# Tree Removal Pricing



## stltreedr

Hi fellas, 
I'm new to the forum, but really want to see what everyone thinks about this. I've spent the past 4-5 years trying to normalize tree removal pricing by common factors, ie. tree size, location, etc... I think I am pretty close to having it down, and wanted to see what others in the industry think of this. 

I've created a page on my website that allows customers to enter six measurements from their tree: DBH, Height, Spread, Distance from driveable surfaces, distance from powerlines, and percentage of overhang. From these measurements, my formula calculates: Tree Takedown cost, Cleanup cost, and debris disposal cost. There is a disclaimer at the end, but under normal circumstances, with accurate measurements, the quote is guaranteed to be accurate. The page is still fairly new, but so far, it's been competitive in my area while still giving profitable quotes.

I hope I don't get kicked out on my first post, but I'm going to give you the link so you can let me know what you think.
Constructive criticism is welcomed.
Thanks in advance to you all.

Tree Removal Cost Calculator


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## no tree to big

thats a neat thing you have come up with could be good could be bad, only time will tell. I played around with it a bit cause I'm board. I used it to price the trees I have on my property and a few I have cut down recently it seems that it underprices some of the smaller trees by a little, I put in the specs for a smaller ash I took down it spit out like 330 bucks but it was easily a $450-500 tree then for a pretty big tree I have on my property it priced it at 3500 bucks but I would say its only worth 18-2000 because of the branch structure of it ) 4 cuts and the top is out then just block down the spar) for what I played with for medium sized stuff it seemed to be pretty close


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## carolinaclimber

*pretty cool*

That seemed like a pretty accurate calculator. Priced it about right for the one I did this past weekend. The only thoughts I have about the calculator is (especially if you climb-no access to or for a bucket truck) I'd be worried to stand behind it 100% before finding out the hazzards within the tree like rot, heavy lean, root decay, etc. Really good idea though, I like it overall. I bet it took a while to get it dialled in that close.


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## stltreedr

no tree to big said:


> thats a neat thing you have come up with could be good could be bad, only time will tell. I played around with it a bit cause I'm board. I used it to price the trees I have on my property and a few I have cut down recently it seems that it underprices some of the smaller trees by a little, I put in the specs for a smaller ash I took down it spit out like 330 bucks but it was easily a $450-500 tree then for a pretty big tree I have on my property it priced it at 3500 bucks but I would say its only worth 18-2000 because of the branch structure of it ) 4 cuts and the top is out then just block down the spar) for what I played with for medium sized stuff it seemed to be pretty close



Thanks for your input. The calculator is designed to be more competitive on smaller trees, because those are where i can make the most money per hour. So far i have been able to remain competitive but profitable on trees of all sizes. Cost of living is probably at least 20 pct higher in chicago, so keep that in mind. I can also adjust up and down by percentages to win more jobs, or go higher to maximize profit if im already too busy. Thanks again checking it out.


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## capetrees

Lots of variables to consider. I assume this is for hardwoods only? For the tree I put in, cleanup came to aroundf $10. The trunk was too big for the chipper so off to the dump it goes for more that $10.


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## Stihlasaurus

*Impressive*

The quote I got seemed about right. What I like about this is it teaches the homeowner what you are charging for. They realize that their price is based on the work you are doing and not some guess pulled out of wherever. Your whole website is nice and makes me want to improve mine some more.

Very impressed.

You could probably licence the module you use to other tree people to put on their websites. Just another way to make money for something you developed. Of course, you would not licence it to your competitors.


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## stltreedr

capetrees said:


> Lots of variables to consider. I assume this is for hardwoods only? For the tree I put in, cleanup came to aroundf $10. The trunk was too big for the chipper so off to the dump it goes for more that $10.



The debris disposal fee is based on a full truckload of debris. I would think that if the fee was only 10 bucks it probably wasnt a full load. If you dont mind, send me your input numbers and ill check it. I dont know about everyone else, but i dont dump unless i have a full load, and 50 bucks is about the average cost of a load around here.


