Tree Pruning Cost

Working with professional tree pruners has numerous benefits. From helping you avoid injuries and property damages to helping you save time and avoid damaging your tree, professional tree pruning is one of the best services one can invest in. 

In Wilmington, tree owners spend $75 to $2000 on professional tree pruning. Since most properties in the city have small to average-sized trees, most people in the region spend an average of $350 to $650, with the typical medium sized-tree having a pruning cost of $450. 

The tree pruning cost varies depending on numerous factors. While some of the factors mentioned below may not be considered in your case, most of them will have a significant effect on the quoted price. 

Factors Affecting the Tree Pruning Cost in Wilmington

1. Tree Height 

When analyzing trees for a price estimate, the first thing that tree pruners in Wilmington consider is the height. If one of your trees is 80 feet tall, its pruning cost will be higher than that of a tree with a height of under 30 feet. 

Climbing to the tree crown of a 100-foot pine tree will take more time compared to a 20-foot California Juniper. The pine tree will most likely have large branches and a bigger crown compared to the California juniper – this means more time will be spent on the taller tree. 

If you already know the height of the trees in your home, you should expect to pay the prices outlined below for their pruning: 

• Small trees – Trees in this category are shorter than 30 feet. Professional pruning costs $75 – $400 for these trees. 
• Medium-sized trees – If your tree’s height sits in the range of 30 to 60 feet, your tree pruning cost will amount to $150 to $800. 
• Large trees – Trees in this category have a height of 60 to 80 feet. They cost $800 to $1500 to prune. 
• Very large trees – These trees grow to heights of above 80 feet. Pruning one of these trees will set you back $1500 to $2000. 

2. Tree Species 

The hardness of wood varies from tree to tree. Mature oaks will have hardwood while mature crepe myrtles will have softwood – this affects the amount of time spent on each tree. 

Tree species also affect tree height. With proper growing conditions, white pines can reach over 150 feet. The crepe myrtle will, however, mature at a height of just 3 to 30 feet. These examples show you why the tree pruning cost varies depending on the tree species. 

Palm Tree Pruning Cost 

In Wilmington, 2 subspecies of the palm tree are available – the medium-sized version grows to a height of around 20 to 60 feet while the large version can reach 80 feet. If you have a medium-sized palm on your home, you will be charged $100 to $500. However, the bigger subspecies can cost as high as $1500. 

Crepe Myrtle Tree Pruning Cost 

Crepe myrtles are one of the smallest trees in Wilmington. The tree grows to a height of between 3 and 30 feet. To prune crepe myrtles, you will need an average of $75 – $400. 

Pine Tree Pruning Cost 

In Wilmington, pine trees are some of the tallest trees you will come across. These trees grow to heights of up to 150 feet. However, some species mature at 40 feet. Depending on how tall your pine tree is, you should prepare $200 to $2000 for the tree pruning. 

Maple Tree Pruning Cost

Maple trees have a height of between 40 and 80 feet. For maple trees, you should expect a cost of $400 to $1000 to use professional tree pruning. 

Olive Tree Pruning Cost 

Tree pruning is one of the most crucial maintenance practices for olive trees. It opens up the tree crown, giving the branches access to sunlight. This allows the flowers to set, developing fruits. At a tree pruning cost of $350 to $700, you will be able to prune almost any olive tree. 

Avocado Tree Pruning Cost 

Avocados are available in both small and average-sized trees. Depending on how big your avocado is, you should expect a tree pruning cost of between $350 and $700. 

3. Accessibility 

Instead of carrying tree pruning gear up a tree, nowadays professionals just get in the bucket truck and the truck operator raises them to the tree crown. The bucket truck will hold the tree pruner on the tree crown until he/she finishes cutting the branches that need removal. 

Bucket trucks can only be used when working on trees that are very accessible. If your tree is surrounded by a group of other trees, chances are, the bucket truck will be unusable. In such a situation, a professional will have to climb up the tree – this can increase the tree pruning cost by 30% to 40%. 

If pruning a tree with a bucket truck would cost you $500, pruning the same tree without the bucket truck can increase the tree pruning cost to about $650 to $700. 

4. Risk of Property Damage 

The risk of property damage is generally high if the tree being pruned is very close to utility lines, houses, car sheds, and other important structures. If the branches are allowed to fly down freely, they may land on important amenities causing you to spend a lot of money on repair costs. 

To avoid property damage, tree pruners use ropes to tie the branches during the cutting procedure. After cutting these branches, the ropes are then used to slowly lower the branches down. While this is important to help you avoid repair costs, you may pay a little bit more for the additional time spent on each tree. 

5. Tree Health 

Pests and diseases do attack trees in Wilmington. One thing that is common about both is that they weaken the trees. When pruning trees with health issues, professionals generally need more complicated safety gear to avoid falling. Also, more time is spent on each diseased tree since the professionals have to remove the infected branches. This can cause the tree pruning cost to go up. 

After pruning, an arborist may be invited to diagnose the tree. This is an expense on its own. The arborist will use the symptoms displayed by the tree to determine which disease is bothering it. On average, the cost of working with the arborist and the cost of purchasing medications can increase your tree pruning cost by $50 to $500. 

6. Additional Services 

The number of services covered by the quoted tree pruning cost varies from company to company. Therefore, before deciding to work with a specific company, ask them which services they generally charge extra for. Some of the services that often cause extra charges in Wilmington include: 

Cleanup and Dumping 

You will probably want to get rid of the branches and leaves produced by your tree after pruning. This service may not be covered by the quoted cost and could cost you an average of $50 to $500. 

Travel Fees

This cost comes up when your tree pruning professionals have to travel a large distance to get to the tree pruning location. Most property owners in Wilmington can avoid paying travel fees by working with professionals closest to their homes. The travel fee, however, is generally in the tune of $0.5 per mile. 

Timing Tree Pruning Correctly 

The timing for tree pruning depends on the tree growth cycle. Professional tree pruners recommend pruning the tree when it is dormant. For most trees in Wilmington, the dormant stage starts in the autumn season and can last through to the winter season. 

In some special cases, however, pruning may be conducted before or after the dormant period. Some of the reasons that might cause this to happen include: 

When the Tree is Unsafe 

Maybe you have noticed that your tree’s crown has several broken branches. These could detach and fall on your home if pruning isn’t done as soon as possible. 

Stop Disease Spread 

Most diseases attack trees branch by branch. If you catch a health complication early enough, removing the infected branches can keep the disease from spreading. The tree pruning, however, has to be conducted immediately – waiting for the dormant stage could give the disease enough time to get out of control. 

Property Value Improvement 

Maybe you haven’t pruned your trees for a long period and you are planning to sell your property. if the valuer finds your property looking unkempt, the value provided will be much lower than the one your home deserves. To get the property value up, you will just need to invest in tree pruning. 

How to Save on Tree Pruning 

• Use DIY tree pruning on small, non-risky trees 
• Work with tree pruners nearest your home to avoid the travel fees 
• Keep your trees healthy to avoid the treatment and arborist costs during pruning 
• If the trees are near power lines, allow the utility company to prune them for tree 
• Wait for the season when the tree pruners are less busy (the offseason) so that you can enjoy lower prices