a property with huge trees unless you know what you’re in for, or unless you own your own tree trimming company!

  73. Yeah getting trees trimmed is crazy expensive! That price you were giving was shockingly actual not that bad of a deal! I trimmed back 40+ enormous Eastern Red Cedars that had never once been pruned in the 8+ yrs since they had been planted! Your suppose to trim them back at least Biannually! When you don’t keep up with them it causes serious issues later down the line & in this case the trees had literally eaten up the entire space around the pool to where it was almost pushing you into the pool on 1 side. The major issue is the green only grows at the ends & it’s completely unavoidable having to do the very last thing you’d normally never want to do & that’s being forced to cut them back to where they need but getting them there is going to take you to the dead growth. I made them well aware they had let them go way to far & it was going to be touch & go & that I was going to have to take them to the brink & that I’d have to go scorched earth around the fire pits bc of the fire hazardbut I’d do my best to turn chicken you know what into something at least edible. If they would’ve paid someone to do it it would’ve cost them well over 30k but lucky for them it didn’t cost them a thing. The thing is maintaining the property was the landscapers responsibility so my moms husband Im thinking possibly went at him about it & of course he tried to say that I had cut them back to far which I 100% know I did but what he failed to mention that it was unavoidable bc of them never once being pruned since they had 1st been planted 8 plus years ago. So now instead of getting a thank you for all my hard-work I’m getting the exact opposite which needless to say didn’t brighten my day in the least! So we got into a huge blow up shouting match up that I had cut them back to far & the ignorant old fool clearly wasn’t listening to me bc I was a 100# agreeing w/ him that I know that I had but while at the exact same time reiterating it was completely unavoidable which it a 100% was. It just kept saying he went to NCSU for this work & my reply I don’t give you know what where he went to school or what he went for I’m not an expert on all trees but eastern red cedars is 1 tree that I know a ton about & that I had forgot more about them then the landscaper will ever know! The funny thing is 1 of their friends who knows a little about was up visiting from the beach when I was doing the work & he had a give me kudos on how good of job I had done salvaging an absolute shit situation & how he was super impressed w/ how I had taken them right to brink but not quite over especially considering how far they had been allowed to grievous and how far they needed to be cut back. My moms husband on the Hand when I told him they were eastern red cedars his response was that’s not what I paid for. My reply to that was they made not be what you paid for but it’s what you got! The fact the trees still provided any privacy at all which they most certainly did & do was a miracle thanks to my meticulous work taken them right to edge to where there was minimum browning. A lot People don’t realize that Xmas tree farming is a ton of work those trees just don’t simply grow to form.

  74. Ummmm….
    First of all, I want to say, I agree with you 100%. With this being said, the price he gave you is the going average in 2023. I needed my trees trimmed and while they were not looming over the house like yours, my valid concern was if they came down due to a storm, they would end up on the house. I wanted them trimmed so that if they did come down, they would not touch the house when they landed. The quote I received was breathtaking, to say the least. It is getting to the point where a person has to consider remortgaging the house in order to get the trees pruned!

  75. Apparently, my trees think they’re royalty and demand a princely sum for a trim. I didn’t know I was running a tree spa! I asked for a leafy makeover, not a financial breakdown. My trees need a reality check – they’re not Hollywood A-listers; they’re just branches with attitude!