Minnesotans love their trees! They love them so much they plant roughly 12 million trees in the state each year. In a climate famous for frigid winters and hot, humid summers, trees provide a necessary service beyond that of simply looking pretty.
But after last year’s storms, about 4000 tree owners filed claims with their insurance companies. Claims they were informed, insurance companies aren’t automatically required to pay.
Maybe you filed one of those claims. Or perhaps you cross your fingers every year and hope your trees survive the weather.
Hopefully, you don’t avoid caring for your trees because you don’t know how much that care will cost.
While no tree company can give you an exact figure on what you’ll pay out of pocket for tree service, we’ve put together a mini-guide that should help you estimate the cost of tree service in Farmington.
Tree Trimming
Think of tree trimming like a fitness program for the trees in your outdoor space.
Tree trimming helps the tree keeps its shape. And it helps keep the tree in shape. There’s a difference!
The primary reason you planted that tree was for its beauty. Keeping it attractive means periodic trimming.
Trimming also helps a tree stay healthy. Bacteria, fungi, and viruses love your tree. Removing diseased limbs help prevent them from spreading and completely killing the tree.
What you’ll pay for tree trimming depends on the size and location of your tree. Estimated costs are as follows:
- Up to 30 Feet – between $75 and $450.
- 30 Feet to 60 Feet – between $150 and $875
- 60 Feet and Taller – between $200 and $1,000.
Keep in mind these costs are for trimming only. Clearing broken or dead branches may cost up to $1000. If workers must climb the tree, costs can go up even more.
Another tree service popular in Minnesota is shrub care and like trees, the cost for trimming shrubs varies based on several factors.
Shrub Trimming
Shrubs, used for privacy and as backdrops for gardens, are a popular addition to yards in Minnesota. Shrubs require routine trimming or pruning. Trimming helps shrubs maintain their shape, but also keeps them from encroaching on walkways and access areas to your home.
Shrubs are usually trimmed only once or twice each year. Cost depends on the size and the type of shrub. Location is also a factor and trimming shrubs closer to buildings or power lines may increase the cost.
Generally, you should plan on spending between $20-180 for each shrub depending on size. For example, trimming a 2ft x 2 ft shrub costs around $20. Pruning a 10ft. x 10ft. shrub costs roughly $180.
Maybe you went all out with your landscaping and planted hedges for even more privacy. Hedges, like shrubs, need regular care from a tree professional.
Hedge Trimming
People often confuse hedges and shrubs and while they do share some similarities, hedges require a different type of care. Hedges need a seasonal schedule of re-shaping, thinning, and renewing.
Plant type determines the frequency of trimming. Privet hedges, popular in Farmington’s hardiness zone 4, are trimmed 3 times per year. If you’ve planted slow growing hedges, such as yew and boxwood, you should trim those once each year.
When you hire a tree service in Farmington for hedge maintenance, they will trim approximately 3-10 inches from the surface. If the hedge needs more than 10 inches trimmed the company may charge you for re-shaping.
For hedges up to 6 ft. tall trimming costs between $120 and $560. Hedges up to 10 ft. high cost between $180-1060. Keep in mind that the tree service also calculates hedge length when they estimate your cost.
Tree Removal
There may come a time when trimming no longer takes care of your tree and removal is necessary. The cost for tree removal in Minnesota runs between $450 and $630.
The height and diameter of your tree determine removal cost. The condition of the tree is another factor. Finally, the location of your tree and proximity to power lines impact removal cost.
Those are basic tree removal costs. If your tree service doesn’t include hauling away the tree limbs, you may pay an additional cost. Plan on paying between $50 and $75 for limb removal.
Once the service removes the tree and limbs, all that’s left is the stump. What are stumps good for?
Stump Grinding
If you enjoy working with wood you could craft a chair or table from the stump. But if you leave a stump in the ground can grow fungi, which may pose a danger to children and pets.
When you ask a tree service in Farmington for pricing on tree removal, stump removal is not typically included.
Stump removal requires different equipment and is considered an add-on, or extra service. The stump diameter determines the removal price. Stump condition also factors into the price — a rotting stump should cost less since removal should be easier.
Plan on spending between $200 and $250.
One service you hope you never need is storm damage clean up most tree service professionals offer it.
Tree Clean-Up
Under normal conditions, you can plan your tree trimming and hedge and shrub maintenance. However, when Minnesota’s unpredictable weather hits, you may end up with a tree emergency.
Most tree service professionals are available 24/7 for storm damage clean-up and other emergency services. They also have the equipment, including a crane, if necessary so that trees can be removed quickly and safely. If they don’t, they will use a Minneapolis based crane service company to help with the project. When you have a downed tree on top of your home, quick action can prevent further property damage.
Storm damage doesn’t always mean tree removal. Often trees can be saved if they get rapid attention. A tree professional examines the damaged tree and can quickly determine if it’s worth saving.
Whether you have the tree removed or treated, the faster the tree service can get to your home, the better.
Need Tree Service in Farmington?
Minnesota may be the land of 10,000 lakes but maybe the state could add land of millions of trees to its name.
Hopefully, we’ve helped you understand the maintenance costs associated with the tree, hedge, and shrub ownership.
With spring just around the corner, now is a great time to schedule tree service in Farmington. Contact us today for a free quote.
