08/29/2026
Why Tree Work is NOT CHEAP-
There are many different facets of tree work that have a wide range of costs, but let’s start with the most common expense: tree removal. It can be difficult to understand why removing a tree can cost so much. To the homeowner, the whole process should be as simple as “just cutting it down.” But to a qualified tree company, the work is usually much more involved than making one cut with a chain saw.
*Complexity*
Trees being removed often need to be cut apart one section at a time to avoid dropping whole tree sections onto the property or into traffic. This requires an understanding of how the tree holds itself up and how these pieces will respond to being cut with a chain saw. News accounts are full of accident reports involving untrained tree workers, or even homeowners, attempting to cut apart a tree without the knowledge of how it will respond to being cut. Usually, specialized equipment is needed, such as aerial lifts or cranes to access the tree safely, or rigging/ropes and climbing gear. This equipment is costly to acquire and maintain. Often, the use of this equipment involves setting up traffic control in busy streets where permits and additional flagging support are needed. Also, the years of training it takes to skillfully take down trees.
*Difficult and Dangerous*
Arboriculture, and tree removal, in particular, is difficult and dangerous work. Tree crews are regularly asked to work on trees with compromised structures from storm damage or years of neglect. These compromised trees are often dead trees, which are particularly dangerous. A tree that has been dead for several years usually becomes brittle and inflexible. When you try to cut it down, it will often shatter, throwing broken branches onto your landscaping in an uncontrolled manner. At the very least, this could cause property damage, such as a broken window. In the worst-case scenario, a climbing arborist will be in the tree making the cut as it breaks apart with him/her in it.
Too often, tree workers are in trees that have electrical conductors running through the branches. That hazard should speak for itself.
*Insurance*
Because tree work can be so hazardous, qualified companies will have liability insurance to protect the homeowner’s property, as well as workers’ compensation insurance to help cover injuries sustained by the crew, should they occur. If you seek out companies that are less expensive but that may not carry insurance, you are risking having to pay damages several times the original job estimate, if something goes wrong.
These are just some of the MAIN factors on why it's not as easy as "just cut it down".
Quality work is not cheap- Cheap work is not always quality work.
