I have several large trees on my property that need the kind of trimming I can't do. I have been able to trim branches as far as my pole saw and ladder can get to, but there are big branches and high branches that I can't do. A couple of the trees right on the road I'd like to take down completely (my neighbor calls them bird poop trees....) - and some I need to cut back good to avoid them falling on my roof or my neighbors property in a heavy storm. Then there are some that just need to be thinned out high up to let some light in (my trees put part of my yard in heavy shade - I'd like to let some sunlight in so some grass/groundcover can actually have a chance to grow).
Can anyone offer some advice on hiring someone to do this work? What can I expect to pay in general, and is there anything I should be cautious of when hiring soneone to do this work? I know this seems like such a simple thing, but I've owned my house two years, and this is a first for me. Thanks for any advice.
Tree Trimming Advice?
May I suggest you call your local utility company and ask them who they use. Usually these companies will have a dept that works with commercial customers and a dept. for residential customers. I always insist on getting somebody that can provide proof of insurance so they don't come after me in case of an accident. Larger companies should provide this, no problem, but they will also cost more.
Some people charge a single amount to cut a tree, while some others charge cafeteria style, meaning, if they cut the tree, so much, if they haul it, so much, is the grind the stump, you get the pic.
It's gonna cost ya, but not as much as repairing your or your neighbor's roof.
Thank you for the advice. Yes, I'm very concerned with the price - since I'm basically a pauper; however, I know having a giant limb come down on my house or truck or being sued by my neighbors (yikes).
There's also a website, who's url I no longer have, for an arborist association in the US. They list certified arborists in your area. Arborists are not cheap, but the alternative is worse. I had one come and do significant trimming on my 7 large native pecan trees shortly after I retired. I took the money I got from my unused annual leave to do it. The arborist I used had a big chipper-shredder he pulled behind the truck, and chipper-shredded all but the really big branches. I kept the remains and used it as mulch; the really big branches, his employees cut into sections about a foot long at my request, and I used them as borders on my some of my beds. (A foot long 12" log is about all I can carry without injuring myself.)
Many years ago, there was an ad in our local paper for a tree trimmer/remover. I had an Arizona ash I needed removed; I called the guy, and he came and took it down and hauled off the refuse. To work on the trees I care about, I hired an arborist.
Veggie, do you know someone that has hired tree trimmers? Be careful. Might check with the BBB before you hire someone and like Vossner said, verify their insurance, and maybe call their insurance co to make sure their policy is up to date. Good luck....I'm going to need to do the same thing soon.
Same here - I have three huge trees that are goign to have to come down sooner or later....They are too near the house and dying ... the cost if the thing getting to me just from calling around 600-800 to cut them down and have me clean up the mess... does this sound right?I just do not find that I want to cut a tree down myself that close to the house...
That sounds pretty reasonable, I had a couple huge branches cut off a big oak and it cost $800, but they cleaned up the mess. I need to do the entire tree, it's 4 feet from the house. It's amazing it survived the building of the house. Everytime it storms I'm afraid it will be hit.
1600 to clean it up - so I am thinking I can get a shreader and make mulch, I need one for compost anyway soooo just a good way to do it. I am thinking of usieng the trunk too in the garden for edging or such... should look rustic for my natives!
I would say it can range anywhere from $300 to $1500 per tree. Pls keep in mind that many factors will affect the final number, such as size of tree, location, heavy machinery requirements, scope of work, time of year, and of course how big/small the tree trimming company is.
One thing we did a long time ago was hire an arborist, Foster's Tree Service in houston. Back then for $50 a certified arborist came to our property and went over each and every tree in my property and evaluated them. On the ones he categorized as "keep an eye on it" I sprayed yellow paint. On the ones that he categorized as "dying" I sprayed a red cross. Each year I have cut down/trimmed the trees in the priority that the arborist set. His assessment was pretty good, all the ones that I marked red are long gone. I recommend this service if you live in a wooded lot. Not a whole lot of money and gives you an idea of what you're up against and hopefully gives you time to set aside some money for this expense. It's about time for me to call them again for this type of assessment.
True - I am just wanting them cut into hunks and left here - and there is room for them to cut off the whole tree and let it fall. That makes a huge diffrence - if they needed to bring in something to keep the tree from falling on a house they would charge a lot more... tooo much more.
Hiring an arborist sounds like a good idea.
If the trees are diseased I wouldn't put the mulch in your garden, otherwise sounds like a good recycling plan.
Old age with the ones here - all old age.
I would select my arborist by two things: 1) certification 2) word of mouth. Don't want somebody that will tell you all your trees are diseased, just to generate business for their tree trimming dept. Don't know that many people would be that unscrupulous, but you can never be too prudent.
Wow, I had no idea just how expensive it would be to trim trees. I can see that I will have to setting aside money now - no telling when I'd be able to save up enough, I'll have to tweak what little budget I have haha.
branch trimming won't be as pricey but again, factors such as size, location, how high you have to climb to trim, disposal, etc. etc. will dictate final prize.