Why there is no price list on this page
Because any list would be wrong for your tree. Tree work is quoted on time, risk and disposal, and every one of those changes with the site. A twelve metre blackbutt with a tipper parked beneath it is a different job from the identical tree behind a Manly terrace with a 900 millimetre side gate, or on an Avalon block forty stairs below the road.
The figure this site publishes for NSW is $300 to as much as $6,000 depending on size and complexity, and that is an honest span rather than a useful estimate. What follows is how a job moves along it.
What drives the price
| Factor | Pushes the price down | Pushes the price up |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Truck and chipper within a few metres of the tree; wide driveway; level ground | Carry through a house or a sub-metre side path; stairs; block below road level; street too narrow to park |
| Size and species | Small, soft-wooded, single stem, under about eight metres | Large mature eucalypt, multi-stemmed, heavy dense timber, over about fifteen metres |
| Drop zone | Open lawn or paddock with nothing beneath | Roof, pool, pergola, glasshouse, boundary fence, neighbour's garden — every piece must be rigged |
| Method | Straight fell, or a simple climb and drop | Sectional dismantle with lowering gear; crane or elevated work platform; rope access on a slope |
| Proximity to services | Clear of all lines | Near private service lines; anywhere needing network clearance before work starts |
| Traffic and pedestrians | Quiet residential cul-de-sac | Main road frontage, footpath closure, traffic control plan and signage |
| Condition | Sound, predictable timber | Dead, decayed, hollow butt, split union — unpredictable and slower to work safely |
| Debris | Chip stays on site as mulch, timber left stacked | Everything carted and tipped; palm fibre and green waste disposal fees |
| Stump | Left in place | Ground below grade; grindings removed; rock shelf or roots under paving |
| Approvals | Exempt species, dead tree, or covered by the 10/50 entitlement | Protected tree needing a council permit, and sometimes an arborist report to support it |
The Northern Beaches multipliers
Three things here lift prices above what the same tree would cost on a flat western Sydney block.
Slope. Avalon, Bilgola, Whale Beach and the Pittwater side of Palm Beach are the clearest examples. When the material has to be carried up a stair path instead of wheeled to a truck, the carry can take longer than the cutting.
Street width. The peninsula runs on a handful of roads. Where a chipper and a tipper cannot be parked legally and safely, you are into traffic management, and that is a real line item rather than padding.
Council process. Northern Beaches Council's tree controls are strict, and a protected tree means a permit application, sometimes an arborist report, and a wait. That is not the contractor's cost, but it is part of what getting a tree removed actually involves.
How to compare two quotes fairly
Read them for scope before price. Does each name the same trees? Does each say what happens to the trunk wood, the brush and the chip? Is stump grinding in or out? Is a crane assumed, and can a crane physically get there? Who is lodging the council application, and is that priced?
Then check the practical things — a written scope, a firm date, and evidence of current licensing and insurance from the contractor themselves. This site arranges referrals and does not verify those documents, so ask to see them.
Ways to genuinely reduce the cost
Bundle jobs into one visit. Keep the mulch instead of paying to have it carted. Clear the drop zone yourself — move the pots, the furniture and the car before the crew arrives. Book non-urgent work outside the post-storm rush, when demand is at its highest. And deal with a problem limb through pruning before it becomes a reason for removal.
For a number on your own tree, call (02) 9000 1858, or check coverage for your suburb on the service areas page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the range for removing a tree in NSW?
The figure published on this site is $300 to as much as $6,000, depending on size and complexity. That span is wide because it covers everything from a small backyard wattle with a truck at the kerb to a mature eucalypt over a roof needing a crane and traffic control. Where a specific job sits in that range can only be decided at the tree.
Why did two quotes for the same tree differ so much?
Usually because they are not quoting the same job. Check whether each includes stump grinding, whether the debris is carted or left as mulch, whether the price allows for traffic control or a crane, and whether council approval is being handled. A cheap quote that excludes the stump and leaves the timber stacked on your lawn is not cheaper, it is smaller.
Is it cheaper to do several trees at once?
Almost always. A large part of any quote is mobilisation: getting the crew, the chipper and the tipper to your property and set up. Doing three trees, a stump and a hedge in one visit spreads that cost once instead of three times. If you have work coming up anyway, bundling it is the single easiest saving available.
Should I pay a deposit?
Be careful with large upfront payments, particularly to someone doorknocking after a storm. A written quote that identifies the trees, the method and what happens to the debris is the minimum before any money changes hands, and payment on completion is normal for this trade. Ask any contractor for evidence of their licensing and insurance first.