Tree Removal Costs

In Nashville, most tree removal service providers base their cost on tree height, with each foot costing $8 – $15. If your goal is to remove a tree with a height of 30 feet, the height-based cost suggests that you should prepare between $240 and $450 as the tree removal cost.

Most people in Nashville, however, spend $400 to $1200 on tree removal. Those with extremely small trees, however, pay a price as low as $200 while those with huge, risky trees can pay up to $2000. This cost, however, can be different for trees with the same height – this is because of the factors outlined in the following section.

Factors Affecting the Tree Removal Cost in Nashville

1. Tree Height

The height of a tree plays a key role in the tree removal cost. More often than not, the tree removal cost increases as the height increases – this is understandable considering that taller trees are heavier, have a bigger base, and their crown is much bigger and may need pruning for the tree to fall in the desired location without touching other structures.

Depending on how tall your tree is, you should expect to pay the following prices:

• Small trees – For your tree to be classified in the small tree category, it should be shorter than 30 feet. Such a tree will cost between $200 and $450 to remove.
• Medium-sized trees – Trees whose heights fall between 30 and 60 feet are classified in the medium category. To get rid of one of these trees, you should be prepared to spend $800 to $1500.
• Large trees – Trees in the large category have a height of between 60 and 100 feet. These trees have an average removal cost of between $1000 and $1800.
• Extremely large trees – Trees in this category are rare in Nashville. However, this does not mean that they do not exist. Trees like white pines mature at heights of 100 to 150 feet. This puts the tree’s removal cost at above $2000.

2. Crane-Assisted Removal

Cranes are generally required when removing trees in complicated situations – this could be trees surrounded by other trees or those sitting in the middle of utility lines or houses. The crane helps control the direction towards which the tree falls – this helps the tree removal experts minimize the possibility of property damage.

Cranes do increase the tree removal cost, with the cost of renting the crane being charged separately. For example, let’s assume that you would be charged $2000 to remove a 150 feet white pine tree without a crane. If a crane comes into play, the cost of renting the crane will be added to the $2000.

For example, cranes are rented for $200 to 600 per day plus another $50 to $100 to pay the crane operator. If you get the crane for $500 per day plus $100 for the operator, the rental cost will be $600. Hence, the total cost of removing your white pine will be $2000 + $600 = $2600.

3. Tree Species

In Nashville, different tree species grow to various heights. For example, while white pines can grow to 150 feet, most fruit trees will mature at 30 feet. Varying tree species will also have varying wood hardness, weight, and crown sizes – all this affects the tree removal process.

Oaks, palms, and pines are very common in Nashville. Their tree removal costs are as outlined below:

Pine Trees

Pine trees with a height of 80 feet cost $1,500 to remove. Pines that need to be removed at a height of 40 feet cost $400.

Palm Trees

If your palm tree has a height of 30 feet, you should be able to remove it from $200 to $500. However, if your palm tree is taller than 80 feet, you should set aside $1100 to $1500 while preparing its removal.

Oak Trees

Most oak trees reach maturity at heights of between 60 and 100 feet. To remove a 100 feet oak tree, you should expect to spend $800 to $1000. If the oak tree you intend to bring down has a height of 60 feet, you will be charged $200 to $800.

4. Tree Condition

Trees in Nashville do have a wide range of conditions that could make tree removal much more complicated. Some of these conditions include:

• Decays and cavities – If the tree trunk has cavities or it is showing signs of decay, this is an indicator that it might fall during the removal. If the tree is too unstable, stabilizing mechanisms may have to be employed – this could increase the amount of time spent on tree removal.
• Weak branches – Tree pruning is not necessary when removing a tree on open ground. However, it may be made necessary by weak branches – this will keep the branches from falling on the tree removal professionals and causing injuries.
• Multiple trunks – Trees in Nashville do have more than one trunk. The multiple tree trunks make the tree removal process harder since the professionals have to worry about the direction the tree should fall. If the trunks have a weak link in between them, the tree removal process may become even more complicated since the professionals may have to saw off one trunk at a time.
• Lean – If your tree is leaning over utility lines, it cannot be allowed to fall in that direction. To avoid damage, professionals will have to use their machines to change the direction towards which the tree falls – this means more time spent on a single tree and probably more complicated tools will be needed.

Fallen Tree Removal

If a tree falls on open ground, its removal will be extremely easy. This is because the work of bringing it down is already complete – property owners tend to spend between $75 and $150 on such a tree.

If the tree has fallen on important utilities, the tree removal process might be more complicated, meaning a higher tree removal cost. This is because a lot of effort will have to be put to work to lift the tree off without causing damage.

5. Tree Diameter

To remove a tree, professionals will have to saw through its stem. Trees with bigger stem diameters take more time to saw through compared to trees that have a thin diameter. This means that as the diameter of the tree stem increases, so will the tree removal cost.

6. Travel Distance

If you prefer to work with tree removal professionals who reside a significant distance from your home, you should expect to spend some money on the travel fee. Tree removal professionals will have a service area in which they do not charge the fee – once they get out of this zone, they generally charge $0.5 per mile traveled. This can add up to between $50 and $200 depending on the distance they have to travel.

7. Accessibility

Trees that are on open grounds are much easier to remove. All that needs to be done is cut through the base and then clear out of the tree’s falling path.

If the tree, however, is in an enclosed position – say, it is surrounded by other healthy trees or it is in between utility lines – more work will need to be done to remove the tree without causing property damage. For example, the tree may need to be cut at intervals of one foot from the top – the more work needed will increase the tree removal cost.

8. Additional Costs

Most tree removal projects do require some extra services. Since most of these services are not included in the tree removal quotation, they have to be paid for separately. The extra services include:

Stump Removal

To get rid of a tree stump after tree removal, you will need to pay for the stump removal service separately. In Nashville, property owners pay the following prices for this service:

• Per stump cost – You may spend $150 on the first stump. For the remaining tree stumps, you may be charged $50 each.
• Diameter cost – Each diameter inch will cost you $2 to $3. However, a minimum of $100 is generally charged.
• Per hour cost – To clear a large piece of land, you may be charged $150 per hour.

Log Removal Cost

This service will cost $65 to $150 for log chipping and an extra $50 to remove the log chips from your home.

Log Splitting

If you would like to convert your logs to firewood, be ready to spend $75 on the splitting service.

Permits and Licenses

Permits and licenses are generally required before removing trees. These may cost you $60 to $150.

Cost of Transplanting a Tree

If you have a tree that you would like to get rid of completely, you can pay an extra $125 to $500 to transplant the tree. Transplanting will move the tree from its current location and plant it in a new position.

Since the procedure is more complicated than complete tree removal, it is more expensive. For example, if you are being charged $1000 for complete tree removal, you will pay $1125 to $1500 to transplant the same tree.