What tree removal costs in 2026
Height sets the price more than anything else, because a taller tree has to come down in more pieces and takes a bigger crew longer. Four published cost guides agree on the shape of it, and roughly on the numbers:
| Tree height | HomeGuide | Lawn Love | Fixr | This calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30 ft | $200 to $500 | $285 to $435 | $150 to $400 | $150 to $500 |
| 30 to 60 ft | $500 to $1,500 | $435 to $870 | $450 to $700 | $435 to $1,500 |
| 60 to 80 ft | $850 to $2,000 | $870 to $1,160 | $900 to $1,200* | $850 to $2,000 |
| Over 80 ft | $1,200 to $2,500+ | $1,160 to $2,000 | $1,300 to $2,000* | $1,160 to $2,500 |
*Fixr's bands are 60 to 100 ft and over 100 ft. HomeGuide and Lawn Love both put the national average at $850; Forbes Home puts it at $1,200.
What moves the price inside the range
Trunk diameter. Tree services measure the trunk about 4.5 ft off the ground. HomeGuide notes that trunks over 24 inches cost significantly more to remove, because the wood is heavier to lower and slower to cut.
What is underneath. A tree in an open yard can often be felled in one piece. Over a roof, a fence or a power line, it comes down a section at a time on ropes, which takes longer and needs more people. Fixr counts obstacles and access as about 15 percent of the final price.
Condition. Dead, diseased or storm-damaged wood is brittle and unpredictable, so climbers rig more and cut slower.
Urgency and equipment. Forbes Home puts emergency removal at two to three times the normal price, and a crane at $250 to $600 a day on top.
Stump, cleanup and the extras
A quoted removal price often covers cutting the tree down and nothing after that. Ask what is included, then compare quotes line for line:
| Extra | Typical price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stump grinding | $100 to $500 per stump | HomeGuide; Lawn Love: $180 to $525 |
| Hauling away wood and debris | $100 to $200 | Lawn Love |
| Chipping branches | $50 to $100 | HomeGuide |
| Splitting logs for firewood | $50 to $100 | HomeGuide, Lawn Love |
| Crane | $250 to $600 a day | Forbes Home |
| Travel fee, over 30 minutes away | $50 to $200 | Lawn Love |
Pricing a removal as a tree service
Published averages are a check, not a price list. Your price comes from your crew's time, your equipment and your disposal costs. Take a 50 ft oak with a 20 inch trunk hanging over a backyard fence:
| Line | How it's figured | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 people for 5 hours at $45 an hour each, fully burdened | $675.00 |
| Equipment | Chipper, saws and truck for half a day | $150.00 |
| Disposal | Green waste tipping fee | $60.00 |
| Cost | $885.00 | |
| Price at a 20% margin | $885 divided by 0.8 | $1,106.25, rounded to $1,100 |
That lands inside the published $435 to $1,500 range for a 30 to 60 ft tree, toward the upper half, which is where the fence and the trunk size would put it. If your number comes out far below the range, check the crew rate: the labor cost calculator shows what an hour of a crew member really costs once payroll taxes and workers' comp are in. The tree service estimate template is set up with these lines, and the job profit calculator shows afterwards whether the job made what you priced it to make.
Questions about tree removal cost
Is stump grinding included in the price of tree removal?+
Usually not. Most tree services price the stump separately, at about $100 to $500 per stump depending on its size and the method. Ask for it as its own line so you can compare quotes.
Does homeowners insurance pay for tree removal?+
Often, when the tree falls on a covered structure such as the house or a fence. HomeGuide puts typical coverage at $500 to $1,000 per tree. A tree that falls in the yard without damaging anything usually is not covered.
How much does emergency tree removal cost?+
Forbes Home puts emergency removal at about two to three times the normal price, around $2,500 on average, because crews drop other work and the tree is often resting on something.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree?+
Some cities require a permit for large or protected trees, and some ask for an arborist report first. Check with your city before the work is scheduled.
How this calculator works
The price range for the size of the job comes from the published guides below, from the lowest low to the highest high where they differ. Where your job lands inside that range is our method: each answer that makes the work harder or slower moves it toward the top, and each that makes it easier moves it down. Extras use each guide's published price for that item, and the likely price uses the middle of the extra's range.
- HomeGuide, How Much Does Tree Removal Cost?
- Lawn Love, How Much Does Tree Removal Cost?
- Fixr, Tree Removal Cost
- Forbes Home, Tree Removal Cost
Prices checked September 28, 2026.