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## stltreedr

Stihlasaurus said:


> The quote I got seemed about right. What I like about this is it teaches the homeowner what you are charging for. They realize that their price is based on the work you are doing and not some guess pulled out of wherever. Your whole website is nice and makes me want to improve mine some more.
> 
> Very impressed.
> 
> You could probably licence the module you use to other tree people to put on their websites. Just another way to make money for something you developed. Of course, you would not licence it to your competitors.


Thanks for your kind remarks. I just got an email from a guy in KY and we are going to come up with some sort af agreement.


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## tree md

*Very cool!*

I just used it to calculate two of the larger trees I priced today. The calculation for the larger tree I priced was between 4 and 5 hundred dollars more than what I bid on that tree but there are mitigating factors on that tree; About a third of it's structure is missing from an ice storm we had a few years back and there is virtually no brush on it. The second calculation spit out $1754 and I priced that tree at $1800. Pretty dam close and you would have probably beat me on that bid except for the fact that I discounted the original price of that tree by 10% for a special promotion I have going now.


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## stltreedr

sounds like pretty good feedback...So far. Thanks to all of you for checking it out.


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## Toddppm

Very interesting. I priced out a tree on my property just to see and it came out close to what i'd charge. But the separate price for just cutting down and then cleanup is not something I'd want them to know. We don't do too many non cleanups and I truthfully don't want them.


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## stltreedr

Toddppm said:


> Very interesting. I priced out a tree on my property just to see and it came out close to what i'd charge. But the separate price for just cutting down and then cleanup is not something I'd want them to know. We don't do too many non cleanups and I truthfully don't want them.



Really? My favorite jobs are the ones that I don't have to clean up, and it offers my "do it yourself" cusotmers a safer, lower cost alternative. Do most of the rest of you agree with Toddppm? I thought we all loved to leave everything lay.


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## tree md

Personally, cut and leaves are my favorites too. I like put it to the curb for FEMA storm work. If you have a large work load and are trying to push through a lot of volume with the least amount of overhead, cut and leave is what you love to do. If you are trying to support a larger outfit and keep men working then you would rather pay your guys to clean it up. 

Just my .02.


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## Toddppm

stltreedr said:


> Really? My favorite jobs are the ones that I don't have to clean up, and it offers my "do it yourself" cusotmers a safer, lower cost alternative. Do most of the rest of you agree with Toddppm? I thought we all loved to leave everything lay.



I dunno, just like to make mo money at one place and people that want to cleanup themselves seem like the cheapest/least loyal customer out there. I rarely get the request in most of the areas I work though.


I'm impressed so far with the calculator, just ran another one that I bid today and it came out almost exactly the same as I bid it! Easy Maple in front yard partially over the house.


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## stltreedr

Toddppm said:


> I dunno, just like to make mo money at one place and people that want to cleanup themselves seem like the cheapest/least loyal customer out there. I rarely get the request in most of the areas I work though.
> 
> 
> I'm impressed so far with the calculator, just ran another one that I bid today and it came out almost exactly the same as I bid it! Easy Maple in front yard partially over the house.



That makes sense... I guess it really depends on what area your're in. Thanks for checking out the calc. All of these accurate quotes are leading me to believe that it's really close.


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## axetree

great work! came up close on all the ones i did. like others said it will help ho's realise what they are payin for instead of "its just a tree" the will have to take time to notice its over the house how big it is and power lines around. good work seems accurate


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## RAG66

Most of the time customers call because they know it is too big or tricky. I find every tree to be different and often the customer is a referal who knows it is expensive. I explain the issues with each case and the customer thanks me for the time and for being informative. You may get close on a good portion with a chart or calculator but it seems there is always a catch. The price of tree removal is not something I want to compare to a cookie cutter price structure. I try to figure drive time, actual job time and return time. That is just the begining of figuring price, maybe I'm too complicated. Good luck with this though, I'm thinking every tree is different.


