How Much Does Tree Surgery Cost in the UK? (2026 Prices)

Written By Wez - 04/08/2026

Typical 2026 prices at a glance

Every reputable firm quotes per job after seeing the tree, so treat these as calibration, not a menu.

Small tree pruning or reduction (up to ~10m): £150 to £400*
Medium tree reduction (10-15m): £350 to £900*
Large tree reduction (15m+): £600 to £1,200+*
Small tree removal, easy access: £200 to £500*
Medium tree removal: £400 to £1,000*
Large tree removal or sectional dismantle over buildings: £1000 to £3,000+*
Stump grinding: £80 to £350 per stump, most jobs £120 to £200*
Hedge work: quoted by length, height, and how much is coming off, typically £3 to £15 per linear metre*

*Prices are just an estimate, ask Silver Tree Services for a quote today for pricing for your job.

The five things that actually set the price

1. Size. More tree means more cutting, more rigging, more arisings to process, and more hours. Height matters, but so does spread and timber volume: a squat, massive oak can out-cost a tall thin conifer.

2. Access. The biggest surprise factor. A tree that can be felled whole into open space is the cheap version. The same tree in a terraced rear garden, reached through the house, dismantled piece by piece with every limb lowered on ropes over the conservatory, is a different job at a different price. If your chipper access is a side passage, say so when asking for quotes.

3. Condition. Dead, decayed, or storm-damaged trees are slower and riskier to work: an unpredictable structure can’t be climbed and rigged the way sound timber can, and sometimes needs platform access instead. Ironically, the dying tree you’ve ignored for five years costs more to remove than it would have when healthy.

4. What happens to the waste. Chipping branches on site and removing timber is standard and usually included; check it is. Leaving you logs and chip can trim the price; full removal of a big tree’s timber from a no-vehicle-access garden adds real labour.

5. Paperwork. Trees under a Tree Preservation Order need council consent before work, and conservation areas require six weeks’ notice, with fines up to £20,000 per tree for skipping it. The applications themselves are typically handled by your contractor (we include it), but the lead time is real, and emergency exemptions are narrow.

Why quotes for the same tree vary so much

Get three quotes and you might see £350, £600, and £900. The differences usually live in things you can ask about directly: Is the firm insured, and for how much? Are the climbers NPTC qualified? Is waste removal included? Is the work to BS3998:2010, or is the cheap quote planning to “top” the tree, flat-cutting the crown, which ruins its structure and guarantees bigger bills in three years? Is the company an ARB Approved Contractor, the trade’s audited gold standard?

A rock-bottom quote is usually missing one of those answers. Tree work is dangerous, skilled, and uninsurable mistakes happen above your roof: the cheapest bid is the most expensive place to discover that.

How to keep the cost down (legitimately)

Don't wait. Healthy trees are cheaper to work than dying ones, and small reductions on a cycle beat crisis surgery
Bundle. Stumps ground, hedges cut, and several trees done in one visit share the setup cost
Be flexible on timing. Winter scheduling is often easier than the spring rush
Sort access in advance. A moved car or an unlocked side gate genuinely shows up in the price

What you should expect for your money

A proper firm gives you a written, itemised quote after seeing the tree, checks TPO and conservation status before quoting, turns up insured and qualified, works to the British Standard, protects your garden, removes the arisings, and leaves the site swept. At Silver Tree Services, the timber and chip then go back to our Shurdington yard to become firewood and biomass rather than landfill, which is part of why our pricing stays competitive.

Want a real number instead of a range? Send a couple of photos or book a free visit: get a free quote or call 01242 472560. Written, no obligation, and the price you’re quoted is the price you pay.

Related: Tree surgery · Do I need permission to cut down a tree? · Stump grinding vs removal

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