If you’ve asked two tree care companies to quote the same tree and gotten two very different answers, you’re not imagining it. Two trees that look alike from the street can be completely different jobs once a crew is standing under them.
This guide comes from our arborist, Mike Bramucci, who answers these questions more than anyone on our team. Clients who had a tree removed with us a year ago often ask, “Why did that tree cost this much, and this one is three times more?” It’s a fair question, and the answers below are the ones Mike gives them when he walks a property.
We’re Advanced Tree Care, a fully insured tree service that’s been taking down trees across Lake, Cook and McHenry counties for 18 years. Here’s what we look at when we walk a property and write an estimate.
Height and trunk size
This is the first thing we notice. A small ornamental tree is a quick job. A 70-foot oak with a trunk you can’t wrap your arms around takes a bigger crew, more time, and a lot more wood to haul away. More tree means more work, and the quote follows.
Where it’s standing
One of the biggest factors in the price is what’s under the tree, which we call the target. A house, a garage, a fence, expensive landscaping, art or sculptures, and power lines or other utility lines are all targets. The more there is that could be damaged, the more precise and careful the work has to be, with more rigging, more crew, and more time. The same tree over an open lawn can cost far less than one over a roof.
A tree in the middle of the front yard is the easy case. One leaning over your garage, hanging above a fence, or growing under power lines is a different story. When we can’t drop a tree in one piece, we take it down in sections and lower each one with ropes. It’s safer for your property, but it takes a lot longer. Trees near power lines can also mean coordinating with the utility company.
Whether it’s healthy
Healthy wood is predictable. Dead wood isn’t. Ash trees killed by emerald ash borer get brittle, and limbs can snap without warning, so we plan the climb very differently or use equipment instead. Storm-damaged trees are similar, and they’re often urgent, which can change scheduling and pricing.
Getting to it
Can our truck and chipper reach the tree? Or is it behind the house, past a narrow gate and a flower bed? Tight access means more hand-carrying and more time on the job. Sometimes it means the job can’t be done the usual way at all.
A Glenview homeowner needed a large tree removed. There was no backyard access, a ditch on the property, and neighboring homes on every side. There was no room for a traditional removal.
Our certified arborists assessed the site, built a plan, and brought in a crane. Every branch and section of trunk was lifted carefully up and over the house, with no shortcuts, no damage, and no drama.
Jobs like this are why access matters so much to the quote. The work shifts from “cut it and chip it” to planning the lift and moving every piece with care. If your tree is boxed in by a house, a fence, or a neighbor’s property, tell us up front. We’d rather plan for it than be surprised by it.
Equipment
Most removals need climbers, saws, and a chipper. Some need a crane, like the Glenview job above, especially when a big tree hangs over a roof and there’s no safe place to drop pieces. A crane changes the cost, but it’s often the safest way to do the work, and sometimes the most efficient.
Cleanup
Do you want the logs left for firewood, or everything chipped and hauled? Always ask what’s included in an estimate, because some companies cut the tree down and leave the mess for you.
With us, cleanup is part of the job. All logs and brush from pruning or removal work are hauled off your property, and we rake the area completely when we’re done. The one exception is stump grindings, which stay on site (more on that below).
Stumps and extras
Stump grinding is a separate service from tree removal, so ask for it when you request your estimate. We grind the stump to below ground level, then backfill the hole with the stump chips. Any extra chips stay on site unless we’ve agreed otherwise. They make an excellent landscape mulch, so many homeowners spread them in garden beds or around other trees.
If you’d rather not keep the chips, we can haul them away. Removing the chips generally costs about the same as grinding the stump, so decide before the job whether you want them. If you also want nearby trees pruned, mention it up front, since we can often handle everything in one visit.
Why we don’t quote a tree over the phone
We’d rather not guess. A photo helps us understand what we’re dealing with, but things like lean, decay, nearby wires, and access only show up in person. That’s why we come out, look at the tree, and give you a written estimate.
Ask about insurance before you hire a tree company
If a limb comes through your roof or a worker gets hurt on your property, the company’s insurance is what pays for it. If they don’t have any, the problem can land on you. So ask for proof of coverage before anyone touches a saw, and be wary of a company that says “we’re covered” but won’t put it in writing.
Our workers are fully covered by workers’ compensation. Advanced Tree Care also carries personal injury and property damage liability. We’ll send you a certificate of insurance on request, so you don’t have to take our word for it.
Permits
Some municipalities require a permit for removing certain trees. When one is necessary, it’s the customer’s responsibility unless we’ve agreed otherwise, and we’ll usually spell that out in your proposal so there are no surprises. If you’re not sure whether your village requires one, ask us when we walk the property, and check with your local village hall.
