What does tree removal cost?

Small tree (under 10m) $500–$1,200, medium (10–20m) $1,200–$2,800, large (20m+) $2,800–$8,000+. Stump grinding is normally separate at $150–$500. Crane hire, where the block warrants it, is quoted separately and often saves more in crew days than it costs.

Is it cheaper to do several trees at once?

Yes, materially. Most of the cost is mobilising a crew, a chipper and sometimes a crane to your address. Two or three trees in one visit are considerably cheaper per tree than three separate callouts.

What should be itemised in the quote?

Removal, stump grinding, debris disposal, and any traffic control or crane hire. Also what happens to the timber — chipped and taken, left as mulch, or cut to firewood lengths are three different amounts of work and the difference is real money.

Tree Removal Cost | Price Guide, Central Coast NSW

Central Coast Tree Services connects the Central Coast and the Central Coast property owners with qualified, insured local arborists for prices and related tree work. Tell us what the tree is doing and we'll match it to an operator who covers your suburb — free call, no obligation.

Why the same tree gets very different quotes

Because the arborists are pricing different jobs. One has assumed they can drop it whole and chip on the verge; the other has looked at the pool, the neighbour's pergola and the single narrow side gate and priced a rigged dismantle.

When quotes are far apart, the useful question isn't 'why are you dearer' — it's 'what method have you priced?'

What actually drives the number

Access first: can a chipper and a truck get near it, or is everything walking through the house side to the street? Then the target — what's underneath. Then species and wood density. Height matters far less than people expect.

Keeping the timber for firewood, or accepting the mulch on site rather than having it carted, will usually take something off the quote.

Things that legitimately add cost

Crane hire on escarpment blocks. Traffic control if the crew has to occupy a road. Stump grinding, which is nearly always quoted separately. An AQF5 report if council approval is in play. Emergency and after-hours rates.

Job	Indicative price	What moves it
Small tree removal (under 10m)	$500 – $1,200	Ornamentals, young palms and small natives with room to work around them.
Medium tree removal (10 – 20m)	$1,200 – $2,800	The standard suburban job. Access moves this number more than height does.
Large tree removal (20m+)	$2,800 – $8,000+	Mature blackbutt, spotted gum or Norfolk pine, usually dismantled in sections.
Palm removal	$250 – $1,200	Cocos and bangalow palms — no real wood, so cheap unless the crown must come out in pieces.
Tree trimming / pruning	$300 – $900	Clearance off a roof, deadwooding or a crown reduction. Averages around $425 on this coast.
Stump grinding	$150 – $500	Priced on diameter and access. Expect a minimum callout of roughly $180 – $220.
Emergency / after-hours callout	$500 – $3,000+	Storm make-safe. What it costs depends on what the limb is resting on.
Arborist report (AQF5)	$400 – $700	Typically around $450. Required for a Private Tree Works Application and most consents.

Job

Indicative price

What moves it

Small tree removal (under 10m)

$500 – $1,200

Ornamentals, young palms and small natives with room to work around them.

Medium tree removal (10 – 20m)

$1,200 – $2,800

The standard suburban job. Access moves this number more than height does.

Large tree removal (20m+)

$2,800 – $8,000+

Mature blackbutt, spotted gum or Norfolk pine, usually dismantled in sections.

Palm removal

$250 – $1,200

Cocos and bangalow palms — no real wood, so cheap unless the crown must come out in pieces.

Tree trimming / pruning

$300 – $900

Clearance off a roof, deadwooding or a crown reduction. Averages around $425 on this coast.

Stump grinding

$150 – $500

Priced on diameter and access. Expect a minimum callout of roughly $180 – $220.

Emergency / after-hours callout

$500 – $3,000+

Storm make-safe. What it costs depends on what the limb is resting on.

Arborist report (AQF5)

$400 – $700

Typically around $450. Required for a Private Tree Works Application and most consents.

What Tree Work Costs on the Central Coast

Talk it through

Why the same tree gets very different quotes

What actually drives the number

Things that legitimately add cost

Areas covered

Indicative pricing

Prices — common questions

Other tree services in the Central Coast

Tree Removal

Tree Lopping

Stump Grinding

Tree Pruning

Talk to a Central Coast arborist