Tree removal in Oakland County, Michigan
Reviewed by Robert Burgund, ISA Certified Arborist MI-4857A
- ISA Certified Arborist MI-4857A
- Working in Oakland County since 2013
- Licensed and insured
- 5.0 stars from 16 Google reviews
Below is how we price a removal and what is included. There is also one honest question worth asking before you take a mature tree down at all.
What every removal includes
- Sectional dismantling where it matters. Anywhere a roof, pool, fence or power line sits below the canopy, the tree comes down a piece at a time. Each section is roped and lowered under control. We rope down anything that cannot safely free-fall.
- Complete cleanup, spelled out in writing. Brush chipped, trunk wood cut into rounds, the site raked and the driveway swept. The cleanup scope goes in the estimate itself, because cleanup is where competing estimates most often turn out to mean different things.
- Property protection as a default. Ground protection mats under machinery and plywood over hardscape. Your lawn should not look like a logging road when we pull out.
- The permit check, handled. Several Oakland County cities require approval before a removal. We confirm your city’s position before the job goes on the calendar, and there is more on that below.
What actually moves the price
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Access | Can a truck or crane reach the tree, or does every piece leave by hand through a 36-inch gate? This moves the price more than anything else. |
| What is underneath | A roof, pool, septic field or power line means every section gets roped down instead of dropped. Slower, safer, more expensive. |
| Species | Oak and hickory are dense, heavy, slow wood. A poplar or willow the same size comes apart in a fraction of the time. |
| Condition | Rot changes the whole plan. Wood too decayed to trust with a climber can force crane work on an otherwise ordinary tree. |
| Cleanup scope | Hauling every last stick costs more than leaving rounds stacked for firewood. You choose, and we price it both ways. |
| Season | Winter genuinely costs less. Frozen ground carries equipment, bare canopies are easier to work, and demand drops off. |
When a crane earns its keep
A crane is not for every removal. On the right tree it is both the safer option and the cheaper one.
If a tree is dead, badly decayed, leaning over a structure or simply too big to dismantle from a rope, the crane lifts each section straight up and swings it clear. Nothing gets lowered through the canopy, the climber spends far less time in questionable wood, and nothing swings over your roof.
Crane-assisted removal starts at $3,500. Because the job often goes twice as fast, the total can come in under a conventional rigging job on the same tree.
The stump comes out too
Stump grinding is quoted separately, and most customers add it. We grind well below grade so you can reseed, replant nearby or pave over the spot. If you are wondering whether it is worth the extra line, why grinding the stump is worth it covers the reasons.
It is priced by the width of the stump, at $125 per foot of diameter, and booking it alongside the removal avoids a separate trip.
Full stump grinding costs and questions →Is grinding the stump actually worth it? →
Several Oakland County communities require sign-off before a tree comes down. Novi protects trees 36 inches and up anywhere on a property, and anything over 8 inches inside a regulated woodland. Farmington Hills starts at 6 inches, and Rochester Hills from 6. Dead trees are usually exempt, but a parcel inside a mapped woodland can be regulated at any size, in any condition. We make this call to your municipality as part of the free estimate, so you never find out about a rule after the tree is on the ground.
Are you sure it needs to go?
We would genuinely rather tell you the tree can stay. A mature shade tree adds real value to a property and cannot be replaced within your lifetime.
A surprising share of trees that look finished turn out to have a fixable problem.
- A trunk flare buried under years of mulch
- A girdling root slowly strangling the stem
- Plain drought stress
It is also fair to be skeptical when a company that sells removals tells you your tree needs removing. So here is our advice, and it applies to us too. Ask whoever assesses your tree whether they are an ISA Certified Arborist, then look the certification up by name at treesaregood.org.
Notice whether they ever recommend anything smaller than the biggest job on the menu. We do, regularly. It is exactly why people trust us when we say a removal really is the right call.
Tree removal questions we hear every week
Do I need a permit to remove a tree?
It depends on your city. Several Oakland County municipalities require sign-off; others exempt dead trees or small parcels. We confirm your city’s position as part of the free estimate, so you’re not guessing.
Will your equipment damage my lawn or driveway?
We do everything we can to protect your lawn and driveway: ground-protection mats under the machinery, a planned drop zone before anything comes down, and a walk-through with you before we start. No equipment is perfectly gentle on soft ground, so we can’t promise zero damage, but this is what keeps a lawn from looking like a logging road when we’re done.
How much does tree removal cost?
Cost depends mostly on the size of the tree and how easy it is to access. Most residential removals in Oakland County run $600 to $2,500. Call 248-672-8058 for a fast, free, and accurate estimate.
From our Google reviews
“I highly recommend Tree Pros! They helped us remove a large fallen tree, and I couldn’t be happier with their work. From start to finish, they prioritized safety, were extremely considerate of our property, and took every precaution to ensure our house was not damaged during the removal process. They were professional, efficient, and kept the work area clean and organized throughout the job. Once the tree was removed, they thoroughly cleaned up after themselves and left everything looking great.…”
Taylor H., September 2026
“Rob did an excellent job removing a couple trees on our property. He was professional, knowledgeable, and very easy to work with throughout the entire process. The work was done safely, efficiently, and the cleanup afterward was spotless. You can tell he takes pride in his work and cares about doing the job right. I would absolutely recommend Rob to anyone looking for a reliable arborist.”
Garret A., May 2026
Get an accurate number for your tree
We cannot price a removal honestly until we have seen what is around the tree. Free on-site estimates across Oakland County, in writing, with the scope spelled out.
Call or Text 248-672-8058Request a Free Estimate