What Factors Influence the Price of Tree Work?

Hazards

When it comes to tree service, hazards rank in order from risk to people down to risk to property. The closer an object is to the tree or its drop zone, the more of a hazard it becomes and the more time it takes to work safely around it.

Hydro Lines

Ontario's 'Safe Limits of Approach' regulations state that unqualified personnel may work no closer than 3 m (10 ft.) from live equipment. Branches touching powerlines — or that may touch powerlines during removal — need to be cleared by a qualified utility company before our certified tree climbers can proceed. Axe & Wedge can facilitate this process for you, but be aware it can slow down your project while we wait for the hydro company to clear our safe limit of approach.

Busy Roadways

Is your tree close to a highway or busy residential street? Our crew wears high-visibility clothing and properly controls traffic with signage and cones, but high-traffic areas pose greater risk to workers and bystanders — and that additional care adds time.

Structures

Taking care not to damage property is our highest priority. Rigging down a tree with ropes and blocks because branches hang over your house, fence, deck, or garage adds significant time to a removal — and with it, cost. The more precise control required, the higher the price.

Turf and Driveways

Large logs and even smaller branches can leave sizable divots when dropped from height. The more rigging we need to avoid damaging your lawn or driveway, the more cost is added to your project.

Landscape Features

Does your yard have a pool, ornamental garden, or other features we can't drop brush on or step on? Anything in the way that forces our crew to deviate from a straight line of attack adds time and labour cost to your quote.

Accessibility

A tree in your front yard, next to the driveway, that can be dropped easily into an open area will be significantly cheaper to remove than one in the backyard, around the pool, through the garden, and hanging over the neighbour's fence. Each situation is unique and may require very different techniques and equipment. Our team has the knowledge and experience to guide you on the time and cost your project will require.

Material

The more our crews have to handle the debris felled from your tree project, the more it costs. Many homeowners choose to hire us for the technical work and then process the wood themselves or with help from family and friends — this can reduce costs significantly. That said, Axe & Wedge has the specialty equipment to handle all haulage and chipping services you might require.

Additional Services

Stump grinding, re-sodding, or project extensions requiring multiple trips to your property can quickly add to the total cost. For example, if you're thinking of removing two trees but only hire us for one, and then decide after cleanup that you want the second removed, your costs will be significantly higher than if you had included both trees in the original job.