# OKCpedia > Businesses & Employers >  Tree Trimming and Removal price help

## Jon27

I received an estimate from a company, and I wanted to see what you think.  I have a 60-70 foot tall maple tree.  I need to have it trimmed.  I was quoted $375.  Also, I have 2 30 foot and a 10 foot mulberry tree, and about 15 7 foot high bushes I need removed, I was quoted $1,800 for that.  Do these prices sound reasonable?

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## Karried

Sounds high to me.. then again, I'm not a tree trimmer.   The only way to be certain is to call a few other companies out to give you an estimate. 

You might try an Ad on Craig's List.. Free Trees,  You Remove - You Haul .. but then again,  maybe not.  Part of the cost above might include Worker's Comp and Liability Insurance ( which of course, you would get a copy of before you ever, ever let anyone on your property right?)  

But, really, get a few more quotes before you sign anything.

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## GWB

> I received an estimate from a company, and I wanted to see what you think.  I have a 60-70 foot tall maple tree.  I need to have it trimmed.  I was quoted $375.  Also, I have 2 30 foot and a 10 foot mulberry tree, and about 15 7 foot high bushes I need removed, I was quoted $1,800 for that.  Do these prices sound reasonable?


I'm a member of Angie's List and one of the best rated tree trimers on the list is Professional Tree Care.  Excellent reviews and good prices.  Definitely get some other quotes before hiring someone.  Contact: ZACK MITCHELL 
(405) 728-8733, jeeperzz@hotmail.com.

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## kevinpate

I assume the 1800 figure was for the lot of them, not a per tree figure.
If so, it's not hugely out of line with my own experiences, but you can likely find lower prices.

Though price is always a consideration, picking folks with the knowledge to get it done right, and safely, needs to also be way up the list as well.

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## FritterGirl

> You might try an Ad on Craig's List.. Free Trees,  You Remove - You Haul ..


Goodness, please no.  You never know what kind of hack you may get from something like this, and that person would likely do more harm than good to the tree.  Not everyone with a chainsaw is qualified to prune a tree - even some "landscapers" can do more harm than good if they don't know what they are doing. 

Whatever you do, make sure the you hire a *CERTIFIED ARBORIST* (they'll have a CA license #), who understands proper pruning techniques.

Not only do certified arborists understand best how to trim different species of trees (there really isn't a "one size fits all" method of pruning because of branch growth patterns and softness/hardness of the tree tissue), but they will also prune the tree so as to promote proper re-growth, maintain the structural integrity of the tree, and prevent disease.   They also take care to prune the tree in such a way that it has the least chance of hitting your home and/or property in severe storm situations (although depending upon the severity of the winds, this may be unavoidable).

To be quite frank, this isn't the best time of year to do the pruning since we are in prime growth season.  It's best to prune your trees back in the winter, when they are dormant.  This does the least damage to the tree and helps prevent the spread of disease.  Remember, when you prune a tree - especially larger branches - you are leaving an open, gaping "wound" in the tree.  It might not be bleeding like animals do, but from a tree biology standpoint, the injury is no less severe, and in the summer months, these wounds are particularly susceptible to disease.

Whatever you do, do not, Do Not, *DO NOT*, top the tree (give it a buzz cut across the top branches).  This will do irreparable harm to the tree canopy and you'll never get it back in the same shape again. 

A certified arborist will cost more, that is true, but you get what you pay for, which is someone who is an expert in their field and who is qualified to get the job done in a way that's in the best interest of the tree. 

You might give the following individual a call:

Bill Long
Southern Tree and Turf Care
(405) 996-0411

I have not hired this person personally, but he is the current President of the Oklahoma Arborists Association and is a tree-expert and certified arborist.  He has done a lot of work with the Will Rogers Gardens, and assisted in coordinating a statewide volunteer pruning effort there earlier this year in the Gardens' arboretum.




> But, really, get a few more quotes before you sign anything.


Always a good idea in any situation!

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## Karried

> Also, I have 2 30 foot and a 10 foot mulberry tree, and about 15 7 foot high bushes I need *removed*, I was quoted $1,800 for that.


Frittergirl, I don't think he cares what happens to the trees once they are gone! 

$1800 sounds like a lot of money for that... who knows, maybe someone wants the trees and remove them and keep them for Free!?  Win/Win

I'm not talking about someone from Craig's List to TRIM the tree but to remove them ...  lol

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## FritterGirl

He still might want to get someone then at last quasi-qualified to cut and remove the trees he does not want. 

One cut the wrong way and the tree can come crashing down onto a house, car, fence or other property.

As far as the 60'-70' foot tree, he def. needs an arborist for that.

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## Jon27

Here's the thing, I believe he is an arborist.  I'm not certain, but he does have a license number and knew A LOT about the trees, and what was best for them.  He said the maple tree would be fine to trim now because it is such a strong tree.  He is not going to buzz the top, just shape it up.