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## stltreedr

RAG66 said:


> Most of the time customers call because they know it is too big or tricky. I find every tree to be different and often the customer is a referal who knows it is expensive. I explain the issues with each case and the customer thanks me for the time and for being informative. You may get close on a good portion with a chart or calculator but it seems there is always a catch. The price of tree removal is not something I want to compare to a cookie cutter price structure. I try to figure drive time, actual job time and return time. That is just the begining of figuring price, maybe I'm too complicated. Good luck with this though, I'm thinking every tree is different.




Thanks fo the comments, RAG66. 

I don't think you're too complicated, and I agree that face-to-face is the best way to create customers. This is a tool that can help get my foot in the door, especially with those clients that have never used a tree service before and have no idea. If I am on a referral job, I explain the process to the customer while I'm taking measurements. This buys me an extra 5 or 10 minutes of time with them, and they don't think I'm basing the price off of how nice their home is, or what I think they can afford. 

I've found that the calculator is more accurate, or at least more consistent, than my estimated time X rate bids were. Seems like I was underbidding some and overbidding others. Try it out on a few, and see what you come up with.

Version 2 will be customizable by zip code, so I can address the drive time issues. 

All these comments are great, guys. Keep them coming! 
Have a safe week.


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## swyman

This is an excellent calculator! It is real close as everyone has stated, granted every job is different but on an average I think it is really cool. How do I get it!


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## RiverRat2

I just ran your calculator on a fair sized sweet gum in my front yard and you beat me by 750.00 however it has power lines on three sides,,, 18' from a 7.2 kV hi tension distribution line with pole mounted Xfmer that feeds two houses and will require blocking down around two house power, phone, and cable tv feeds,

For me,,, I wouldnt touch it for less than 1600.00 low and 1800.00 high w/the stump ground


you came in @ 1150.00 but it threw in the disclaimer for less than 15' for the power line,,, and your disposal fee is way cheaper than mine like 125% cheaper

pretty cool the way it works though, Im just not too hip on a garuntee of the price calculated by #'s input by Joe customer,, especially with any hazard tree,, period,,,


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## stltreedr

RiverRat2 said:


> I just ran your calculator on a fair sized sweet gum in my front yard and you beat me by 750.00 however it has power lines on three sides,,, 18' from a 7.2 kV hi tension distribution line with pole mounted Xfmer that feeds two houses and will require blocking down around two house power, phone, and cable tv feeds,
> 
> For me,,, I wouldnt touch it for less than 1600.00 low and 1800.00 high w/the stump ground
> 
> 
> you came in @ 1150.00 but it threw in the disclaimer for less than 15' for the power line,,, and your disposal fee is way cheaper than mine like 125% cheaper
> 
> pretty cool the way it works though, Im just not too hip on a garuntee of the price calculated by #'s input by Joe customer,, especially with any hazard tree,, period,,,



Thanks for checking it out. There may be a cost of living difference between the two areas, im not sure. If you are established with a good rep it may very well be lower, too. Right now the calc is designed to come in right at the mean price if yoh would call a bunch of companies. As I responede to another comment, version 2 will be completely customizable to fit your area.


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## swyman

stltreedr, is this going to be available for subscription or software purchase or however it works?


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## stltreedr

We are working with a few other guys to figure out some sort of licensing agreement. Pm me for more info.


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## Tim "Bo" Snell

'Great idea! I like the approach of attempting to be consistent. It is an admirable goal toward which we all strive, even if it is never 100% attainable. (I like to remember a quote from Emerson: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." I try to strive toward being able to discern when my consistency is foolish & when it is wise. . . . ) Keep up the good work.


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## TimberMcPherson

Very freaking cool!!!!!! Well done.


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## esshup

Sounds like a great thing, but I can't get it to work. When I type in a zip code and hit continue, I get a screen that says "null". What am I doing wrong? I even tried Pevely and De Soto zip codes.


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## stltreedr

I havent seen that. What machine and operating system are you using?


