Tree removal quote that wins the takedown

What belongs on a tree service estimate template

A tree removal quote has to describe the tree, the method and the cleanup clearly enough that the customer knows exactly what will be left behind. This template gives the removal, the stump and the haul away their own lines, with pruning a second tree offered as an option. The sample prices a 40 ft dead oak beside a fence. Open it in the free quote maker or download Word, Excel or PDF.

Tree work is priced on risk and difficulty as much as on size, so the quote should record what you saw on the day: species, height, trunk diameter, condition and what sits underneath. Then list the work in stages, from the canopy down to the stump, so each part has a visible price.

1. Tree descriptionSpecies, height, trunk diameter at breast height (DBH, measured 4.5 ft above the ground) and condition, such as dead, leaning, split or storm damaged.
2. Removal methodStraight fell, sectional felling, climb and rig, bucket truck or crane. The method sets the crew size, the equipment and the hours.
3. Targets and accessFences, roofs, sheds, power lines and garden beds under the canopy, and whether the truck and chipper can reach the tree or every limb is dragged out by hand.
4. Stump workGrind to a stated depth below grade, for example 6 to 8 in, or leave the stump cut low. Say whether the grindings stay in the hole or are removed.
5. Wood and brushChip and haul everything, leave logs cut to firewood length, or stack the wood on site. Each choice changes the time and the dump fees.
6. Permits and protected treesMany cities require a permit to remove trees above a set trunk size or of protected species. Say who applies and who pays the fee.
7. Utility linesWork near overhead lines may need the utility to trim or disconnect first. Write it as a condition of the start date, not a promise.
8. Cleanup standardRake and blow the work area, and either repair ruts where machines crossed soft lawn or exclude rut repair in writing.
9. Optional workPruning a neighboring tree, cabling a split limb or grinding extra stumps as optional lines the customer can tick.

Sample arborist quote: dead oak removal

Highbranch Tree Service quotes Julia Fischer to take down one dead oak, about 40 ft tall, standing close to a fence. Every line is labor: a fixed $1,450 to climb and rig the tree down in sections, $280 to grind the stump, and $260 to haul away the wood and debris. Pruning the neighboring maple is an optional $380 line outside the $1,990 subtotal, and a 25% deposit is requested. These are example prices only.

Edit the Highbranch Tree Service quote

4 lines are filled in, from tree removal, climb and rig to prune neighboring maple. Put in your own tree service rates, then download the PDF.

Open the tree service sample

How to price tree removal

Tree crews rarely show hourly rates on the quote. A common approach is to estimate crew hours and equipment for the job, add disposal and a margin for risk, then present a fixed price per tree or per task. The right method depends on how predictable the tree is.

1. Fixed price per treeEstimate crew hours, equipment and dump fees, then quote one figure for the removal. Best when you can see the whole tree and the drop zone from the ground.
2. Height and diameter bandsA table of bands, such as under 30 ft, 30 to 60 ft and over 60 ft, adjusted for access and hazards. Useful for fast quotes on simple trees in open yards.
3. Crew day rateA rate per crew day with the climber, truck and chipper included, for lot clearing or several trees where the order of work may change.
4. Stump grinding per inchA rate per inch of stump diameter with a minimum charge, so a 24 in stump at an example $5 an inch is $120 unless your minimum is higher.

Dump fees, fuel and saw parts change from season to season, so review them in your rates. To check what is left after crew and equipment, run the numbers through the markup and margin calculator, and see the quote template library for related outdoor trades.

Worked example: building up the price of one removal

This is how a single sectional removal might be costed before it goes on the quote. Every rate is an example; your own crew costs and dump fees will differ.

1. Crew timeThree crew for 5 hours to climb, rig and lower a 40 ft oak in sections: 3 x 5 = 15 crew hours. At an example $55 per crew hour, labor is $825.
2. EquipmentChipper and truck for the day at an example $350, plus $40 of rope and rigging wear: $390.
3. DisposalChips and logs taken to the green waste yard at an example $95 per load, two loads: $190.
4. Overhead and profitLabor $825 plus equipment $390 plus disposal $190 is $1,405. Adding 15% gives $1,615.75, rounded to $1,616 on the quote.
5. Stump and totalA 26 in stump at an example $6 per inch is 26 x 6 = $156, below a $200 minimum, so the stump line is $200. The customer sees $1,616 + $200 = $1,816 before tax.

A crane, a live power line or deadwood too brittle to climb safely changes the method, and with it the crew hours, the equipment and the price.

What a tree removal quote covers and leaves out

Tree service quote mistakes to avoid

• Writing ‘remove tree’ without saying whether the stump, roots and wood are included, then arguing over a stump the customer assumed was gone.
• Pricing a dead tree like a live one, when brittle wood may rule out climbing and force a lift or crane.
• Ignoring the drop zone: a fence, garage or vegetable bed under the canopy means rigging every piece down.
• Not checking whether the tree needs a city permit, so the job stalls after the deposit is paid.
• Quoting a stump grind with no depth, which upsets a customer who plans to plant or pave over the spot.
• Failing to identify the tree. On a lot with three oaks, mark or photograph the one you priced.