5 Things That Can Affect The Cost Of Tree Removal


If you have a tree in your yard that you are paying to have professionally removed, you might start by asking how much it cost for similar trees to be removed in your neighborhood. However, tree removal cost involves much more than simply knowing the type of the tree and its diameter. There are several factors that can affect your specific price for the removal of a tree. To get an idea if you have a more expensive tree that you need removed, consider the following factors. 

Type of Wood 

In general, hard woods such as oak require more time, effort, and tools to remove than their softer counterparts such as pine trees. If you know the exact type of tree you have on your property, you can look up its hardness in relation to other trees and get an idea if you will have to pay premium prices for its removal. You cannot expect to realistically compare the removal of your maple tree to your neighbor's fir tree. 

Accessibility 

The positioning of the tree will determine how complex its removal will be. While an experienced feller can lay a tree exactly on an intended mark, they are constrained by the height and width of the tree. If your tree is near houses, the removal company may have to send fellers up the tree to remove limbs and the top of the tree before they can safely fall the main trunk of the tree. 

Additionally, if the tree is growing close to a rock, home, or other obstruction, getting the correct felling position on the ground may be difficult, making your project more expensive. 

Splits in the Trunk 

When a feller assesses how a tree will fall, they have to estimate the weight of major branches that can affect the way the tree leans. Direct splits in the trunk, near the bottom of the tree, can make that assessment more difficult. If your tree has a split near the roots, a more experienced feller may need to be called in, or the removal company may elect to climb the tree and remove a significant amount of its top-weight in order to assure a more exact fall. This will obviously increase the cost of the removal project. 

Disease 

If you are having your tree removed due to disease, then it is likely that the disease has weak places in the tree. During the weight of a fall, these weakened areas can snap, causing the tree to fall in unintended directions. At the very least, a diseased tree will require a more thorough falling assessment than a healthy tree. At worst, it will need to be felled in multiple places to prevent damage to your property and injury to the fellers. 

Extra Services

Once your tree is felled, there are many extra services that you might want or need. You will have to decide whether you would like the trunk, limbs, and stump removed completely from your yard. If you want to keep the wood, do you want it processed into wood chips or split into manageable logs for the winter? Each of these options will affect the overall cost of your removal project. 

If you have a tree that needs to be removed, your best option is to contact one or more tree removal services directly for a quote as opposed to relying on the experiences of other people in your neighborhood. It is important that they come out and view the tree before offering you a quote, and shopping around will ensure that you get a good deal on the required services. For more information, contact a business such as Northern Virginia Tree Experts, Inc.

About Me

Taking the Guesswork Out of Tree Care

Have you ever tried to take care of your own trees? At first, cutting down dead limbs or dealing with ugly branches might have seemed like a simple task. Unfortunately, after climbing that ladder and managing sharp objects, another reality may have surfaced. In addition to staying safe, you might also have struggled with trying to determine which branches should stay and go, and how your choices could affect the tree's shape. I want to help you to take the guesswork out of tree care, so I made this blog. Read here to find out more about different trees, cutting methods, and common homeowner mistakes.