What Tree Removal Costs in Oakland County (2026 Guide)
Updated August 2026 · Reviewed by Robert Burgund, ISA Certified Arborist MI-4857A
- Established 2013
- 13+ Years Climbing Experience
- ISA Certified Arborist MI-4857A
- Fully Licensed & Insured
Those are working ranges, not a quote. Two trees of identical height on the same street can be a thousand dollars apart depending on what sits underneath them.
This page explains what moves the number, so you can read any estimate you receive, ours or a competitor’s, and know what you are actually paying for.
Tree removal cost by size
| Tree size | Typical height | Typical cost | What that usually includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Under 30 ft | $300 – $600 | Takedown, trunk cut into rounds, brush hauled away |
| Medium | 30 – 60 ft | $600 – $1,400 | Rigging where needed, full site cleanup |
| Large | 60 – 80 ft | $1,200 – $2,500 | Technical rigging, a crew of three or more |
| Very large | Over 80 ft | $2,000 – $4,000+ | Frequently crane-assisted |
Michigan sits a bit below the national average for tree work, but Oakland County runs at or slightly above the state figure. That is not a zip-code premium. The work here is genuinely harder.
Established neighborhoods like Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham and Franklin are full of big mature oaks and maples on tight lots, often within striking distance of a roof or a pool or a neighbor’s fence.
A tree that cannot simply be felled has to come apart in pieces, each one roped and lowered. That takes time and skill, and that is what you are paying for.
What the related services cost
| Service | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stump grinding | $125 per foot | By stump diameter at its widest point. Cheaper booked with the removal, because it is one trip |
| Full stump and root excavation | $400 – $1,000+ | For replanting or hardscaping in the same spot |
| Crane-assisted removal | From $3,500 | For trees too large, too close or too decayed to climb |
| Emergency or storm response | 8-hour minimum | Billed on an eight-hour minimum, based on the equipment the job needs |
| Pruning, mature shade tree | $400 – $900 | To the ANSI A300 standard |
| Pruning, small ornamental | $200 – $450 | |
| Tree risk assessment | $399 | Usually credited toward the work if you proceed |
| Root flare excavation | $250 – $600 | Corrects buried collars and girdling roots |
The six things that actually move the price
1. Access
The biggest factor of all, and the one homeowners least expect.
If a truck can park next to the tree, the job is dramatically cheaper. If every piece has to be carried out through a gate by hand, it is not. When machines cannot reach, a climber spends hours doing what equipment would do in one.
2. What sits underneath
A tree standing in open space is the cheapest kind to remove. One cut and it is on the ground.
A tree hanging over a roof or a pool or a power line has to come down in small pieces, each one roped and lowered under control. That is where the hours go, and hours are what you are buying.
3. Species and wood density
Oak, hickory and sugar maple are dense, heavy and slow to cut. A poplar or willow or silver maple of the same height is lighter and faster. Two 60-footers can differ meaningfully in price for this reason alone.
4. Condition, and this one surprises people
A dead or decayed tree usually costs more to remove than a healthy one, not less.
Solid wood holds a climber and holds a rope. Rotten wood does neither, and that is what turns an ordinary job into a crane job.
If you have been putting off removing a dead ash, understand that the price is rising the longer it stands there.
5. Cleanup scope
Hauling every stick away costs more than leaving the logs stacked for firewood. Ask every estimator exactly what is included, because a low number that leaves you with a yard full of wood is not the bargain it looked like.
6. Time of year
Winter is the cheapest season for non-urgent tree work in Michigan. Frozen ground carries heavy equipment without wrecking the lawn, bare canopies come apart faster, and demand drops off after the fall rush.
When removal is not the answer
Not every problem tree needs to come down, and a good arborist will say so before quoting you a removal.
A leaning tree is not automatically a dangerous tree. Plenty of trees have leaned for decades. What matters is whether the lean is new, whether the soil is heaving on the far side, and whether there is decay at the base.
Deadwood in the canopy is usually a pruning job. Mature oaks shed interior branches naturally, and that is maintenance rather than a death sentence.
A weak or cracked fork can often be cabled, meaning supported with a steel cable between the limbs, for a fraction of removal cost.
Storm damage tends to look worse than it is. A tree that lost a big limb can frequently be restored with crown work.
You cannot undo removing a big shade tree. A 60-foot oak took longer to grow than you have been alive, adds real value to the property, and cannot be replaced in your lifetime. Get a second opinion before the saw comes out, ideally from someone whose certification you have looked up.
What is different about Michigan
Permits depend entirely on your city
There is no statewide rule. Several Oakland County communities have tree ordinances that can require approval before a removal, including Troy and Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills and Rochester Hills, while neighboring towns have no residential requirement at all.
Bloomfield Hills, for instance, lets homeowners on under an acre and a half remove two trees without a permit. Check locally before any work begins, or let us make the call as part of every estimate.
Full permit guide by community →
Oak wilt changes the calendar
Oak wilt is a serious fungal disease in Michigan, and it spreads through fresh wounds during the growing season.
The standard guidance is not to prune or wound oaks between roughly mid-April and mid-July, when the beetles that carry it are most active. If storm damage forces a cut inside that window, the wound needs sealing immediately.
Emerald ash borer raised the stakes on waiting
Michigan is where EAB first appeared in North America, and this region has lost most of its untreated ash.
A dead standing ash turns brittle fast, which makes it both more dangerous and more expensive to remove with every season it is left. If yours has been dead more than a year, get it assessed.
Will homeowners insurance pay?
Generally insurers cover removal when the tree damaged a covered structure, such as your roof or garage or fence.
A tree that fell harmlessly in the yard, or one you are removing because it is dead or in the way, usually is not covered. Policies differ, so read yours. We supply the photos and documentation your adjuster will ask for.
Questions we get about price
How big of a tree can you remove for around $1,000?
In Oakland County, roughly a 40-to-60-foot tree in a reasonably accessible spot with straightforward rigging. The same budget stretches further on an open lot and nowhere near as far on a tree hanging over the house.
What is the cheapest time of year for tree removal?
Winter. Frozen ground, bare canopies and lower demand make January and February the best-value months in Michigan.
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree on my own property in Michigan?
It depends entirely on your municipality, because there is no state-level rule for private property. Troy, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Rochester Hills are among the Oakland County communities with ordinances that may apply. Several of their neighbors have none.
How much does it cost to remove a 30-foot tree?
Typically $300 to $600 with good access and nothing underneath it. With stump grinding, plan on roughly $450 to $1,000 all in.
Why are the quotes I got for the same tree so different?
Usually because they are not quoting the same job. Check whether each estimate includes stump grinding and whether all the debris gets hauled.
Most important, check whether the company carries liability and workers’ comp insurance. An uninsured crew working over your roof is a risk that lands on you if something goes wrong.
Get an accurate number for your tree
Nobody can price a tree honestly over the phone. Free on-site estimates across Oakland County, in writing.
Call or Text 248-672-8058Request a Free Estimate
Written and reviewed by Robert Burgund
ISA CERTIFIED ARBORIST · MI-4857A
Owner of Tree Pros, LLC in Bloomfield Township. Verify the certification by name in ISA’s public directory.