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## stltreedr

esshup said:


> Sounds like a great thing, but I can't get it to work. When I type in a zip code and hit continue, I get a screen that says "null". What am I doing wrong? I even tried Pevely and De Soto zip codes.




I just tried it and it works fine for me...Not sure what the deal is here.


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## flushcut

opcorn:


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## ddhlakebound

I was unable to get it to work also, using the zip code listed on the site, and using a vista/firefox combo.


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## stltreedr

It shouldn't matter what zip code you enter. If it's not in our service territory, it will just pop up that we don't currently service your area...but you can still proceed with the calculations. I called the web designers today and they are looking into any potential problems. I have a feeling the problem is with windows vista. If anyone else cannot access, please let me know what OS and browser you are using. When we first launched it, I couldn't access with windows XP, but that has been resolved.


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## no tree to big

stltreedr said:


> It shouldn't matter what zip code you enter. If it's not in our service territory, it will just pop up that we don't currently service your area...but you can still proceed with the calculations. I called the web designers today and they are looking into any potential problems. I have a feeling the problem is with windows vista. If anyone else cannot access, please let me know what OS and browser you are using. When we first launched it, I couldn't access with windows XP, but that has been resolved.



just so you know i am running vista and have no problems, using IE 7 or 8 and chrome


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## stltreedr

Thanks, notree. Maybe the problem is firefox, anyone using that having problems?


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## tree md

Nope, I am using Firefox and Windows XP and could access it just fine. I did have to click through the zip code stuff before I could access it.


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## stltreedr

?????? Guess i'll just see what the experts come up with.


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## stltreedr

*Problems should be fixed*

Any of you that had problems, check back when you can. They found some issues and should be fixed. Thanks, all!


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## Ogopogo

this thing was good on the smaller trees, a little low on the monsters. i input the sizes from some bigger technical takedowns from the past, and it came up about 50% shy of what the man hours/cost took.

the drivable surface should be more specific, sometimes a structure will get in the way of a chipper or truck, or the path will be too narrow.

something about service (low voltage/communications) wires should be in the overhang section.


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## sgreanbeans

stltreedr said:


> Hi fellas,
> I'm new to the forum, but really want to see what everyone thinks about this. I've spent the past 4-5 years trying to normalize tree removal pricing by common factors, ie. tree size, location, etc... I think I am pretty close to having it down, and wanted to see what others in the industry think of this.
> 
> I've created a page on my website that allows customers to enter six measurements from their tree: DBH, Height, Spread, Distance from driveable surfaces, distance from powerlines, and percentage of overhang. From these measurements, my formula calculates: Tree Takedown cost, Cleanup cost, and debris disposal cost. There is a disclaimer at the end, but under normal circumstances, with accurate measurements, the quote is guaranteed to be accurate. The page is still fairly new, but so far, it's been competitive in my area while still giving profitable quotes.
> 
> I hope I don't get kicked out on my first post, but I'm going to give you the link so you can let me know what you think.
> Constructive criticism is welcomed.
> Thanks in advance to you all.
> 
> Tree Removal Cost Calculator



That is really cool. Gunna do a app? Would be sweet. Would like to have suntim like dat on my site. You going to market and sell or what!


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## sgreanbeans

Messed with that some more, really would like that on my site, whats up!


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## stltreedr

sgreanbeans said:


> Messed with that some more, really would like that on my site, whats up!



I PM'd you with the info. Thanks for the interest.


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## stltreedr

Ogopogo said:


> this thing was good on the smaller trees, a little low on the monsters. i input the sizes from some bigger technical takedowns from the past, and it came up about 50% shy of what the man hours/cost took.
> 
> the drivable surface should be more specific, sometimes a structure will get in the way of a chipper or truck, or the path will be too narrow.
> 
> something about service (low voltage/communications) wires should be in the overhang section.




These are all valid points and thanks for the input. The idea for the calculator is for a customer to get an idea on pricing, play with the calculator, and then call me and only me. If the measurements are off, or they don't know where I can get my equipment, I explain to them why the calculations they put in will not work. Afterward, I put in the correct calculations, and sometimes we negotiate from that point. 

