How Much Does Tree Removal Cost? A Real Homeowner's Price Guide

Tree removal costs $200 to $3,500 for most residential jobs. The national average sits around $750, but in California that number jumps to over $1,000, the highest of any state. I’ve paid for three removals on my property over the years, and the quotes I got ranged from $650 for a 25-foot ornamental pear to $4,200 for a 70-foot Valley Oak near my garage. The difference comes down to size, species, location, and how badly you need it done.

Here’s what you should actually expect to pay, what drives the price up, and where you can save real money.

What tree removal costs by size

Height is the single biggest factor in what you’ll pay. Here’s the realistic breakdown for Northern California in 2026:

• Small tree (under 30 feet): $200 to $500. This covers ornamental trees, small fruit trees, and young trees in open areas with easy truck access. A crew of two can knock this out in a couple hours.
• Medium tree (30 to 60 feet): $500 to $1,500. Most residential removals fall here. Think mature Crape Myrtles, Birch, smaller Oaks. Expect a half-day job with a three-person crew and a bucket truck.
• Large tree (60 to 80 feet): $1,500 to $3,500. Mature shade trees near houses. The crew needs rigging equipment to lower sections safely. This is a full-day job or longer.
• Very large tree (80 feet and up): $3,500 to $10,000+. Mature Valley Oaks, Redwoods, towering Deodar Cedars. Crane-assisted removal adds $500 to $2,000 for the crane alone. These jobs sometimes stretch across two days.

The per-foot rule of thumb: $8 to $25 per foot of height. A 50-foot tree at $15/foot equals $750, which tracks with the average.

What drives the price up (or down)

A 50-foot tree in the middle of a flat, open backyard costs half what the same tree costs when it’s 10 feet from your house with a fence on one side and power lines on the other. Here’s what moves the needle:

Tree height and trunk diameter. Taller trees need taller equipment. A 24-inch diameter trunk weighs dramatically more per section than a 12-inch trunk. Every additional foot of height adds complexity and time.

Hardwood vs. softwood. Dense hardwoods like Oak, Maple, and Cedar take longer to cut, produce heavier sections, and wear out chainsaw chains faster. An 80-foot Red Oak costs 30-50% more to remove than an 80-foot Pine of the same height because every section weighs more and takes more time to cut and lower.

Proximity to structures. A tree within 20 feet of your house, garage, or fence requires careful rigging. The crew can’t just drop sections. They have to rope them, lower them with pulleys, and guide them to the ground. If a crane is needed, that’s another $500 to $2,000.

Access. If the tree is in a backyard with no gate wide enough for a truck, the crew has to carry every piece of wood and every branch out by hand. Some companies charge a “limited access” premium of 20-40%.

Power lines. Trees near power lines require coordination with the utility company, who may need to de-energize lines before work begins. This adds $500 to $1,500 and scheduling delays of one to four weeks.

Tree condition. Dead trees seem like they’d be cheaper to remove. Often they’re not. Dead wood is brittle and unpredictable. It splinters instead of cutting cleanly, making the job more dangerous. A standing dead tree can cost 20-30% more than a healthy one because the crew has to work more slowly and carefully. A tree that’s already fallen? That’s cheaper, usually $75 to $300, because there’s no climbing involved.

What different tree species cost to remove

The species matters because wood density determines how long the job takes and how heavy the debris is.

• Valley Oak or Live Oak: $800 to $3,500. Dense, heavy wood with massive canopy spread. The most expensive common removal in Northern California. Oaks taller than 80 feet with 4-foot diameter trunks can hit $5,000 or more with crane assistance.
• Maple (Sugar, Red, Silver): $800 to $2,000. Hard wood, large canopy. Silver Maple is slightly cheaper because it grows fast but has softer wood.
• Pine (Ponderosa, Monterey, Sugar): $300 to $1,500. Lighter softwood means faster cuts and easier hauling. Tall Ponderosas are the exception, pushing toward $2,000+.
• Ash: $800 to $2,000. Medium-hard wood. Mature Ash reaches 60-80 feet.
• Cedar (Deodar, Incense): $500 to $2,500. Dense wood and extensive branching make these slow to dismantle.
• Palm: $300 to $900. Lighter trunk, no major branch structure. One of the cheaper removals.
• Eucalyptus: $800 to $3,000. Fast-growing, often very tall, with unpredictable branch failures. If you have a Eucalyptus near your house, get it assessed before it becomes an emergency.

