Cost guide
How much does tree surgery cost?
Tree surgery is quoted per job in almost every case. A two or three person crew with a chipper costs £450 to £1,000 for a full day, at the lower end in the Midlands and the North and above it in London. Minimum charges run £150 to £250, so a small job carries more than its share of a day.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your garden.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Hourly rate, one certificated climber | £40 to £90 |
| Half day, two or three person crew | £275 to £600 |
| Full day, two or three person crew | £450 to £1,000 |
| Light prune or deadwood, small tree | £150 to £350 |
| Deadwooding a large mature tree | £350 to £800 |
| Storm damage call-out | £250 to £2,500 |
Day rates in print disagree by a factor of three, because cost guide sites average a lone climber and a full crew into one figure while working firms quote the crew. Half a day is rarely half the price. Out of hours work adds 25 to 50 per cent, and firms under the £90,000 VAT threshold charge no VAT at all, so compare quotes on the total payable.
What moves the price
- Access. One 900mm side gate and forty metres of barrowing can double the crew hours against a tree standing beside a drive.
- Targets under the canopy. Conservatories, greenhouses, boundary walls and parked cars force sectional rigging instead of a straight fell.
- Machinery. A cherry picker is £150 to £600 a day by reach, or £280 to £950 with an operator, and crane work starts higher again.
- Waste volume. Chipping and carting away a mature conifer costs £150 to £300 more than leaving logs stacked for the householder.
- Region. London and the South East run 20 to 40 per cent above the rest of the country on the same specification.
Worth knowing
Scotland
Scotland makes tree preservation orders under section 160 of its own 1997 Act and the offence sits at section 171, which still caps the fine at £20,000: the change that removed the cap applied only in England and Wales. Northern Ireland works to its Planning Act 2011.
Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, sections 160 and 171
Who quotes for it
1241 of the 4,012 gardeners listed on this site take on tree surgery.
Where most of them are: Glasgow (28), Leeds (24), Nottingham (21), Birmingham (21), Edinburgh (21).
Questions about tree surgery
How long does a tree surgery job take?
Half a day suits a light crown lift or a small fell with clear access. Two days is realistic for a mature tree taken down in sections over a garden, and five days for a very large specimen needing crane support.
Does tree work need council permission?
Permission is needed where a Tree Preservation Order applies, and six weeks' written notice is needed for a tree in a conservation area. Local planning authorities hold both records and will confirm an address on request.