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Costs & Quotes
How Much Does Tree Surgery Cost in Hampshire?
Three quotes. Same job, same tree, same week. The lowest came in at £320; the middle at £650; the highest at £1,150. All three were from contractors operating within twenty miles of Winchester. The homeowner chose the cheapest. The tree surgeon arrived without a chipper, left the timber on the lawn and — as was discovered six months later when a claim was made following a branch fall — was not carrying public liability insurance. This scenario is more common than it should be. It also explains why tree surgery is one of those trades where the price spread between quotes is so wide, and why understanding what drives the cost is worth your time before you start calling around.
The headline figure you need to understand is the day rate. A professional tree surgery team — typically two or three people with the right equipment and machinery — costs between £400 and £1,000 per day to run, before waste disposal and specialist access equipment. In Hampshire and the wider South East, expect prices to run 15–20% above the national average; the region consistently commands a premium for skilled trades. Within that framework, the price of any individual job is shaped by a small number of variables.
Factors That Affect Tree Surgery Costs
Size of the tree
The single biggest driver of cost is the size of the tree. Larger trees take longer, require more equipment, produce more waste and often need more complex rigging or access solutions. A crown reduction on a small ornamental tree is fundamentally a different scale of operation from the same work on a 20-metre oak.
The work required
Different operations carry very different price points. Crown thinning is relatively quick; full felling and removal of a large tree is a day’s work for a team. Stump grinding is a separate operation with its own machinery. Work in conservation areas or on TPO-protected trees adds planning and paperwork time.
Access
How the team and equipment gets to the tree matters significantly. A tree in an open field is straightforward. A tree at the back of a terraced garden, accessible only through the house, with no room to swing a long chainsaw bar, is a far more complex proposition. Equally, if a cherry picker or MEWP (mobile elevated work platform) can’t get close to the tree, all the work must be done from a harness — which is slower and therefore more expensive.
Waste disposal
Most tree surgeons include chipping and removing green waste in their quote. Larger timber is often left for the customer to arrange disposal, or split and stacked as firewood. Clarify exactly what’s included — the cheapest quote may exclude waste removal, leaving you with a heap of branches to deal with.
Number of trees
If you have multiple trees requiring work, grouping them into a single visit is almost always more cost-effective than separate visits. The mobilisation cost (getting the team and kit to your property) is shared across more work, bringing the per-tree price down.
Approximate Price Ranges
These are rough ranges for common operations in Hampshire. Actual prices vary significantly based on the factors above — treat these as orientation, not a fixed tariff.
| Operation | Small tree | Medium tree | Large tree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown reduction | £150–£300 | £300–£600 | £600–£1,200+ |
| Crown thinning | £150–£280 | £280–£550 | £550–£1,000+ |
| Crown lifting | £100–£200 | £200–£400 | £400–£800 |
| Tree felling & removal | £200–£500 | £500–£1,000 | £1,000–£3,000+ |
| Stump grinding | £75–£150 | £150–£300 | £300–£600+ |
| Deadwooding | £100–£250 | £250–£500 | £500–£900 |
| Pollarding | £150–£300 | £300–£650 | £650–£1,500+ |
Get a rough ballpark figure
Select a job type and tree size. Actual prices depend on access, site conditions and timber volume.
What to Look Out For
Very low quotes
If a quote is significantly below others, ask why. Common reasons: the contractor isn’t insured (if something goes wrong, you’re liable), they won’t dispose of waste, or they’re planning to do less than you think. Always ask to see public liability insurance certificates — you want £5m as a minimum for any job near buildings.
Quotes without a site visit
It’s very difficult to price tree surgery accurately without seeing the tree. A quote given purely over the phone or from photos should come with the caveat that it may change on inspection. We always visit in person before quoting.
Are they NPTC qualified?
The NPTC (National Proficiency Tests Council, City & Guilds) qualification is the industry standard for chainsaw and tree surgery operations. Unqualified operators working without the correct certifications may void your insurance if something goes wrong. Ask to see the contractor’s qualification card before work starts. Better still, look for membership of the Arboricultural Association — AA Approved Contractors have been independently inspected and assessed, and the AA maintains a publicly searchable directory of approved businesses.
Does VAT Apply?
If the tree surgery company is VAT-registered (required once turnover exceeds £90,000), VAT will be added at the standard rate (currently 20%). Always check whether quotes are inclusive or exclusive of VAT — a quote that looks competitive may be less so once VAT is added.
Can I Offset the Cost?
In some cases, yes. Timber from felled trees — particularly oak or ash — may have value as firewood or even as timber if large enough. We’ll advise you on this when we visit. For woodland or larger estate work, timber from thinning operations can sometimes offset a significant portion of the total cost.
Get a Free Quote
We cover Winchester and the surrounding Hampshire area. Site visits are free and we aim to respond within one working day.