The simple answer is, we don’t know. There are a number of factors that determine the price of tree works. For example, what is the access like? Removing waste through a property is a lot more time consuming and therefore greater in cost compared to a tree located on your driveway.

The size and complexity of the tree is another contributing factor. Are there nearby buildings, greenhouses or manicured lawns we need to avoid impacting? We have a solution for every scenario be that using rigging methods (lowering branches or logs down on a rope and pulley system), cranes, grapple saws or MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms) but these options do increase the price.

One final factor that affects our pricing is danger. A dead tree may cost more than a live tree as the wood is a lot less predictable, which may increase the risk of damage, which we of course would pay for.

Maybe. It depends on which species of tree has been removed. Cypress species for example will not send out shoots from a stump and therefore need no further treatment. An Ash or Elder stump for example will almost certainly send out ‘suckers’. Fortunately there are a couple of solutions available to use to prevent this happening. We can poison the stump with ‘ECO MAX’ poison capsules. Each plug contains 300mg of granular glyphosate which is released inside the tree stump ensuring all of the active ingredient is carefully targeted where it is needed. The glyphosate is translocated through the stump and down to the roots preventing new growth and leaving the stump to gradually rot away.  

Another option is to use a stump grinder to completely remove the stump and large roots, leaving the ground ready to replant.

It very much varies depending on the species. There are a lot of misconceptions with regards timing. Often all fruit trees are clumped into Winter pruning which is not necessarily correct. For example, Apple trees should be pruned in Winter where as a Cherry should be pruned in Summer to avoid the fungal sporulation period in Autumn. For a full list of when to prune trees please check out: https://www.trees.org.uk/Help-Advice/Help-for-Tree-Owners/Guide-to-Tree-Pruning

For tree removal timings are not as important, we do however need to avoid the bird nesting season.

This is my least favourite question. Yes and No. You are legally allowed to prune back to your boundary, so long as you do not cause damage to their tree. Damage can be inflicted in a number of ways. If the neighbours tree is a large mature tree growing on the boundary, removing all the branches on one side would likely destabilise and unbalance the tree to the point it would be dangerous in winds. Another way of damaging the tree would be making very large cuts or removing too much foliage.

My advice is always to speak to your neighbour first as we would likely need their permission to climb their tree unless there is vehicular access available under or near the tree. Let them know what your plans are and see if there is a middle ground you can meet at. The law states that you must offer the branches back to the tree owner but they are well within their rights to refuse, and of course everyone would refuse.

Unless we can reduce the tree gently, we often refuse this kind of work as it is rarely worth the liability or hassle.

I’m glad you asked! Please ensure there is sufficient parking for a van and woodchipper. The removal route to be cleared of as much clutter, ladders, plant pots etc as possible and anything that can be removed from the ‘drop zone’ of the tree would be most appreciated. We of course understand this is not always possible and do not expect you to move your shed! Anything heavy or if mobility is an issue we of course would be happy to oblige wherever possible. We are forever grateful to the customers who offer us cold drinks on a hot day!

Unfortunately yes! In 6 years I can count the number of jobs we have had to cancel on one hand. There are a few conditions we would need to postpone for.

High winds mean that throwing branches becomes very unpredictable and when making cuts in the canopy the tree may be moving about so much that it may be dangerous to operate a chainsaw whilst making delicate or complicated cuts.

We have worked in snow on multiple occasions and for the most part it isn’t an issue. The main issue with snow is often on the vehicular side of the operation. We may not be able to get our van and woodchipper onto your driveway or down your road if the snow hasn’t been cleared or is unsafe to drive.

The final issue is lightening – I probably don’t need to go into this one!

In my biased opinion I think tree work is grossly underpaid given the risks involved but let me offer some clarity on the running costs of a typical 3 man team.

When pricing around a days’ worth of work we need to factor in the salary of 3 x highly skilled operatives, tools, multiple insurance policies (Public liability, vehicle and yard), ULEZ compliant chip truck, wood chipper, repairs and maintenance, health and safety retainers, green waste disposal, chainsaws, training, PPE (Chainsaw boots are £250 as an example), rent, office staff and a whole other host of expenses that all add up. 

So in a sense, it can be depending on the size of the job. This is certainly an industry where you get what you pay for. 

Unless specifically stated otherwise, we always remove the subsequent arisings produced from tree works. We encourage our clients to let us ‘chip up’ the branches rather than burning on site as it reduces pollutants and allows us to recycle the material rather than letting it go to waste.