Remove trees & hedges.

While a gardener can handle smaller hedges and saplings, larger projects usually require a qualified tree surgeon (arboriculturist). Proper removal ensures your property remains safe and that you stay on the right side of local planning laws and wildlife protection acts.

What Does the Work Involve?

• Site Assessment: Checking for Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs), nesting birds, and underground services.
• Risk Management: Setting up exclusion zones and protecting nearby structures or fences.
• Dismantling: Taking trees down section by section using ropes and harnesses, or a straight fell if space allows.
• Hedge Removal: Cutting down to the base and "grubbing out" the root balls to prevent regrowth.
• Waste Processing: Chipping branches on-site and logging larger timber for disposal or firewood.
• Stump Management: Grinding the stump below ground level or applying chemical treatments.

Typical Costs

Prices vary significantly based on the height of the tree, the volume of the hedge, and how easy the site is to access. Waste disposal is often the hidden cost in these quotes.

Always confirm if the quote includes "arisings" (waste) removal and stump grinding, as these are often priced as optional extras.

How Long Does It Take?

• Small Hedge/Sapling: 2–4 hours for a two-person team.
• Medium Tree (Garden size): 1 full day to dismantle and clear the site.
• Large/Dangerous Tree: 2–3 days, including rigging and heavy timber removal.
• Stump Grinding: 30–90 minutes per stump depending on diameter.

DIY or Professional?

Trimming a low hedge or removing a very small sapling is a manageable DIY task for most homeowners. However, anything involving heights, chainsaws, or heavy falling timber should be left to the professionals.

Professional tree surgeons carry specific insurance and have the NPTC qualifications required to operate machinery safely. Attempting to fell a tree yourself can lead to severe injury, property damage, and potential prosecution if you inadvertently violate a TPO or disturb nesting birds.

Choosing the Right Tradesperson

• Check Qualifications: Look for NPTC or Lantra certificates for chainsaw use and aerial work.
• Insurance: Ensure they have Public Liability insurance (minimum £5 million is standard for tree work).
• Written Quotes: Get a breakdown that specifies exactly what happens to the waste and the stump.
• Ask these questions:
  • Are you a member of the Arboricultural Association?
  • Will you check for TPOs and Conservation Area restrictions on my behalf?
  • How do you plan to protect my lawn and flowerbeds from heavy machinery?
  • Will I receive a Waste Transfer Note for the green waste removed?

UK Regulations

• TPOs & Conservation Areas: You must check with your Local Planning Authority (LPA) before touching any tree. Fines for unauthorised work are unlimited.
• Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981: It is an offence to damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built. This usually halts hedge work between March and August.
• Felling Licences: Required from the Forestry Commission if you are removing more than 5 cubic metres of timber in a calendar quarter (rare for domestic gardens).

Common Problems

• Nesting Birds: Starting work in spring only to find nests, which legally stops the job until the chicks fledge.
• Underground Services: Stump grinders hitting gas or water pipes that weren't identified beforehand.
• Boundary Disputes: Removing a hedge that actually belongs to a neighbour or is shared.
• Regrowth: Failing to treat or grind the stump, leading to "suckers" and new growth within months.

Frequently Asked Questions