Tree Pruning Cost

In Philadelphia, professional tree pruners charge between $75 and $2000 to help property owners with pruning. The average cost, however, ranges from $350 to $650, with property owners paying approximately $450 to prune average-sized trees.

The tree pruning cost depends on a wide range of factors – these often make trees of the same size to have different tree pruning costs. In the following section, we will take a deeper look at how different factors can increase or decrease the tree pruning cost.

Factors Affecting the Tree Pruning Cost in Philadelphia

1. Tree Height

In Philadelphia, professional tree service providers divide trees into 4 main categories – small, medium-sized, large, and extremely large. Just as you would expect, the tree pruning cost increases as the tree moves from the small tree category to the extremely large category.

Below, we have outlined the costs to expect when pruning trees in different height categories:

• Small trees – Professionals will charge $75 for non-risky trees under 30 feet. However, the cost can increase to $400 for the small trees if they pose a higher risk to the pruners.
• Medium-sized trees – These trees have a height of between 30 and 60 feet. In Philadelphia, the trees cost between $150 and $800 per tree to prune.
• Large trees – If your tree has a height of above 60 feet but hasn’t exceeded 80 feet, you should expect to pay between $800 and $1500 for the tree to be pruned.
• Extremely large trees – These trees have a height of more than 80 feet. In Philadelphia, these trees include oaks and white pines. Pruning the trees costs $1500 to $2000.

2. Tree Species

Different tree species have varying heights. Also, different types of trees will have varying requirements during tree pruning. This often leads to the variation in the tree pruning cost. Below, we have outlined the cost of pruning for different tree species:

Cherry Trees

In Philadelphia region, cherry trees tend to be among the smallest fruit trees, often maturing at heights of between 12 and 15 feet. This makes them affordable to prune, generally costing between $100 and $400.

Lemon Trees

Lemon trees are capable of growing fruits even in the shaded areas. This means that there is no need to cut back lemon trees to improve light availability. However, despite this, lemon trees need occasional pruning. Much like cherry trees, lemon trees are relatively small, making them cheaper and easier to prune – they have a tree pruning cost of between $100 and $400 per tree.

Palm Trees

Most palm trees in Philadelphia grow to heights of 20 to 80 feet. Depending on how big your palm tree is, you should expect a tree pruning cost of between $100 and $1500.

Plum Trees

Plum trees do not require as precise pruning as pear and apple trees. That said, the trees will still benefit from thinning of old wood to make sure they produce as much fruit as possible. Pruning a plum tree costs $200 to $500 in Philadelphia.

Pear and Fig Trees

Fig and pear trees can grow to heights of above 30 feet. This often places their tree pruning cost between $250 and $550.

Apple Trees

Because of their popularity across states and regions, apple trees happen to be among the most commonly pruned trees. When pruning gets ignored, apple trees may not bear fruits, which makes it extremely important that you prune the trees for both strength and survival. Their large, wide branches often lead to high pruning costs, generally ranging from $300 to $600.

Peach Trees

If you leave your peach trees unpruned, they may become susceptible to shorter lives and increased diseases. To prune a peach tree, expect to pay between $350 and $700.

3. Accessibility

Tree pruning is easier when a tree is not surrounded by obstacles. Obstacles could be in the form of other trees, houses, or utility lines.

When the tree’s base is open enough, tree pruners can use a bucket truck to reach the top branches, cut them, and bring them down. However, when the tree is inaccessible, one of the tree service providers will have to go up the tree manually – this increases the effort and time needed, leading to a higher pruning cost.

If you plan to prune a tree with a height of 80 feet, the tree pruners may charge you $1000 if they can use a bucket truck. However, if someone has to climb the tree, the price might increase to about $1,400.

It is also worth noting that inaccessibility also makes things harder when dealing with cut branches. For example, if a house is under your tree, allowing a branch to fly off to the ground increases the chances of property damage. When you have utilities under the trees, a higher cost may be charged to use ropes to bring the branches down slowly without causing damage.

4. Tree Health

Healthy trees generally require a couple of cuts in the right places. However, trees with diseases need more time as the professionals will have to investigate the entire tree to ensure that the right branches (or limbs carrying pests and diseases) have been removed. The extra time needed generally increases the tree pruning cost.

After tree pruning, an arborist may be invited to your home to diagnose the tree. The arborist will recommend the medications needed to improve the tree’s health. To pay for the arborist service and to purchase the needed medications, you may spend an extra $50 to $500.

5. Additional Services

After tree pruning, several services may be needed by the property owner. Since most of these services are generally not included in the quoted tree pruning cost, the property owners often have to pay for them separately. These services include:

Treatment Service

You will only need this service if your tree is suffering from a health problem. Working with a good arborist will help you determine which disease is bothering your tree. The arborist will also advise on the medications needed. If need be, a good arborist will help you with the application of the medications.

Travel Fees

Property owners in Philadelphia can escape this cost by working with professionals who are closest to their homes. If your property is inside the service zone of a tree service provider, the travel fees won’t be needed. However, if the tree service provider has to cover a significant distance outside the service zone, you may incur a travel fee of $0.5 per mile.

Cleanup and Dumping

Tree pruning can leave your home looking messy, with leaves and branches lying everywhere. If you have some time, you can handle the cleaning yourself. In Philadelphia, however, most property owners prefer to let the tree pruners handle the cleaning – this service can cost an additional $25 to $100.

Factors Affecting the Timing for Tree Pruning

Numerous factors can affect when you prune your trees. However, the most common factors include:

Safety

It is not uncommon for trees to have branches that are weakly attached to their trunks. These branches can be easily brought down by winds – to eliminate the possibility of this happening, you should invite tree pruners to your home as soon as possible.

Health

If you notice a certain disease on your tree, invite tree pruners to your home within a few days. They will be able to remove the diseased branches, stopping the problem from spreading throughout your plant.

Property Value

Before selling one of your properties, you would want it to have the highest value possible. Tree pruning is one of the major ways of boosting property value. Hence, you may want to invest in the tree service, right before you invite property valuers to your home.

The Dormant Stage

Trees in Philadelphia do stop growing temporarily for a couple of months. This period is known as the dormant stage.

Pruning the trees when they are not growing actively makes the entire procedure much safer as you can get a clearer view of the branches to remove. Unless your goal is to boost the health or safety of a tree, you should wait for the dormant season before conducting tree pruning.

Post-Production Period

Some property owners in Philadelphia have fruit trees in their homes. Pruning the trees encourages more productivity. However, you must wait for the tree to finish the production period before investing in its pruning. Pruning a fruit tree during production could result in heavy losses.

How to Save Money on Tree Pruning

Tree pruning can be a costly procedure, especially if you have numerous trees surrounding your home. You can, however, minimize the amount you pay by making use of the tips outlined below:

• In winter, tree professionals are generally less busy. Inviting them to your home during this season could attract a lower tree pruning cost.
• Keeping your trees healthy should help you avoid the costs associated with treatment services.
• Investing in regular pruning should reduce the number of hours professionals spend in your home, lowering the pruning cost.
• If your tree is standing next to powerlines, let the power company handle pruning for free.