Tree removal costs $400 to $1,200 for most residential trees in 2026, with small trees under 30 feet from $150 and large trees over 60 feet running $1,000 to $3,000 or more. Trimming averages about $475, stump grinding is $120 to $400 for the first stump, and emergency storm work bills at 25 to 75 percent over the standard rate, two to three times at night or with the storm still blowing. The margin is in the add-ons: the stump, the hauling, and the crane day that most owners leave off the estimate until the job is half done.
This guide gives you a starting price for every service, explains what pushes the number up or down, and walks one large removal from the driveway to the total. The typical column is a clean mid-point of the national ranges, so you can start from it and adjust for your market.
2026 tree service price table
Twenty services most tree crews quote, with the 2026 national low and high and a typical price you can start from.
| Service | Low | Typical | High | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tree removal, small (under 30 ft) | $150 | $350 | $500 | Ornamentals and fruit trees. Stump not included. |
| Tree removal, medium (30 to 60 ft) | $450 | $800 | $1,200 | The most common residential removal. |
| Tree removal, large (60 to 80 ft) | $1,000 | $1,750 | $2,500 | Climber and ground crew, most of a day. |
| Tree removal, very large (over 80 ft) | $2,000 | $3,500 | $5,000 | Hazardous or over a house runs $4,000 to $12,000. |
| Tree trimming, small (under 30 ft) | $80 | $250 | $500 | Shaping and deadwooding from the ground or a ladder. |
| Tree trimming, medium (30 to 60 ft) | $200 | $500 | $900 | National average about $450 to $475. |
| Tree trimming, large (over 60 ft) | $500 | $1,000 | $1,800 | Bucket truck or climber with rigging. |
| Limb removal, per limb | $75 | $250 | $850 | Over a roof or wires, rigged down, $500 to $2,000. |
| Stump grinding, first stump | $120 | $250 | $400 | $2 to $5 per inch of diameter, $100 minimum. $30 to $60 each additional. |
| Fallen tree, cut up and haul | $300 | $600 | $1,500 | No climbing. Storm-fallen trees in the yard. |
| Emergency tree removal | $1,500 | $3,000 | $6,500 | 25 to 75 percent over standard. Two to three times at night. |
| Crane assist, per day | $500 | $1,000 | $2,500 | Rented crane and operator. Over 80 feet or no drop zone. |
| Hedge removal, per linear foot | $10 | $25 | $40 | Roots out. Hedges over 10 feet at the high end. |
| Shrub removal, each | $40 | $100 | $150 | Over 6 feet, $150 to $300. |
| Wood chipping, per hour | $75 | $125 | $150 | One-hour minimum. Chips left on site or hauled. |
| Debris hauling, per load | $75 | $150 | $250 | Per dump trip. A full truckload of storm debris is $300 to $600. |
| Firewood, per cord delivered | $250 | $350 | $500 | Seasoned hardwood. Softwood $150 to $300. Splitting $50 to $100 an hour. |
| Cabling and bracing, single cable | $250 | $450 | $700 | Multi-cable systems $700 to $1,500. |
| Arborist consultation | $100 | $175 | $250 | Inspection or risk assessment. Credit it toward the job. |
| Tree planting, medium tree installed | $250 | $500 | $900 | 8 to 12 foot shade tree, 15 to 30 gallon. |
"Typical" is the price Zeemy preloads for a new tree service account, so a new owner can quote on day one and adjust for their market. Low and high are the 2026 national ranges from the pricing guides listed at the end.
What moves the price
Height, then how it comes down
Height sets the tier, but the price is really about how the tree comes down. A 60-foot pine in an open field drops in three cuts. The same tree between the house and the neighbor's fence gets climbed and rigged down in sections, and that is a day of crew time, not an hour. Quote the tier, then add for the rigging.
Drop zone and access
Can the chipper get to the tree? Can the truck back up to the pile? A backyard removal where every log gets carried through a gate costs a third more than the same tree by the driveway. Walk the route from the tree to the truck before you write the number.
Condition and hazards
Dead, cracked, or leaning trees cannot be climbed the way healthy ones can, and anything near service wires means the utility or a bucket truck. Price hazardous trees as their own tier, and never let a dead tree go out at a healthy-tree price.