Should you actually remove it?

This is the question nobody else is asking. Every tree removal article on the internet assumes you’ve already decided. But a $150 to $350 arborist consultation might save you thousands if the tree can be saved.

An ISA Certified Arborist can assess structural stability, identify decay pockets, evaluate root health, and tell you whether regular trimming (at a fraction of the removal price), cabling, or bracing could extend the tree’s life by 20 years. A mature shade tree adds $10,000 to $20,000 in property value. Removing it might solve one problem while creating another.

Remove it when:

• More than 50% of the canopy is dead. Learn how to tell if your tree is past saving.
• The trunk has significant decay (mushrooms growing at the base, large cavities, soft wood).
• New lean after a storm (not a gradual lean the tree grew into).
• Root damage from construction removed more than 30% of the root zone.
• It’s the wrong species for your property, and it’s actively causing structural damage.

Consider saving it when:

• Cosmetic damage only (broken branches, sparse canopy after drought).
• Slow lean that’s been there for years (the wood grain has adapted).
• One or two dead branches (targeted pruning fixes this for $200 to $600).
• The tree has heritage value or legal protections (more on this below).

Add-on costs most quotes don’t include

The quote you get for “tree removal” might not include everything. Ask before you sign.

Stump grinding: $120 to $400 per stump, or $2 to $5 per inch of diameter. A 24-inch stump runs about $100 to $150. A 48-inch oak stump can hit $400. Some companies bundle this into the removal price, others list it separately. Always ask. If you want to turn that stump into a garden feature instead of grinding it, tell the crew before they start.

Debris hauling: Most reputable companies include chipping and hauling in their quote. Some don’t. If the quote says “cut and leave,” you’re looking at another $200 to $800 for someone else to haul the wood, and most city green waste programs won’t take logs over 4 inches in diameter.

Permits: In Sacramento, the city’s Tree Preservation Ordinance protects heritage trees (any tree with a trunk 32 inches in diameter or more on residential property) and all native Oaks, Sycamores, and Buckeyes with a 12-inch diameter. The permit fee is about $31 through the county, but removing a protected tree without one can trigger fines from $250 to $25,000. Some cities also require replacement tree planting or an in-lieu mitigation fee. Your tree service should know the local rules, but ultimately the permit is the homeowner’s responsibility.

Root removal: If you need roots pulled out (for a new patio, foundation repair, or replanting), that’s $75 to $150 per hour on top of the removal cost.

Emergency removal costs more

A tree that fell on your roof at 2 AM during a wind storm is not a normal removal job. Emergency tree removal runs 50-100% more than standard pricing because crews work nights, weekends, and holidays with priority scheduling.

Expect $1,500 to $5,000+ for emergency removal of a medium to large tree. The premium reflects the urgency, the danger (storm-damaged trees are unstable), and the fact that every tree service in the area gets flooded with calls after a major weather event.

If a storm just hit your trees, take photos before anything gets moved. You’ll need documentation for your insurance claim.

Does insurance cover tree removal?

Sometimes. The rules are specific and most homeowners don’t understand them until they need to.

Insurance covers removal when: A tree falls on an insured structure (house, garage, shed, fence) due to a covered peril like wind, lightning, hail, or fire. Most policies also cover removal if a fallen tree blocks your driveway or a handicap access point, even without structural damage.

Insurance does NOT cover: A tree that falls in your yard without hitting any structure. Elective removal of a tree you just don’t want. Removal of a tree that failed due to age, rot, or disease (that’s considered deferred maintenance).

What you’ll actually get: Most homeowner’s policies cap tree removal at $500 to $1,000 per tree, with a total limit around 5% of your dwelling coverage. If your dwelling coverage is $400,000, you have up to $20,000 for tree-related claims. But with the per-tree cap, you won’t get more than $1,000 for any single tree unless it hit a structure.

