Pricing depends far more on what is under the tree than on the tree itself. An open-yard pine is quick work; the same pine leaning over a roofline has to come down piece by piece on ropes, and that is the difference between a two-hour job and a full day.
What's included
- A walk of the drop zone with you before anything is cut, so you know exactly where the tree is going.
- Roping and rigging for any tree over a roof, fence, driveway, deck, or septic field.
- Trunk cut to length and hauled off — or left stacked as firewood rounds if you ask before we start.
- Brush chipped on site; chips hauled away or left as mulch, your call.
- Stump cut flush to grade. Grinding below grade is quoted separately, free with any removal.
- Lawn raked and driveway blown clean at the end of the day.
What it costs
We quote a firm number in writing before the job is scheduled, and it does not change on the day unless you add work.
$450 – $2,400 for most residential removals in the Apex and Cary area
What moves the number:
- Height and trunk diameter — an 80 ft loblolly is a different job than a 30 ft one.
- What is underneath: house, power service drop, fence, pool, or open lawn.
- Backyard access — whether a truck and chipper can reach the tree or everything is carried out by hand.
- Whether the tree is sound or already dead, split, or hollow, which forces a climbing plan change.
- Stump grinding, firewood cutting, and chip removal, each priced as add-ons.
Why so many Wake County removals are pines
Loblolly pines were planted by the thousand across Apex, Cary, and Holly Springs developments in the 1990s and 2000s, and they are now tall, top-heavy, and close to houses. They shed limbs in ice and snap in wind long before hardwoods do, so a large share of the removals we do are pines that have outgrown the lot they were planted on.
Questions about tree removal
How long does a tree removal take?
A straightforward yard tree is two to four hours. A large pine over a roof that has to come down in sections, plus cleanup, is a full day. We tell you which one your tree is when we quote it, so you can plan the driveway and the dogs.
Do you have to drive equipment across my lawn?
Only if we agree to it first. On soft ground we lay plywood or work off ropes from a smaller footprint. Ruts are a real risk after Triangle rain, so if you would rather we carry everything out, say so and we price it that way.
Can you remove a tree that is close to power lines?
We remove trees near the service drop to your house routinely. Anything touching the primary lines on the pole is the utility's work — Duke Energy will cut those back at no charge, and we will tell you when that call needs to happen first.
Is the stump included in the removal price?
The stump is cut flush to the ground as part of the removal. Grinding it 6 to 10 inches below grade is separate work with a separate machine, and you get that quote free with any removal you book with us.