Tree Trimming Cost

Professional tree trimming is one of the keys to opening up your property’s potential. The tree care procedure gets rid of dead branches, improves the tree shape, and opens up the tree crown, allowing a better view of the surroundings. This gives your property a value boost.

Tree trimming has a variety of risks – from the risk of falling from the tree crown to the risk of dropping branches on your house and causing damage. Property owners in Wichita prefer to work with professionals to avoid these risks. Professional tree trimming cost does vary for different trees – in the following sections, we will look at the factors affecting the cost.

Average Tree Trimming Cost in Wichita

Depending on the size of your tree, you will end up spending $80 to $1000 on tree trimming. Property owners with average-sized trees enjoy a lower cost, with professional tree trimmers charging $250 to $500. To help you determine where your tree trimming cost falls, let’s look at the factors affecting the cost.

Factors Affecting Tree Trimming Cost in Wichita

1. Tree Height

Tree height affects how tough it is to get to the tree crown. In most cases, tall trees have bigger branches, which makes the entire process of tree trimming more complicated. In Wichita, tree trimming professionals charge a higher cost to trim taller trees – the cost of trimming shorter trees is generally lower.

To give you an idea of how the cost of trimming a tree changes with height, we have indicated the tree trimming costs for different height ranges:

• Under 30 feet – Dogwood and Russian olive trees rarely grow beyond 30 feet in Wichita. For this reason, these trees have the lowest trimming cost, with $75 to $400 being enough.
• Between 30 and 60 feet – Trees in this category stand on most properties in Wichita – a good example is the crap apples. To trim these trees, professionals charge $150 to $875.
• Over 60 feet – In Wichita, trees taller than 60 feet include red oaks and pine trees. To trim these trees, you should set aside $200 to $1000.

2. Accessibility

When trimming trees, professionals use a bucket truck to make the procedure easy. The bucket truck will raise the tree trimmers to the crown and hold them there until the trimming is complete – this means more safety and fewer hassles.

Accessibility, however, determines whether a bucket truck can or can’t be used. For example, if your tree is surrounded by other trees, a bucket truck can’t be used – professionals will have to climb the tree manually, which can increase the work needed.

If a bucket truck can be used to trim a 100-foot tree, the tree trimming cost might be quoted at $1000. If a bucket truck cannot be used and someone has to climb the tree, the trimming cost might increase to over $1,400.

3. Proximity to Utilities

The easiest trees to trim are those standing on open grounds. The tree trimmers can just cut branches and allow them to fly off to the ground. However, most property owners in Wichita prefer to have trees next to their houses for the shade and the cleaner air – this can make the tree trimming cost go up considering the effort needed.

When trimming trees next to powerlines and other utilities, the branches have to be brought down with ropes. This may require more complicated machinery and may take more time.

4. Tree Stability

Wichita is no stranger to storms – these can sometimes mess up the tree’s stability, making the plant susceptible to falling. When handling trimming for such a tree, a lot of finesse may be needed to avoid imparting a force that could bring the tree down. This can lead to a high tree trimming cost.

After the trimming procedure, a permanent stabilization method may be needed to keep the tree upright and to reduce the chances of the tree being brought down by things like winds. Stabilization is an additional procedure and you may have to pay for it separately.

5. Tree Health

Unhealthy trees require more operations than just trimming. For example, the tree trimmers may need to invite an arborist over to diagnose the tree – this will help determine which health complication is bothering the tree and the medications that can be used to treat it. The cost of the arborist service and the medications can add up to $50 to $500 – this will have to be added to the quoted trimming cost.

Sometimes, diseased trees pose more risks, with some of the trees having stability issues. This means more time may be needed to trim such a tree, which could further drive the trimming cost up.

6. Travel Fees

If you invite professionals who live too far from your home, you may incur a travel fee. On average, every mile traveled outside the tree service provider’s zone costs $0.5. Some tree service providers prefer to charge a fixed cost of $50 to $200 depending on the time they take on the road.

It is, however, easy to avoid the travel fees – all you have to do is work with professionals closest to your home. This will put you in the tree provider’s service zone, meaning that you won’t have to pay the travel fee.

7. Number of Trees

Tree trimmers in Wichita do offer a bulk trimming discount to property owners. For example, trimming a single 100 feet tree could cost you $1000. However, trimming 10 trees of the same height could cost you a total of $9000 – this means that you will spend $100 less on each tree.

The higher trimming cost when working on one tree results from several fixed costs that are unavoidable. These include overhead costs, the cost of getting licenses, and fuel costs.

DIY Tree Trimming

Some Wichita property owners prefer to handle trimming a tree to avoid spending money on the service. DIY tree trimming is, however, not a very good idea when working with huge trees – a fall from tall trees could put you in the hospital for months. Also, the DIY procedure may not be a good idea when working with trees near your house – if you drop branches, they could cause damage.

For homeowners with short non-risky trees, DIY trimming is, however, a good idea. Before attempting DIY trimming, however, go through this section to understand everything you need to keep in mind.

You May Need to Purchase Tree Trimming Tools

If you are attempting DIY tree trimming for the first time, you will probably have zero trimming gear. Assuming that you will be working on small non-risky trees, you won’t need complicated tools. Below, we have outlined the tools you may need to purchase and their costs:

• Ladder – You will need this to get to the tree crown. Depending on the ladder’s height, and the design, you will spend $150 – $600.
• Gas pole pruner – In Wichita, property owners spend $150 to $300 on gas pole pruners.
• Safety gear – To avoid injuries, you should invest some money in gloves, harness, helmet, and goggles. These could cost you $50 to $150.
• Hand-held pruners and loppers – You can get these for $30 to $50.

The cost of the tree trimming gear can take too much money out of your bank account. Since the cost of trimming small trees is usually low, you might find it more economical to hire professionals instead of using your money on the equipment and then spending your time on trimming.

Trimming a Tree

When trimming your trees, you will need to follow the steps outlined below:

1. Wait for the Tree’s Dormant Stage

This is a stage where a tree stops growing actively. In Wichita, most trees enter this stage in autumn, with the stage generally lasting through winter. The dormant stage gives you a clear view of the branches you need to remove, making your work much easier.

2. Check Branch Size

The bigger the branch, the more the probability that it should remain on the tree. While you can remove branches with a diameter of less than 5 cm, those with a diameter of more than 10 cm should be allowed to remain on the tree.

3. Check Branch Angle

Branches forming a V-shaped angle with the tree trunk can be removed. However, those forming a U-shaped angle should stay on the tree, unless they have to be removed to increase safety or boost the tree’s health.

4. Consider Branch Age

Older branches are harder to manage. Also, they feature a higher risk of scarring. This makes them less ideal for removal. Put more focus on the removal of younger branches.

5.  Use the Correct Cutting Technique

Before sawing off a branch, look for its collar and ridge. When cutting the branch, cut between the 2 parts. Avoid leaving a huge stub or cutting too close to the tree trunk.

6. Sanitize Your Tools

To avoid spreading diseases from one tree to the other, take your time to sanitize your tools with rubbing alcohol featuring a percentage of at least 70%. Avoid using soap as detergents may not work on some disease-causing organisms.