Tree Removal Cost Calculator
Estimate what it costs to take a tree down from its height, the price per foot in your arborist quote, and add-ons like stump grinding and hauling — using the numbers you enter, not a canned price list.
Calculator
A 60 ft tree at $20.00/ft plus add-ons is about $1,350.00 on your numbers. Access, lean and proximity to buildings or power lines move the price a lot. ⚠️ Hire a licensed, insured arborist — this is for budgeting only.
Tree removal is one of the biggest one-off yard expenses, and quotes swing widely because no two trees are alike. Rather than trust a generic price table that goes stale the moment rates change, this calculator works from the numbers on your own written quote: the tree height, the price per foot the arborist charges, and the add-ons for stump grinding and hauling. That keeps the estimate honest and current forever. Use it to sanity-check a bid, to compare two crews on the same basis, or to set a budget before you call anyone out.
Formula
Tree removal is commonly priced by height, because a taller tree means more climbing, rigging and cleanup:
total = height (ft) × price per foot ($/ft) + add-ons ($)
The price per foot and add-ons are the figures from your own written quote. There is no built-in rate — access, lean, species, and how close the tree is to a house or power line move the real number a lot.
Worked example
Take a 60 ft tree at $20/ft with $150 in add-ons for stump grinding and hauling:
60 × $20 = $1,200$1,200 + $150 = $1,350
So budget about $1,350. Bump the price per foot for a tree over a roof, near wires, or with a heavy lean, and add a crane line item if the crew needs one.
How tree-removal quotes are built
Height is the single biggest cost driver, but it is not the only one. When you compare quotes, read them against these factors and adjust your price per foot accordingly:
- Access. A tree a crew can reach with a bucket truck costs far less than one that has to be climbed and lowered piece by piece over a fence or pool.
- Proximity to targets. Trees leaning over a house, a garage, a fence or power lines need careful rigging (or a crane) — that raises the per-foot price.
- Species and condition. Dense hardwoods weigh more; a dead or rotten tree is unpredictable and more dangerous to take down.
- Cleanup. Decide up front whether the quote includes chipping brush, hauling logs, and grinding the stump, or whether those are separate line items.
Because everything here is priced from your quote, this estimate stays correct no matter how local rates move. Always get at least two or three itemized, written quotes from licensed, insured arborists, and confirm they carry liability and workers’ compensation coverage before anyone climbs.
Reference table
Height bands are a labeled sanity guide, not a price list — access, lean and proximity to buildings or wires still drive the final number:
| Band | Height | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Small | up to 30 ft | Ornamentals, young trees — often a ladder or short climb |
| Medium | 30–60 ft | Typical yard shade tree — climbing and roped lowering |
| Large | 60–80 ft | Big oaks, pines — heavy rigging, sometimes a crane |
| Very large | over 80 ft | Specialist work — crane and traffic control common |