Tree Pruning Cost

Knowing the tree pruning cost to expect is recommended before initiating a tree service project. While looking at national averages may give you a general idea, such numbers generally do not include factors that usually affect the final cost, such as the material costs, local permits needed for Nashville pruning projects, and labor costs.

In this Nashville pruning cost guide, we will look at the average costs and the factors that could cause the cost to increase or reduce. Going through this article should help you get a good idea of what you will pay to prune the tree in your compound.

Average Tree pruning Cost in Nashville

The cost of pruning a tree in Nashville starts at $75 and can go as high as $2000. However, since most property owners in Nashville have average-sized trees, the tree pruning cost averages at $460.

Chances are, you are wondering why someone would pay $75 to prune his/her tree while some pays over $2000. After going through the factors outlined below, you should be able to understand why these changes occur.

Factors Affecting the Cost of Pruning a Tree in Nashville

1. Tree Height

Almost every tree pruning expert will base his/her pruning cost on the distance between the tree crown and the ground. This is understandable because pruning complications increase as tree height increases.

Tall trees have more complicated shapes, require more complicated gear to reach their crowns, and may have bigger branches. Therefore, as the height of your tree increases, you should expect the tree pruning cost to increase as well. Below, we have outlined the costs to expect for different tree heights:

• Under 30 feet – These are the smallest trees in Nashville. They carry the lowest tree pruning cost, with the price going as low as $75 and generally maxing out at $400.
• Between 30 and 60 feet – Most property owners in Nashville have medium-sized trees. Pruning these trees costs between $150 and $800.
• 60 – 80 feet – Trees in this height range fit in the large tree category. The trees will cost between $800 and $1,500 to prune.
• 80+ feet – The number of trees fitting in this category is low. However, if you have trees like white pines and oaks in your home, you may have to pay between $1500 and $2000.

2. Tree Health

Health is another major factor that can either push your tree pruning cost up or bring it down. If your trees are in top health condition, you should expect them to cost less to prune compared to trees carrying health complications.

This is because trees with health complications are more complicated to work on – the professionals will have to wear more safety gear to avoid falling off the often-loosely-attached limbs. Also, the professionals will have to spend more time inspecting the trees to ensure that they have removed all the diseased branches.

After tree pruning, an arborist may need to appear on the pruning site to diagnose the trees. This will help determine which health problem is bothering the tree and the medications that can be used to treat it. To purchase the recommended medications, you will have to spend some extra money. If your tree has a health problem, you should expect to spend an extra $50 to $500 on the arborist service and the cost of medications.

3. Tree Species

Some tree species carry hardwood while others are extremely soft and hence much easier to saw through. Some trees grow to over 100 feet while others have a maximum height of 30 feet. This tells you that different tree species will have varying levels of difficulties during pruning – hence, you will have to pay varying tree pruning costs for different tree species.

Below, we have outlined the prices to expect for tree species that are common in Nashville:

Fruit Trees

Property owners with fruits spend much less on tree pruning because fruit trees rarely exceed 30 feet in height. If your goal is to prune fruit trees, you should set aside $100 to $400.

Crepe Myrtle

Crepe myrtles have a mature height of between 3 and 30 feet. Homeowners with this type of tree spend $75 to $400 on tree pruning.

Pine Trees

Depending on the variety of pines on your property, the tree may mature at a height of between 40 and 150 feet. For this reason, you may end up spending $200 to $2000 on the tree pruning.

Palm Trees

Palm trees have a height of between 20 and 80 feet. This means that they end up having a tree pruning cost of between $100 and $1500.

4. Accessibility

More and more tree pruners are investing in bucket trucks to make their work easier when handling tree pruning. Instead of climbing the tree manually, the bucket truck will raise the tree pruners to the position where they need to handle tree pruning.

To use a bucket truck, however, enough accessibility is needed. If the space under the tree cannot accommodate the bucket truck, manual climbing might be the only ideal solution.

If you would like to trim an 80 feet palm tree and a bucket truck can be used, tree pruning professionals might quote a price of $1000. However, if a bucket truck cannot be used and someone needs to go up the tree manually, the tree pruning cost may increase to $1400.

5. Nearby Utilities

In Nashville, trees are generally planted next to houses and other important utilities. While this is a viable plan for shade and cleaner air, it can raise the cost of pruning the trees.

This is because more work will have to be done to bring the branches down. Instead of allowing the branches to just fly down, the branches have to be tied with ropes and then brought down slowly, taking care to avoid damaging the utilities and buildings next to the tree. This means more time and effort will be needed to finish pruning a single tree.

6. Additional Services

After receiving a tree pruning quotation, you should ask your tree service provider which services are covered by the quoted cost. In most cases, the quoted cost will cover going up the tree, cutting the branches, and bringing these branches down. Other services needed may have to be paid for separately. Below, we have outlined the services that cost extra money:

Arborist Service

This service is only needed when the tree is suffering from a health problem. The service will help you determine which health problem is bothering your tree and how to treat it.

Medications and Pesticides

Once an arborist helps you figure out which health problem is bothering your tree, the next step is getting solutions to treat the health complication. The price of the medications won’t be included in the delivered tree pruning quotation.

Travel Fee

It is not uncommon for some property owners in Nashville to hire tree pruners who live too far from their properties. This generally places the properties outside the tree expert service zone, forcing the tree experts to charge a travel fee. For every mile traveled outside the service zone, tree service providers require their customers to pay $0.5. If the journey is too long, you may end up paying a fixed cost of $50 to $200.

Cleanup and Dumping

The branches and leaves falling from your tree during pruning can make your home look messy. If you have some free time, you can take care of the cleaning and dumping. However, with only $25 to $100, the tree pruning professionals can help you with the cleaning and dumping.

Timing the Tree Pruning Correctly

Several factors affect the timing of tree pruning. In Nashville, the factors include:

Tree Health

Tree pruning can help boost tree health by removing branches that are carrying a health problem or pests. This keeps these issues from spreading to other parts of the tree. This means that tree pruning for health improvement has to be handled immediately to avoid giving the disease enough time to spread and kill the tree.

Safety

If your tree has branches that are threatening to fall, you must handle tree pruning immediately. This will help you avoid suffering injuries or property damage.

Dormant Stage

This is a period where trees stop growing temporarily. Experts recommend pruning trees during this period as it allows the tree pruners a good view of the branches that need removal. In Nashville, most trees enter the dormant stage in Autumn and this period can last through to winter.

Value Improvement

Sometimes, property owners do use tree pruning as a way to improve their property’s value. By shaping the trees and ensuring that their crowns complement the landscape, pruning makes the property appear to have a higher value. This means that you may time your tree pruning depending on when you intend to sell your property.

How to Save Money on Tree Pruning

To reduce the amount of money you put into tree pruning cost, use the following tips:

• Prune your trees in winter when the professionals are less busy
• Invest in regular pruning to ensure that the tree crowns are never overgrown
• Improve your tree’s health to avoid paying for more man-hours and arborist services during pruning
• If your trees are near powerlines, allow the utility companies to handle tree pruning