Tree Trimming Cost

In Dallas, Texas, professional tree trimming costs $80 to $1000. Small, non-risky trees have the lowest tree trimming cost, with professionals charging an average of $80 to $150. As the size of the tree increases, tree trimming becomes more complicated – this increases the price to about $500 for the medium-sized trees and $1000 for the largest trees.

Professional tree trimming helps you avoid property damages that often result from the cut branches falling on important utilities. You also avoid injuries that may be caused by falling from the tree crown. Property repair costs and hospital bills are more expensive than the cost of hiring professional tree trimmers.

As you would expect, the tree trimming cost is affected by a wide range of factors. In the following section, we will take a deeper look at these factors and how they increase or decrease the tree trimming cost.

Factors Affecting the Tree Trimming Cost in Dallas Texas

1. Tree Size

Taller trees generally have a much bigger crown compared to smaller trees. A mature white oak with a height of 100 feet will have a crown width of 50 to 70+ feet. Trimming the oak tree will take more time compared to trimming a 25-foot crape myrtle with a crown spread of about 15 feet.

Large trees feature bigger risks – if the branches fall from a 100-foot tree, they will do more damage compared to branches falling from a 40-foot tree. To avoid significant damage, the tree trimming experts are often forced to take extra caution when trimming large trees – this generally means more time spent on one tree.

When climbing trees manually, professional tree trimmers generally require more time to reach the crown of taller trees. All these complications make the tallest trees expensive to trim.

Below, we have outlined the tree trimming costs to expect when hiring professionals to work on trees of varying sizes:

• Large trees – When trees reach a height of 60 feet, they are considered in the large tree category. These trees are the most expensive to trim – professionals charge a tree trimming cost of $200 to $1000 depending on how complicated the procedure is.
• Medium trees – These trees have a height of 30 to 60 feet. Since most homes in Dallas, Texas, have medium-sized trees, most property owners pay a tree trimming cost of $150 to $875.
• Small trees – These mature at a height of 30 feet and below. The trees are easier to climb and they have the smallest crown width. Property owners generally pay $80 to $400 to trim small trees.

2. Accessibility

Accessibility affects the use of bucket trucks when trimming a tree. Trees standing in open spaces are very accessible – the bucket truck has a lot of parking space to use. Since bucket trucks make the tree trimming procedure safer and quicker, their use often reduces the tree trimming cost.

In the event a bucket truck cannot be used, the professionals will have to climb up the tree manually. This is generally riskier and takes more time – this forces the tree trimmers to raise the tree trimming cost by 30% to 40%.

If you are being charged $1000 to trim your 120 feet white pine with a bucket truck, you should expect a tree trimming cost in the range of $1,300 to $1,400 if the bucket truck cannot be used.

3. Proximity to Important Utilities

Tree trimming involves removing branches from the tree crown and bringing them down to the ground. The procedure is easy when the tree is standing far away from important utilities as the branches can be allowed to fall freely.

If your tree is standing next to your house, a lot of work will be needed to control the branches’ falling direction. In some cases, the tree trimmers tie the cut branches with ropes and then slowly lower them down. The extra effort and time needed leads to a higher tree trimming cost.

4. Tree Health

Tree diseases and pests are common in Dallas, Texas. When either attacks a tree, the result is a weakened wood structure. If the professionals will have to climb up the tree for trimming, they will have to use extra caution to avoid falling.

Trimming a diseased or pest-infested tree requires more time since the professionals have to remove all the infected limbs. This tends to increase the overall tree trimming cost.

Once the tree trimming procedure is complete, a professional arborist may be needed to inspect the tree. This will determine the disease from which the tree is suffering and the best treatment options. The cost of hiring the arborist and buying medications can increase your overall tree trimming cost by $50 to $500.

5. Tree Stability

Tree stability affects the ease of tree trimming – while a stable tree is easy to trim, an unstable tree requires more time. To minimize the possibility of the tree falling during tree trimming, the professionals have to use stabilizing mechanisms like cabling. While stabilizing a tree takes more time and may increase the tree trimming cost, it helps eliminate hazards from your home.

Some of the issues that often affect tree stability include:

• Extreme weather – Storms, tornadoes, high winds, and lightning strikes do occur in Dallas, Texas. These weather conditions destabilize trees, leaving them on the verge of falling. In most cases, these trees can be stabilized and supported in a way that helps them get their stability and health back. In events where the trees are irreversibly damaged, the tree trimmers may recommend tree removal.
• Human activities – Constructions in Dallas, Texas, often use heavy machinery. When this equipment passes near a tree severally, it may damage the tree’s anchor point – that is, the roots. Trees with damaged roots are generally unstable.
• Extreme leans – A tree can be healthy and stable with a slight lean. However, once the lean increases significantly, the roots may lack the ability to support the tree’s weight. If the lean is not corrected on time, the chances of the tree falling are generally very high.
• Cracks on the tree trunk – Cracks are an indicator that a tree has a major underlying issue. In some cases, the issue can be fixed. In circumstances where the underlying issue cannot be fixed, tree removal might be a better option.

6. Number of Trees

Whether professionals are trimming one tree or multiple trees, they will always have to deal with a variety of fixed costs, including fuel costs, travel fees, the cost of permits and licenses, etc.  Bulk trimming helps the tree service providers save a portion of their money. This, in turn, drives the professionals to charge a lower tree trimming cost.

If you are being charged $400 to trim a single 50 feet tree, you may be charged a total of $3500 to trim ten trees of the same size. This means you will save $50 on each tree.

7. Travel Fees

Travel fee comes into play when you decide to work with a team that lives too far away from your home. The travel fee is generally in the form of a fixed charge of between $50 and $200 or a rate of $0.5 per mile.

You can, however, avoid the travel fee by working with professionals closest to the tree trimming locations. For example, if your property is in Dallas, be sure to work with a company that is located in Dallas, Texas and has your home in its service area.

Tree Trimming Cost Per Hour

You will be hard-pressed to find a tree trimming company that charges for its services on an hourly basis. This is generally because tree trimming is affected by numerous factors, including, trimming tools, experience, and the number of workers. While one company may take an hour to trim a tree, a different company may take the whole day on the same tree.

In their fixed cost, however, tree trimming companies do factor in an hourly cost of between $25 and $50 for each of their workers on site.

DIY Vs Hiring Professional Tree Trimmers

Before deciding to trim a tree yourself, you should understand the risks and costs that will be involved:

DIY Trimming Risks

• You may suffer significant injuries if you fall from the tree crown
• If the branches fall on your house, you may spend a lot of money on repair costs
• The cutting tools may inflict injuries
• You may cause irreversible tree damage

DIY Tree Trimming Costs

To trim a tree, you will need to purchase the following tools:

• Ladder: $150 – $500
• Safety gear: $50 – $150
• Gas pole pruner: $150 – $300
• Heavy-duty gas trimmer: $50 to rent per day
• Hand-held pruners and loppers: $50

If purchasing tree trimming tools and the risks associated with DIY trimming are more expensive than professional tree trimming, hiring a tree trimming expert might be a good idea. In the event the risks are minimal and you do not mind purchasing the tree trimming tools, DIY trimming might be a good option.