What does tree work cost? A pricing guide with sources
We are a referral site and set no prices. The ranges below come from four published cost guides we read on October 18, 2026. They are national figures, not New Jersey quotes.
How tree work is priced
If you have never hired a tree company, here is what the quote is usually built from. We set none of these prices; this is how the published guides and the work itself are organized.
- Per tree, by size. Removal and trimming are usually quoted for each tree, mostly by height. That is why the tables below are banded by height.
- By the job. Storm work and anything near a house or wires is priced for the whole situation, because the risk matters more than the size.
- By the acre. Lot clearing is the one job one guide prices by area instead of by tree.
- As an add-on. Stump grinding, hauling the wood and chipping the brush are often separate lines, or left out. A low quote that leaves them out is not the same as a lower price.
Price by service
Each service page explains the job and what changes its price in plain language. The published figures for each are further down this page.
- Tree removal: Cutting a whole tree down and hauling it away.
- Tree trimming and pruning: Cutting back branches to keep a tree healthy and clear of your roof and wires.
- Stump grinding: Grinding what is left of a cut-down tree to below ground level.
- Emergency storm tree work: Getting a fallen tree or broken limb off a house, car, driveway or road.
- Lot clearing: Clearing trees, brush and stumps off a lot or a large part of a yard.
What a good written quote lists
- Which trees or stumps, and exactly what will be done to each.
- Whether hauling, chipping, stump grinding and cleanup are in or out.
- Who handles any town permit, and who pays for it and for any replacement tree.
- Proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage on request.
Typical total for removing one tree
| Guide | Typical range | Stated average |
|---|---|---|
| LawnStarter | $385 to $1,070 | $630 |
| Lawnlove | $385 to $1,070 | $850 |
| This Old House | $820 to $992 | $906 |
| Fixr | $400 to $1,100 | $435 |
By tree height
Every guide names height as the main driver. Ranges per tree, removal only:
| Height | Lawnlove | This Old House | Fixr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 30 feet | $285 to $435 | $150 to $450 | $150 to $400 |
| 30 to 60 feet | $435 to $870 | $450 to $1,200 | $450 to $700 |
| 60 to 80 feet (Fixr: 60 to 100) | $870 to $1,160 | $800 to $1,500 | $900 to $1,200 |
| Over 80 feet (Fixr: over 100) | $1,160 to $2,000 | $1,000 to $2,000 | $1,300 to $2,000 |
Lawnlove puts the rule of thumb at about $9.50 to $14.50 per foot of height; LawnStarter at $10 to $14 per foot.
Related work
| Work | Range reported |
|---|---|
| Stump removal or grinding (usually extra) | $175 to $516 (LawnStarter); $180 to $525 (Lawnlove) |
| Tree trimming | $255 to $655, average $420 (Lawnlove) |
| Emergency removal | $450 to $3,000 (Lawnlove); up to $5,000 (This Old House); $450 to $5,000 (Fixr) |
| Removing a tree that has already fallen | $85 to $300 (LawnStarter); $90 to $300 (Lawnlove) |
| Clearing trees in bulk, per acre | $850 to $6,000 (Lawnlove) |
What moves a New Jersey quote up or down
- Height and trunk width. Taller, thicker trees need more rigging, more cuts and more hauling.
- Access. A tree behind a house and a fence, with no room for a bucket truck, costs more than one beside a driveway.
- Distance to structures and wires. A tree over a roof or near power lines has to come down in small, controlled pieces. Work near live wires may also involve the utility.
- Condition. Dead or storm-damaged trees can be riskier to climb. A tree already on the ground is cheaper to clear.
- Cleanup. Some quotes include hauling logs, chipping brush and grinding the stump; many do not. Compare quotes line by line.
- Permits and replacement. Many New Jersey towns now regulate tree removal, which can add an application, a fee or a replacement tree. See your town page.
- Timing. Emergency, night and weekend work after storms costs more, and every crew is busy at once.
Sources
We fetched and read each page. Dates are the dates the pages show.
- LawnStarter, "Pricing Guide: How Much Does Tree Removal Cost?". Updated October 5, 2026. Home-services marketplace that earns money from referrals.
- Lawnlove, "How Much Does Tree Removal Cost in 2026?". Updated October 5, 2026. Lawn-care company. Reports the same $385 to $1,070 typical range as LawnStarter, so we treat the two as one view rather than two independent checks.
- This Old House, "How Much Does Tree Removal Cost? (2026 Pricing)". Updated March 5, 2026. Says its data comes from Homewyse and Angi. The page carries an advertising disclosure and a lead form for All Star Pros.
- Fixr, "Tree Removal Cost". Updated January 31, 2025. Cost-estimate site; says it draws on pricing databases, contractors and industry experts. Oldest of the four and generally the lowest.
We also looked at Angi, HomeGuide and Forbes Home pages; their sites blocked automated reading, so we did not use them. We did not copy any text from these pages, only the figures.
Prices on this page are general information, not an offer or a quote from us or from any tree company.
Get a real price
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