Tree Trimming Cost

Keeping trees looking attractive, tree trimming is an affordable way to improve a property’s market value. When handled by professionals, tree trimming gets rid of dead branches, restores the tree natural shape, snips overgrown branches to size, and gives groups of trees a look that complements the landscape. 

To work with professional tree trimmers, you will have to pay some money. However, the tree trimming cost is generally much lower compared to the risks associated with DIY trimming. Professionals help you avoid costly property damages, injuries, and tree damage. In this guide, we will help you determine the cost of pruning the trees in your home. 

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Average Tree Trimming Cost 

If your trees are small to average sized, a budget of $80 to S700 per tree should be enough. If your trees are larger, you may want to increase the budget to about $300 to $1000. 

In addition to being affected by tree size, the tree trimming cost is affected by other factors like accessibility and tree health. In the following section, we will take a deeper look at these factors. 

Tree Trimming Cost Factors in Minneapolis, Minnesota 

1. Tree Size 

As the height of a tree increases, other size factors like the branch diameter and crown size also increase. A 100-foot oak tree will have a crown spread of 50 to 70 feet, compared to a 30-foot crape myrtle which will have a crown width of under 20 feet. 

Trimming the oak tree will take more time compared to trimming the crape myrtle. The risks are also higher when trimming taller trees. 

• Large tree trimming cost – Trees with a height above 60 feet are the hardest to trim. Professionals require the tree owners to pay $300 to $1000 for large tree trimming cost. 
• Medium tree trimming cost – These trees have a height of 30 to 60 feet. Trimming these trees will set you back $150 – $875. 
• Small tree trimming cost – These trees have a height of below 30 feet. They have the most affordable tree trimming cost, with small tree owners paying only $80 to $400. 

2. Accessibility 

Trees that have maximum accessibility are generally located in open spaces, with no buildings or utilities nearby. When trimming these trees, professionals can let the branches fly off to the ground freely. 

Inaccessible trees are generally standing in closed areas, with houses, utility lines, and other amenities surrounding them. When trimming these trees, the tree trimmers may tie the branches with ropes and then lower them slowly to avoid property damage. The extra time and effort needed often increases the tree trimming cost. 

Another thing that accessibility affects is the use of bucket trucks. Bucket trucks make tree trimming procedures easier. The tree trimmers get raised to the tree crown without having to worry about falling. The added safety and the minimal time needed when using a bucket truck may lower the tree trimming cost. 

However, bucket trucks are not usable in all circumstances. In cases where the tree is blocked by utilities and houses, the tree trimmers may have to climb the tree manually. The fact that this is risky and takes more time increases the tree trimming cost by 30% to 40%. If a tree would cost $1000 to trim with a bucket truck, the need for manual climbing can increase the tree trimming cost to $1,300 – $1,400. 

3. Tree Health and Stability 

Tree health and stability go hand in hand – trees will only have maximum stability when they are fully healthy. Most of the pests and diseases that affect trees in Minneapolis impact tree stability.

When trimming an unstable tree, a lot of time will be needed to minimize the chances of falling. If the tree is too unstable, the professionals may spend some time stabilizing it – stabilizing mechanisms like cabling are often put to use. The time needed for stabilization may increase the tree trimming cost. 

If a tree is carrying a disease, the tree trimmers may need to work with an arborist. This will help them identify and remove all compromised branches. The arborist will also help identify the health problem affecting the tree and the medications or pesticides that can restore the tree’s health. 

On average, the cost of the arborist services and the medications/pesticides you may need to purchase can add an extra $50 to $500 to the quoted tree trimming cost. 

In addition to health problems, the following factors often affect the stability of trees in Minneapolis, MN: 

• Fungi – Fungi feed on the tree’s vital nutrients. This leads to weakness over time. 
• Cracks on the tree trunk – When you notice cracks on the tree trunk, this is a sign that your tree has some serious stability problems. If mushrooms are growing out of these cracks, your tree could be undergoing internal decay. If an arborist inspects the tree and determines that its structure damage is irreparable, tree removal may be necessary to boost safety in your home. 
• Weather damage – Minneapolis has dealt with weather damages in the past. When storms and high winds impact trees, they can make them unstable, increasing their risk of falling. Trees that have suffered weather damage need immediate stabilization to keep them from falling and causing damage. 

4. Travel Fees 

In Minneapolis, tree service providers have zones in which they operate without requiring their customers to take care of travel expenses. Working with a tree trimming company close to your home can help you avoid the travel fee. 

However, if you decide to work with a team that lives a significant distance from your home, you may incur a travel fee of $0.5 per mile. Some tree service providers may charge you a fixed cost of $50 to $200, depending on the distance they cover. 

5. Number of Trees 

When trimming a group of trees together, tree trimmers do charge a lower cost compared to when they are trimming one tree. Trimming one 40-foot tree may cost you $300. However, trimming ten trees of the same size may cost you a total of $2500. This means you will be paying $250 for each tree, saving $50. 

The higher cost when trimming one tree is justified by the fact professionals have to deal with a variety of fixed costs that do not change during bulk trimming. Some of the fixed costs that influence the tree trimming cost include the cost of permits and licenses, travel expenses, and fuel costs. 

Tree Trimming Cost Per Hour 

Professional tree trimmers do not charge for their services on an hourly basis. Instead, they prefer to charge fixed costs that take care of all their expenses, cover the labor costs, take care of insurance costs, licenses, and overhead. 

Since the time needed to trim a tree is impacted by a variety of factors, charging a fixed cost helps avoid overcharging the tree owners and keeps the tree service providers from suffering losses. A tree trimming job that takes one company an hour to complete may take another 8 hours – if both companies have a similar hourly rate, one will suffer a loss while the other will overcharge the tree owner. 

Do It Yourself or Hire Professionals? 

Before deciding to handle tree trimming yourself, you should consider the risks and costs surrounding the entire procedure: 

DIY Tree Trimming Risks 

• Climbing up the tree without proper safety gear puts you at the risk of falling and suffering injuries. 
• When working alone, you may lack the ability to control where the cut branches fall. If these branches fall on utilities, you may end up with expensive property repairs. 
• If you are new to trimming a tree, you may remove the wrong branches, damaging your tree. 

DIY Trimming Costs 

Before trimming your tree, you will need to invest in the following tools: 

• Loppers and hand-held pruners: $30 to $50
• Ladder: $150 to $500
• Safety equipment: $50 to $150
• Heavy-duty gas tree trimmer: over $50 to rent per day
• Gas pole pruner: $150 to $300
• Dumping fees: $25 to $100

After trimming your trees successfully, you may need to pay a dumping fee of between $25 and $100. 

If the risks and costs of DIY trimming are more than the cost of professional tree trimming, hiring a professional tree trimmer might be a good idea. However, if the tree is non-risky and you aren’t bothered by having to purchase various tree trimming tools, you can use the tips below to trim your tree. 

DIY Tree Trimming Tips

• Remove branches whose diameter does not exceed 2 inches. 
• Branches with a diameter of more than 4 inches should be removed if they are risky or have a health problem. 
• Remove limbs forming a weak V-shaped angle with the tree trunk. 
• Branches forming a strong U-shaped angle can be left on the tree. 
• Use rubbing alcohol to sanitize your tools. This will help you avoid spreading diseases. 
• Maintain a ratio of two thirds between tree height and the tree crown. 
• Remove broken branches to keep them from falling and causing damage or injuries.