As for the $1,800 in the back.  The trees and bushes are really close, and or growing into our neighbors back chain link fence.  (The people we bought the house from put a stockade fence in front of all of this.  We are losing about 5 - 7 feet of our backyard.)  Extra care would have to be taken to not ruin there fence.  He said for the stumps he couldn't grind, he could use a poison that would rot out the entire stump.

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## FritterGirl

In the least, get a couple of quotes, and ask to see the certification. 

Most qualified arborists should be certified through the INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY of ABORICULTURE (ISA).  You can look up an arborist's certification via their site.

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## Jesseda

okay, when i bought my house 2 years ago, i had 3 trees about 25-30 feet tall, cut down to the ground, i didnt have them remove the trees because my relatives wanted it for fire wood, so to cut down the trees in about 5 foot sections all the way to the stump, then drilled holes in the stump to place stump remover, was a grand total of 350.00... It would have costed more if they hauled away though...$1800 sounds really high to me

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## Jon27

Here we go, much better.

$175 to trim the maple tree - $200 savings
$1,125 to do the back "jungle" - $675 savings

Will also haul of a huge stack of deck wood I have from ripping up our deck, will take down and haul off the back fence, and the remnants of the fence that used to be there, yes I said used to be there.  Jungle is not an exaggeration!  This is another savings for renting the U-Haul, and the savings on my back.  The other guy said he couldn't do this.  All I'll have to pay for this is the dump fee of $150.00 for 2 loads.

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## GWB

> Here we go, much better.
> 
> $175 to trim the maple tree - $200 savings
> $1,125 to do the back "jungle" - $675 savings
> 
> Will also haul of a huge stack of deck wood I have from ripping up our deck, will take down and haul off the back fence, and the remnants of the fence that used to be there, yes I said used to be there.  Jungle is not an exaggeration!  This is another savings for renting the U-Haul, and the savings on my back.  The other guy said he couldn't do this.  All I'll have to pay for this is the dump fee of $150.00 for 2 loads.


Who'd you hire?

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## Jon27

> Who'd you hire?


Johnson Sevices, LLC.  Owner is John Johnson.  He did some work for a friend, and they really liked what he did.

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## GWB

That's good to know.  I will keep him in mind if we need some work done on our property in the future.  Thanks for posting.

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## Jon27

> That's good to know.  I will keep him in mind if we need some work done on our property in the future.  Thanks for posting.


I will let you know how things go.  He's coming early Thursday morning, and should be done that day.

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## gmwise

I need to say this, have anyone notice the contractors cutting down the trees along oge power lines, its not a tree lover trimming.
I few years ago I forget how long ago 2 men was out cutting trees and other brush, using a metal ladder, among other things, and cutting a power line in a light rain.Both died due to lack of safety equipment as well as common sense God apparently didn't give these 2 men.
The person who hired them said it was from a web listing, ie craigslist.
Just remember you get what you pay for, and don't cause someone to not be safe because you're cheap.

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## Oh GAWD the Smell!

I'm getting ready to start chopping down trees like it was a sport. I just bought a place with 100 or so trees (most of them Blackjacks) that were never cleaned up and/or removed after the last couple of big ice storms.

Two of the biggest are pretty much collapsed on top of my workshop, and the trunks are only about 3 to 4 feet away from the building. I need to video the removal of these...If I'm going to do something stupid, I might as well be Youtube famous, right?

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## Jon27

> I need to say this, have anyone notice the contractors cutting down the trees along oge power lines, its not a tree lover trimming.
> I few years ago I forget how long ago 2 men was out cutting trees and other brush, using a metal ladder, among other things, and cutting a power line in a light rain.Both died due to lack of safety equipment as well as common sense God apparently didn't give these 2 men.
> The person who hired them said it was from a web listing, ie craigslist.
> Just remember you get what you pay for, and don't cause someone to not be safe because you're cheap.


Luckily, we don't have any power lines.  The company I hired is insured, that's one thing I checked out.  So if they want to throw one of them in the chipper, go right on ahead!  Kidding.




> I might as well be Youtube famous, right?


Make a video, and maybe we can send it to America's Funniest Videos!

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## Jon27

> I will let you know how things go.  He's coming early Thursday morning, and should be done that day.


They did an EXCELLENT job!!  I highly recommend using them.  It's Johnson's Tree Service at 354-5296.  John Johnson is the owner.  They got here at around 8 this morning, and finished at 4:30.  They cleaned up the leaves also with a rake and leaf blower.  They did the stump grinding also.

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## workman45

I'm happy to second the recommendation of John. I've know him for a few years and have seen much of his work. He always does a through job and keeps his rates reasonable.

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