Some of the larger trees we've used this on have not been as profitable for us. Mostly, over 36 inches DBH, sometimes can get as low as $45-$50 per manhour. Our hangup to this point is that we don't have a log grapple, and we spend too many hours cutting and loading wood. 

Other large trees though, we do not win the bid, because we are 2X other bids, so the balance is to remain competitive but profitable. In my mind, a tree removal is a commodity that depends mostly on price, while other services that arborists perform take more knowledge and skill, this is where you can differentiate your company and charge what you feel your worth. 

Thanks for the comments and this is my .02


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## stltreedr

*Thanks to everyone*

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input on this. It's been a couple months and I will implement some of your ideas in Version 2 next year. Thanks also for the interest in licensing the product.


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## Ghillie

stltreedr said:


> Just wanted to thank everyone for their input on this. It's been a couple months and I will implement some of your ideas in Version 2 next year. Thanks also for the interest in licensing the product.



I would be interested in some more info on licensing also.


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## BlackOakTreeServ

Great idea, keep us posted


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## VikingDrive

Hey Saint Louis Tree, I think they axed your poll thread. I like your app, and we're looking it over. I'll stay in touch. You're a smart kid keep up the good work.


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## stltreedr

VikingDrive said:


> Hey Saint Louis Tree, I think they axed your poll thread. I like your app, and we're looking it over. I'll stay in touch. You're a smart kid keep up the good work.



yeah they put the kibash on that quick. I'm in contact with the administrators to see if I can pay a fee to run the poll for awhile and see what demand might be. Thanks alot.


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## Chris Francis

*Tree removal calculator*

I found this in the middle o the night. Since it is dark out, I entered an imaginary tree. I like what it spit out. But, I could see a need for a species determination or at least hardwood versus conifer. That would be a huge difference for the same size live oak versus slash pine in the amount of debris and weight. Also, I would like to account for percent of canopy over plants and not just house; we typically rope everything down that is over nice lawn or other trees and shrubs. I also typically offer protective matting to minimize damage to lawn: some people don't care, others don't want a blade of grass injured. All in all, I think you are on the right track. With your data, this could be completely customizable. I want it. This would be good for my customers and sales staff. PM me about setting this up on my site. Thanks.


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## stltreedr

thanks Chris- PM sent.
The idea of this is for use as a marketing tool on my website; a way to drive traffic and to get customers to spend their search time on my site and not the competition. The instructions are oversimplified for homeowner use, and the overhang number should be adjusted to include any object that can't be damaged. Yard, flowers, driveways... If the homeowner enters the wrong number- explain to them why its wrong- or give them the option to sign a waiver for damage to yards or flowers for the cheaper price.
Once you are on site, you still have to sell- or upsell the job.


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## NEKS Tree Svc

*Excellent*

The pricing was spot on for 2 trees in my yard for what I had in mind for removal. Im a noob, but the pricing was pretty close to what I had in mind, was a little lower actually so if it were bids you would have gotten the jobs. My advice means nothing being such a noob, but wanted to let you know your calculator kicks as*


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## treebutler

stltreedr said:


> Really? My favorite jobs are the ones that I don't have to clean up, and it offers my "do it yourself" cusotmers a safer, lower cost alternative. Do most of the rest of you agree with Toddppm? I thought we all loved to leave everything lay.



Cut and runs are the best jobs in the whole business. Get it done, make money, on to the next....


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## arborealbuffoon

treebutler said:


> Cut and runs are the best jobs in the whole business. Get it done, make money, on to the next....



I've always called 'em a "Stop, drop, and GO!"


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## Stephen Clark

That depends on the height, size, condition of ground, tree species, and time took to remove a tree. In your case of four 70 foot pines, it cost not more than 2500$. A little more for stump removal and site clean up. Reliable tree service company might charge little more for that but not more than 3500$.


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