For tree service owners
Should I keep a price list for common tree jobs?
Short answer
A price guide can help for small, repeat jobs, as long as it is based on your own costs and checked often. For bigger or risky jobs, look at the site and price each one. Never let a guide replace judgment.
By Umair Nawaz. Published October 25, 2026. General information, not legal, tax or insurance advice.
The longer answer
A price guide is a set of starting points, not a set of fixed prices.
Good uses: stump grinding by size, small trims, and other repeat work that is easy to measure. It speeds up phone answers and keeps your team consistent.
Where it fails: big removals, jobs near buildings or lines, and anything with hard access. Every tree and yard is different, so these need a site visit.
How to build one: work out your cost per crew hour, then time several past jobs of the same type from your records. Add overhead and profit. Round to a clean number.
How to keep it fresh: review it when fuel, wages, insurance or disposal costs change. Label it as a starting point and say a site visit may change the price.
Our price guide builder takes your own numbers and gives you a printable page.
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