Stump, wood, and cleanup
Removal is the tree to the ground. The stump, the logs, the chips, and the raking are separate lines, and customers assume they are included unless the estimate says otherwise. Spell out what stays and what goes, and price each.
Emergency and storm work
After a storm the phone rings forty times a day and every caller wants you today. Emergency rates of 25 to 75 percent over standard are normal, two to three times for night work, and a tree on a roof is $2,500 to $6,000 before the crane. Set the emergency rate before the season so you are not inventing it at midnight.
A worked quote
A homeowner has a dead oak, about 65 feet, standing between the house and the garage, and wants the stump gone and the maple by the driveway trimmed back while the crew is there. Here is the quote, built under the tree in about two minutes.
Dead oak removal, the Hendersons
The large removal is the base, at the typical rate because the tree is dead and near the house but has a clear drop zone on the garage side. The stump and the hauling are their own lines because customers assume they are included until they see them. The maple trim is the add-on the crew can do in an hour with the bucket already on site, and it turns a $2,300 job into a $2,800 one.
They approve on their phone and pay a $1,000 deposit before the job goes on the calendar. The balance is invoiced before the chipper is loaded and paid at the curb, and the HOA account across town is on a quarterly recurring invoice that bills itself.
Pricing tips from the field
Take a deposit on anything over a thousand
A large removal ties up your crew, your chipper, and sometimes a rented crane for the day. A 30 to 50 percent deposit at approval covers the crane and keeps a cancellation from costing you the day. Customers who balk at a deposit are the ones who will balk at the invoice.
Put the stump on every removal estimate
Grinding is $120 to $400 for the first stump and $30 to $60 for each one after, and the machine is already on the truck. Quote it as a line every time. Half the customers take it, and the ones who do not will call you back in a year for it anyway.
Charge for hauling as its own line
Every load to the dump is $75 to $250 of truck, fuel, and tipping fees. Price it per load, and offer to leave the logs cut to firewood length for a customer who wants to save the money.
Have an emergency rate before the storm
Decide now that storm calls are one and a half times standard and night calls are double. Put it on a service in the app so the crew can quote it at 6 AM without calling you.
Sell the trim while the bucket is there
The truck is in the driveway and the crew is set up. A medium trim at $500 on the tree next to the removal is an hour of work you would otherwise drive across town for. Ask on every removal.
Questions tree service owners ask about pricing
How much should I charge to remove a tree?
In 2026, $150 to $500 for a small tree under 30 feet, $450 to $1,200 for a medium tree, $1,000 to $3,000 for a large tree over 60 feet, and $2,000 to $5,000 or more for anything over 80 feet, with hazardous removals near a house running $4,000 to $12,000. Stump, hauling, and crane are separate lines.
How much is tree trimming?
Between $75 and $1,800 depending on height, with a national average of about $475. Small trees under 30 feet run $80 to $500, medium trees $200 to $900, and large trees $500 to $1,500 or more.
How do I price stump grinding?
By the inch of diameter at $2 to $5, with a $100 minimum. That comes to $120 to $400 for the first stump and $30 to $60 for each additional stump on the same visit.
What should I charge for emergency storm work?
Add 25 to 75 percent to the standard rate for same-day storm work, and two to three times for night work or work during the storm. Most emergency removals land between $1,500 and $6,500, and a tree on a house is $2,500 to $6,000 before any crane time.
Should I charge separately for hauling and chipping?
Yes. Hauling is $75 to $250 per load and chipping is $75 to $150 an hour with a one-hour minimum. Put both on the estimate as lines so the customer sees what is included, and offer to leave the wood on site as the cheaper option.
Sources
National ranges come from Angi, HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor, Fixr, LawnStarter, and Lawn Love cost guides for 2026 covering tree removal, trimming, stump grinding, limb removal, debris removal, shrub and hedge removal, arborists, cabling, firewood, and tree planting, plus the Jobber Academy tree removal pricing guide. Prices are 2026 US figures and vary by region; use them as a starting point and adjust for your market.