File the claim right: Document damage with photos before cleanup. Save every receipt and invoice. File promptly. Your adjuster will want to see the damage, so don’t let the removal crew start before the insurance company has been contacted unless there’s an immediate safety hazard.

How to actually save money

Schedule in winter. Late fall through early March is the slow season for tree services. Demand drops, and companies will negotiate to keep their crews working. You can save 10-20% just by timing a non-urgent removal for January or February instead of June.

Bundle multiple trees. Removing two or three trees at once typically earns a 10-25% discount per tree. The crew is already on site with equipment, so marginal cost per additional tree drops.

Keep the wood. Hardwood logs from Oak, Maple, or Ash have real value as firewood. Tell the tree service you want to keep the wood, and some will reduce the price by $100 to $300 since they don’t have to haul it. You can also give or sell seasoned firewood to neighbors, which offsets the cost further.

Get at least three quotes. This isn’t just comparison shopping. When companies know they’re competing, prices come down. Compare the scope of work line by line: does the quote include stump grinding, debris hauling, cleanup, and permit assistance? The cheapest bid that excludes stump grinding and debris hauling isn’t actually the cheapest bid.

Handle debris yourself. If you have a truck and a free Saturday, ask for a quote that excludes debris hauling. You cut the small stuff yourself, stack the logs, and haul brush to the green waste facility. Some homeowners save $200 to $500 this way.

Do it yourself (small trees only). A small tree under 30 feet in open space is a legitimate DIY job if you have the right gear and know the technique. Our guide to cutting down a tree safely walks through the full process. You’ll spend $150 to $300 on safety equipment you can reuse, versus $500+ for a professional crew.

Don’t pay for emergency service when it’s not an emergency. A leaning tree that’s been leaning for months is not an emergency. A dead tree that hasn’t fallen yet is not an emergency (usually). Scheduling non-urgent work during normal business hours at your convenience saves the emergency premium.

Red flags when hiring a tree service

I’ve hired four different tree services over the years. The last one was the best because I learned from the first three. Here’s what to watch for.

Door knockers after storms. If someone knocks on your door the day after a big wind event and offers to “take care of that tree,” say no. Storm chasers blow into town, collect deposits, do shoddy work or disappear entirely, and move on to the next disaster zone. For understanding the real dangers of unprofessional tree work, read about tree trimmer safety and why credentials matter.

No written estimate. A legitimate company provides a detailed written estimate that spells out exactly what’s included: which trees, stump grinding or not, debris hauling, cleanup, timeline, and total cost.

Cash only, no contract. If they won’t take a check or credit card and won’t put anything in writing, they’re not insured. If a worker falls out of your tree and the company has no insurance, you’re liable for their medical bills.

Verify the license. In California, tree removal requires a C-27 Landscaping or D-49 Tree Service license for jobs over $500. Check at cslb.ca.gov. Takes two minutes. While you’re at it, ask for their Certificate of Insurance and call the insurer to confirm the policy is current.

Look for an ISA Certified Arborist. Certification doesn’t replace a contractor’s license, but it tells you someone on the crew understands tree biology, structural defects, and safe removal practices. Verify credentials at treesaregood.org.

The cheapest bid is almost always cheapest because the operator is skipping insurance, workers’ comp, licensing, and proper equipment. That $300 savings evaporates the moment something goes wrong on your property. For more on vetting a tree service, take the extra 30 minutes to do your homework.

After the tree is gone

Once the stump is ground down, you’re left with a hole full of wood chips and sawdust. Don’t plant anything in that spot immediately. The decomposing wood chips steal nitrogen from the soil for 6 to 12 months. Rake out the chips, fill the hole with topsoil, and wait one full growing season.

When you’re ready to replant, take your time. A replacement tree is a 50-year commitment. Think about the sun and shade patterns that changed when the old tree came down. Your garden beds that were in shade are now in full sun. Your neighbor’s yard that was screened by the canopy is now visible. Plan the replacement carefully and pick the right species for the right spot.

If the removal was because of storm damage, consider whether the species was appropriate for your area in the first place. Planting another fast-growing, brittle-wood tree in the same spot guarantees you’ll be paying for another removal in 20 years. Learn from the experience and choose something that’ll last.