When preparing a piece of land in Louisiana for development, you may need to determine the cost of tree removal. This job is best left to professionals who have the equipment and skills to do it safely and efficiently. Learn more about what factors affect the costs involved.
Size of the Trees Needing Removal
Tree removal costs in Louisiana depend heavily on the size of the trees. For most properties, expect to pay $500 to $2,000 per tree. Learning how tree size and height affect price can help you calculate where in that range your costs will fall.
Smaller trees will have a below-average removal cost. Their trunks are usually less than 18 inches in diameter and 30 feet in height.
Larger trees are at least 24 inches in diameter and 50 feet high. They require more labor and equipment, which drives up the cost of removal.
Number of Trees on the Property
If you have a piece of land that contains dozens of tightly packed trees, your costs will increase. Removing an individual tree from the middle of a group of trees that you want to keep standing may necessitate the use of cranes and other specialized equipment. Directing the tree to fall in a specific direction to prevent damage to other standing trees requires considerable skill.
Thicker collections of trees may complicate bringing equipment into the area. The company might need to use more manual tools to remove the trees in a tight space, driving up the cost of labor.
Trees with wide canopies might also cost more to remove, requiring tree care specialists to climb and remove spreading branches to facilitate a safe drop without damaging nearby trees.
Permit Requirements for Tree Removal
If you want to cut down trees in certain areas of Louisiana, local regulations may limit the species of trees that you can remove. Even those outside of these restrictions may require a permit. Environmental limitations might dictate where you can haul the debris or whether you can burn it.
Although permits might seem negligible in the grand scheme of things, it’s important to include them in your budget.
Deciding Whether To Remove the Stumps
Among the optional tree removal services that may affect the project’s cost is removing the stumps left behind. Property owners have a few options.
How Stump Grinding Works
The cost of stump grinding ranges, depending on the size.
When performing stump grinding, professionals will bring in a machine that uses a grinder to scrape away and chew up the remaining wood. This tool removes the visible section of the stump and penetrates several inches underground to destroy buried portions.
After grinding, the machine drops the wood shavings from the stump on the ground. The machine leaves the majority of the roots in place, too, as they’ll eventually rot away.
Other Options for Stumps
Professionals could try pulling or digging the stump with heavy equipment, but the cost is similar to stump grinding and causes significant disturbance to the soil.
Some landowners might choose to leave the stumps as-is to avoid generating any additional cost. However, old stumps create a trip hazard if people will be walking in the area. They also draw insects and unwanted pests, including termites. A stump can take several years to fully decay.
How You Want the Tree Debris Handled
Removing trees creates a lot of debris, including trunks, large limbs, leaves, and stumps. Deciding how to handle the debris will play a key role in determining the cost of the work.
If you need trunks and large branches hauled to a disposal site, you’ll pay far more than if you mulch the branches on-site. Alternatively, you’ll save quite a bit of money by leaving the branches behind so you can cut them for firewood yourself.
How Quickly You Need the Work Done
If a storm damages your trees and poses a danger to your house, paying extra for emergency removal is worth it. If you have time to manage the tree-cutting project and don’t need to take out the trees immediately, though, setting an appointment in the future will save you some money.
Let Jack’s Tree Service Handle Your Tree Care Needs in Louisiana
At Jack’s Tree Service, we help you understand the tree removal cost factors in Louisiana. We provide an accurate cost estimate for the work you need done based on the size of the lot, the height of the trees, and the plans for the debris. We’ll work with you to figure out how to make the land-clearing work fit into your budget.
For a free price quote for any of our services, call us today at (985) 515-8939. We serve all of southeastern Louisiana from our base of operations in Franklinton, Louisiana.
