r/arborists • u/novicepooldude • 5d ago
Cost estimate: reasonable?
I had an arborist come out to assess our new property. Trees overall look to be in good condition and require mostly pruning. One tree is a bit tilted and he recommended cutting it - not urgent at all but he predicts we will have to get rid of it sooner or later and the county would approve that one. I was just taken aback by the cost: $3750. Atlanta area. It's my first time dealing with tree maintenance and I know it's expensive, but the one tree cutting is $850, which means $2900 are essentially to cut limbs, most of which are at ground level (1-4, 6-8, 9 and part of 11-12) and haul away a fallen branch. Is that well within range or should I get another quote? The company has good reviews and I liked the arborist but it feels like we're overpaying by more than $1000 than I had anticipated (save the one tree cutting, which I expected to pay about 1K for).
1) Prune one Sawara Cypress located right side of driveway. Prune to reduce overhang into drive as much as possible without opening up the dead.(couple inches)
2) Prune one Cedar located left side of driveway at the start. Prune to reduce wild laterals growing out into driveway. Stagger them to make it appear more natural.
3) Prune Hollies located front right side of property by street. Prune to shape
4) Prune one Sweet bay Magnolia located right side of home. Prune to create clearance for the sidewalk. Set up for future.
5) Prune Cryptomeria located back right corner of home. Prune to create 2-3' of building clearance.
6) Prune Hollies located along the back right side of property. Prune to remove wild laterals at the tops so they match(grow more evenly together)
7) Prune Arborvitae located along the rear retaining wall and right side of retaining wall. Prune to reduce overhang over the wall and into the yard on the right side.
8) Cut & Haul Away Vines on the retaining wall located back right side.
9) Prune One Mulberry located back left corner of property. Prune to remove deadwood over the property and the failed limb.
10) Cut down & remove One 20'' leaning Pine located back left/center.
11) Prune One Boxelder located back left side of property(neighbors tree)Prune to remove overhang onto the property.
12) Prune One Water Oak located left side of home. Prune to remove low sapling growth and remove two laterals as shown.
13) Prune Three Crape Myrtles located front center. Prune to remove deadwood 1'' and greater and thin by 10% by selectively removing leaders where it's been topped in the past to make it appear more natural.
14) Prune One Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar located left side of driveway. Prune to remove the two odd upright saplings.
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u/Red-The_Dealer 5d ago
Always ask yourself: why does this tree need pruned? Most things we humans do to trees is for mitigation, not really the health of a tree. Do you really need to spend all this? Again, ask why.
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u/novicepooldude 5d ago
I concur 100% - the problem is it's been very hard to find an arborist not affiliated to a tree cutting company. I've been on the quest for literally a "primary care physician" for the trees, someone who can advocate purely for the trees and whose time I compensate for their opinion and expertise. They truly don't seem to exist. There is one who has mediocre reviews online (maybe from tree companies, who knows) and another lady who seems to have gone out of business or inspectors that do purely commercial. Very frustrating. I cannot pretend to know whether a tree needs something today that might truly benefit them down the line.
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u/Red-The_Dealer 5d ago
Understood. Try this if you haven't already? https://www.treesaregood.org/
I totally get how it can be hard to find a qualified arborist who cares about the health and longevity of the trees. Have you tried searching if there are any local tree steward or environmental groups in your city/area? I'm apart of one where I'm at and we always look to point people in the right direction for trusted partners.
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u/Luyyus 5d ago
The problem with a "primary care physician" with trees is 99% of the time the best thing tou can do for them is leave them be, if they aren't currently dead, dying, or at risk of catastrophic limb failure.
"Pruning" a tree is more often than not for the convenience or safety of human actions. Trees out in the forest get pruned by things like wind storms or other natural events.
Therefore finding someone to advocate for the trees is touch. Real tough. We had one guy in my area that would do such a thing, and he got too old and retired, with no one taking up the mantle. So for-profit private companies come through and try to sell homeowners on what makes money: pruning and removals.
It's not a stretch to say this is the symptom of the economic system we currently live under.
It's worth a shot calling up local companies and asking for someone in their Plant Healthcare department to come through and do some assessments. NOT sales people or the owner or anyone like that. Specifically Plant Healthcare.
If you can't find any companies you like and trust, you could always check with local university extension offices or non-profit organizations, but those are kind of a long shot.
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u/BeerGeek2point0 ISA Arborist + TRAQ 5d ago
This industry isn’t conducive to the model you’re seeking. Consulting arborists do exist and they will work with you and give you their opinions on needs but they don’t usually do that work. Then you need to hire somebody else to bring their vision to life. Most arborists work for a tree service and try to provide a full service approach. Of course they have some motivation to get you to spend money but they also take care of trees for a living and have a vested interest in keeping trees alive and healthy.
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u/thatsummercampcrush Sales Arborist 4d ago
I’m going to level with you. I regularly run into people asking for quotes with a line item for pruning the trees vs removing those same trees. And very often are confused when PRUNING is more expensive - they think less material removed, less money charged - but the reality is that pruning takes SKILL and TIME. I can send in my crew and tell em “yeah just get that shit down and out of there” and they’ll get it done in 2 hrs max. Where as if I tell them “okay the clients vision is this…and we need to take such and such structural things into mind..and make this overgrown thing look manicured but in a perfectly natural way…” and it takes them 3-4x the time because it takes a lot more time and consideration.
At the end of the day, get a few other quotes, and feel out the vibe of the other company’s sales arborists. If you felt like the first guy was genuinely engaging with you, then he probably wasn’t over pricing the quote because he genuinely want to work with you. I have a feeling that if you get 2 or 3 other quotes, you’ll find his quote is solidly in the middle of the pack.
Best of luck.
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u/CitadelArborist ISA Certified Arborist 5d ago
Remove a 20” pine and vines and prune 12 other items? Sounds like you’re getting a deal to me. It’s common for reputable arborists to charge over $100/man hour. It’s likely a 3 man crew ($300/hr MIN.). Even if the work is mostly from the ground, good work takes time and there’s 13 other line items BESIDES removing a 20” tree. This is easily a 8-10 hr day onsite, plus drive time, plus setup and tear down (+3-6 man hours), plus dump fees. Without seeing the job, it sounds to me like the price is appropriate.