I realize this isn't likely to be an easy thing to estimate online.
Had a tree svc knock on my door & ask if I wanted a tree removed from our yard. It's looking like it's not going to recover & has had a few limbs break off (one large one just missed the corner of the house & pool equip during the mini 'hurricane' we got a couple months ago).

I estimate it to be 25-30ft tall, maybe about 12" dia

Curious what the going rate is, including haul off & stump grinding for something this size.

It's the tree on the far right [roughly center of photo, on my side of the fence] in the photo below:

Uninsured - $500
Insured $1500 to $2000

I’m immediately leery of any service that knocks on my doors.

I have “roofers” and “window installers” coming around every so often with a “deal”.

I’m going to say they’re going to want some thing like $2000-$2500 for that job.

There is almost no way that is a $2K job. That is under 30 minutes for someone from pulling in to pulling out.

At least $1000/tree, out here, depends on the tree type....Redwood, Douglas Fir, Cedar, Oak, it'll cost you.
Consider you're looking at the tree cutter, and 2-3 others, who are helping with rigging gear, then cutting up the fallen limbs/trunks and then does the service include hauling it away?

Is there room to lay it down in one piece or do they have to climb? If the former, under $1000.

I can't speak to that tree, but my son in law is having four trees cut down, hauled off, and the stump ground down on all 4 of them. Two of them are probably 40 year old Oak trees, with a trunk two men MIGHT reach around and touch hands on. The other two are Bradford Pear, 15+ years old and scraggly. They are paying $6500 for all 4, which I thought was reasonable considering the age of the Oaks and their proximity to the house/pool.

More than you would think.

Make sure he is bonded and insured. Tree work is dangerous. Should cost about a thousand.

My FIL got a quote to remove ONE large old tree, a chestnut IIRC

The tree company wanted $6,000

It’s WAY more than you think these days esp if heavy equipment like cranes and lifts are involved.

Thanks gents. He quoted me $700 including stump grind. No mention of any insurance & not something I had considered asking about. So thanks for that.

There is room to the right of that photo that it could be laid down & we have a double gate there.

From the looks of it in that photo that tree is a goner and has been for some time. IMO you're going to want that taken down before something takes it down for you.

As for qualifying a tree service: Unless you have friends or family that have used a particular service they can recommend, you're best bet is to hit (ick) Facebook, Angi (formerly Angie's List), Yelp, or maybe Nextdoor (if there's one for your neighborhood) and look for reviews.

From our experience with seeing trees taken down I would guess, with its proximity to the nearby tree, the fence, and what I guess is your home, a competent tree service is going to want to limb it from the bottom up, then take it down from the top, until they get it far enough down they feel they can safely flop the remainder.

As others have said: Make sure they're bonded and insured, incl. workman's comp. If the contractor does not have current workman's comp insurance and their employee is injured while working on your property, you may be liable.

I've no idea what such a service would cost in your area.

quote:

He quoted me $700 including stump grind.

That sounds very reasonable.

quote:

There is room to the right of that photo that it could be laid down & we have a double gate there.

Doesn't mean they'll hit the spot, not always the trimmers fault, old dead trees sometimes decide where they want to fall... Fence, House, pool, you never know what the inside is like on them that can change things in a second.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Thanks gents. He quoted me $700 including stump grind. No mention of any insurance & not something I had considered asking about. So thanks for that.

There is room to the right of that photo that it could be laid down & we have a double gate there.

Have them supply a certificate of insurance specific to the job and specific timing for both Liability and Work Comp. His agent should be able to supply that.

Pay the $700 and know you got a great deal.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Thanks gents. He quoted me $700 including stump grind. No mention of any insurance & not something I had considered asking about. So thanks for that.

There is room to the right of that photo that it could be laid down & we have a double gate there.

I would jump all over that. That’s another trade where prices have soared over the last 5 years.

A pro will probably not lay it down due to some increased risk. If he has a lift he will likely use it. Lifts, bucket trucks, chippers and stump grinders of a professional scale and grade are really expensive. He will likely have a couple helpers to pay and have to haul off the chips and any log too big to chip. $700 sounds very reasonable for a insured pro.

Renting a lift, chipper and stump grinder all three here runs about a grand a day… I just checked a couple months ago.

I have spent $10,000 on tree work just in the last year, and a lot more I have done myself!
I love my trees and shade but damn!

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

From our experience with seeing trees taken down I would guess, with its proximity to the nearby tree, the fence, and what I guess is your home, a competent tree service is going to want to limb it from the bottom up, then take it down from the top, until they get it far enough down they feel they can safely flop the remainder.

This is definitely true but the tree guys should be able to rope the tree off to it's neighbor and keep it from swinging toward the house. It's amazing the force of friction that can be applied by wrapping a rope around the neighboring tree a couple of times.

$700 sounds too cheap

Better get proof of insurance like others have said. You don’t want to be on the hook for an accident.