Cost guide
How much does crown reduction cost?
Crown work is priced by tree size and crew time rather than by the branch. A medium reduction on a tree with good access occupies a three person crew for half a day at £300 to £450 in labour, before machinery and disposal. Published averages for a full crown reduction sit at £650.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Crown reduction, tree up to 7m | £250 to £400 |
| Crown reduction, tree 7m to 15m | £400 to £640 |
| Crown reduction, tree over 18m | £960 to £1,150 |
| Crown thinning | £400 to £1,400 |
| Crown lifting | £250 to £1,000 |
| Pollarding, small to large tree | £450 to £1,200 |
Figures above £2,000 for a domestic crown reduction appear on one aggregator and match no working firm checked, so treat them as an error rather than a regional premium. London and the South East add 20 to 30 per cent to the ranges shown.
What moves the price
- Tree height band. Seven metres at £250 to £400 against eighteen metres plus at £960 to £1,150.
- Operation chosen. Lifting is the cheapest, thinning the most time consuming at £400 to £1,400.
- Rigging needs. Limbs over a greenhouse or fence come down on ropes, which doubles handling time per branch.
- Consent paperwork. Preservation order applications add £145 to £500 when an agent prepares them.
- Regrowth cycle. Lime and willow need repeating every three to five years, so the real cost is the cycle, not the visit.
Who quotes for it
2 of the 18 gardeners listed on this site take on crown reduction.
Most of them in one place: Shrewsbury (1), Telford (1).
Questions about crown reduction
Is topping the same as crown reduction?
Topping cuts branches at an arbitrary height with no regard to growth points, and BS 3998:2010 does not recognise it. Crown reduction cuts back to a lateral branch able to take over, which keeps the wound small and the shape natural.
When in the year should crown work happen?
Late autumn through winter suits most broadleaves because the structure is visible and the tree is dormant. Birch, walnut and maple bleed heavily in late winter, so those are usually done in summer instead.