There are two things that you must remember when it comes to tree removal anywhere in the UK. First, and most importantly, it is not going to be cheap, and secondly, you must always collect multiple quotes to know you are hiring the right contractor.
Some Starter Tips
While hiring a contractor to remove a small may cost you approximately £400, and the price may go up to £4,000 for a decent-sized mature tree. And this price may not include any other services such as special hazards or dealing with power lines or stump removal.
Therefore, tree removal in the UK is not going to be cheap. However, you must research the local tree removal companies or professionals and request a quote. Once you have all the prices, you can compare them and select a company offering the most services within their initial charge.
The Tree Removal Charges
Tree removal in the UK comes at a higher price because a tree removal specialist, also known as an arborist, needs special training, qualifications, and equipment. Therefore removing a tree from your front or back garden can cost a couple of hundred to a few thousand pounds, including VAT.
While the cost may seem to vary on a large scale, various factors will determine the exact charge of your tree removal project. For example, some tree roots can be very invasive, and removing them can damage your property’s foundation. Sometimes the roots can find their way into underground sewage pipes for water. They can even break underground electric cables and gas pipes.
Some trees can grow very high and removing them comes with a danger of falling on your neighbour’s or your property. Therefore, you cannot just pick an axe to do it yourself and need a professional tree removal service.
There are other factors that may increase or sometimes decrease your tree removal’s base cost.
Access
If a tree needs climbers with ropes to reach, the removal may be of greater value than a tree in your front garden near the driveway or street. This is because the latter allows easier access with equipment, a ladder, or a lift. Extra labour needed for hauling out any debris from your location will also add to the overall price.
Additional Services
Many tree removal services may charge you extra to have the trunk and limbs removed from your property. Alternatively, they might cut them into sizeable pieces when they are on the ground. You can ask the tree removal professionals if the price includes stump grinding, or you will have to pay extra for it.
Obstacles
If your tree has grown into other structures such as fences, they will be more challenging to remove and therefore the charge will be higher.
How to Reduce Tree Removal Cost?
While you must secure an optimal price, going with a (too good to be true) low service charge is a big No-No. There are certainly legitimate ways to lower the cost of your tree removal project and save some money.
Asking for Discounts
If you are thinking about getting rid of more than one tree, you can always try your luck and ask for a package. Most tree removal companies may actually give you a group discount when hiring them to remove more than one tree on the same property.
Think about it, they get to make more money from the same property and do not have to move equipment from one place to another. Therefore, they will consider giving you a discount instead of going through the hassle of going to a different property to remove another tree.
If you have more than one tree and you need all of them to go, hiring a tree removal service or professional is the cheapest option to get rid of all of them simultaneously.
Check with Small Companies
Always try to get bids from smaller local companies. Larger well-known companies will most likely ask you for higher charges; however, this is not the case all the time. Still, you must always get multiple quotes and ensure they have adequate insurance to carry out the jobs and cover any liabilities and accidents.
A good climber, as well as couple of members on the ground, is all it will take to bring down a tree. You can look for online reviews to check what the previous customers have to say about the tree removal company you are considering hiring.
Grinding the Stump Yourself
Most contractors will charge extra to grind the stump. Therefore, you can ask them to leave the stump as it is and do it yourself later. You can easily rent a stump grinder from a local DIY store and remove the stuck yourself. While renting a stump grinder may cost you between £90 and £200, it is still cheaper than approximately £200 per hour charged by a company.
Additionally, a company will charge you separately for each tree grinding. For example, getting 2 trees stumps grinded will cost you £200 x 2 = £400 per hour. On the other hand, you can rent the stump grinder and use it for grinding as many tree stumps as you want.
Save the Logs for Firewood
If the tree removal company asks you for extra to take the solid wood logs away, ask them to leave them on the property. In case you or someone in the family has an old-style wood-log fireplace, you can save the wood for winters
Taking Care of the Debris Yourself
A tree removal company will charge you extra to take away the mess left behind after the tree is down. However, this is not a very difficult job, and you can actually do it yourself by cutting the limbs yourself and disposing of the branches by loading them in the boot of your car.
If the contractor offers you a lower rate, make sure that you are paying the minimum price possible.
Conclusion
While tree removal may seem like a simple task, it needs a professional to take down a decent-sized tree. That is also the reason why tree removal in the UK is an expensive job. Therefore, always do some research and compare quotes before hiring a tree removal service provider to get the job done.
