Tree Service Questions

Call 0497 777 735 or use our quote form. Include your suburb and the work you need.

Yes. Our written quotes are free and identify the work and inclusions.

As a guide, a small tree under about 5 metres with open access is typically $400–$900, and a medium tree of about 5–10 metres removed in sections is typically $1,000–$2,800. A large tree of about 10–15 metres is typically $2,800–$6,000, or $4,500–$9,500 where it needs a crane, crane hire included. All include GST; stump grinding and difficult access are extra.

The price depends on the size and condition of the tree, how hard it is to reach, how close it is to buildings, and whether the stump and waste removal are included.

Our tree removal cost guide goes through it in more detail.

The main things are:

Photos help us understand the tree, the way into the yard and anything close by. If we need a closer look before we can quote, we will let you know and arrange it with you.

Removal may be considered when the trunk is failing, the roots have shifted, the tree is causing damage that pruning cannot solve, or it is dead. If the problem is size or clearance, pruning or lopping may be another option. Photos help us understand the job; a formal assessment of the tree's condition should come from a suitably qualified independent arborist where one is needed.

Yes. Where there is no room to drop a tree, the way into the yard and anything close by determine whether it needs to be lowered in sections or lifted into a clear working area.

Yes — including cocos, alexandras, fan palms and date palms. The quote depends on the height, access, surrounding structures and whether stump grinding or green-waste removal are included. More on our tree removal page.

One small or medium tree usually takes a few hours to a day on site. A large tree, crane work, tight access or several trees can take longer. We tell you how long to expect when we quote the work.

The written quote says what happens to the timber, mulch and other green waste, and what cleanup is included. If you want to keep firewood or mulch, tell us when you ask for the quote.

Pruning is selective work for clearance, structure or shape, including suitable canopy reduction. Lopping is a loose term, so ask which cuts are proposed. Indiscriminate topping can harm the tree. We explain suitable pruning, reduction or removal options for the problem you want fixed.

There is a full comparison in our trimming, pruning and lopping guide.

The best time depends on the species, its condition, what you want the pruning to achieve, the weather and whether wildlife is using the tree. Our pruning timing guide explains the main things to consider.

There is no single schedule. Review the tree when branches reach the roof, gutters or fence, when dead or cracked limbs appear, or when the canopy no longer suits the available space.

Pruning can reduce obvious hazards such as dead, cracked or heavily extended branches, but it cannot make a tree storm-proof. What is suitable depends on the tree and its condition.

Thinning selectively removes branches within the crown without substantially reducing its outline. Crown lifting removes selected lower branches for clearance. Suitable reduction shortens selected branches back to appropriate growth points; it is not indiscriminate topping.

Our guide to crown thinning, lifting and reduction explains which one suits which problem.

Yes. Palm trimming takes off the dead and hanging fronds, seed pods and flower stalks before they drop. We leave the healthy green fronds, because cutting too many weakens a palm. The height, the access and how many palms are in the job set the price. If a palm needs to come out instead, see tree removal.

Yes. Fruit-tree pruning can address height, access, branch structure and fruiting growth. The species and where it bears fruit determine which branches to retain and when to prune.

Our fruit tree pruning guide covers what to cut and when.

Yes. An old stump can be quoted as a separate grinding job even when someone else removed the tree. The way into the yard helps determine which equipment can reach it. See our stump grinding page for how it works.

Usually around 150–300 mm below the surrounding surface, where conditions allow. The finish depends on the stump, access, buried services and what you plan to do with the area. Share any builder or landscaper requirement, and check whether the quote leaves or removes the grindings.

One ordinary residential stump usually takes under two hours. A wide stump, hard timber, large surface roots, several stumps or a difficult way in takes longer.

No. Grinding cuts the stump and the accessible surface roots down below ground level. Deeper roots remain. AA offers grinding, not complete root excavation; further ground preparation may be needed for paving or construction.

Our guide comparing grinding and full stump removal goes through both, and what is left in the ground afterwards covers the roots.

Yes. Our work includes reducing height, trimming spreading sides and reshaping established screens using suitable access equipment. See our tall hedge trimming page for the detail.

Yes. We answer calls and attend urgent tree work across our Sydney service area 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For urgent help, call 0497 777 735 rather than send a form. Arrival times depend on the situation and safe access. For a life-threatening emergency call 000; for emergency storm assistance call NSW SES on 132 500. Keep clear of damaged trees and power lines. See our emergency tree removal page for how urgent jobs work.

Keep everyone well away from it, especially if it has touched power lines or the trunk is still half standing. Do not try to cut or shift anything yourself. Contact emergency services or the electricity network if power lines are involved, then call 0497 777 735 and tell us what has happened.

Our storm damage guide covers what happens next.

The tree's condition, access, what it is resting on, nearby structures and the equipment needed can all affect the quote. The written quote sets out the price and what is included before work starts.

Often, yes. Most Sydney councils require approval before you remove, or heavily prune, an established tree on private land, but each council sets its own size thresholds and exemptions, such as listed weed species and light pruning within set limits. Dead and dangerous trees usually still need the council to be satisfied first. Check the rules for your street address before anything comes down.

Our council approval guide compares the main Sydney councils and links to 11 council guides.

Yes, we can advise on what your council usually asks for with the work you need and point you to its current tree-work page. You lodge the application yourself, and if the council asks for an independent arborist report, that comes from a suitably qualified independent arborist. Our council approval guide explains what to check.

Removing or pruning a protected tree without approval breaches the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. Councils can issue penalty notices and orders and require replacement planting; The Hills Shire, for example, warns of a maximum fine of $1,100,000. Check your council’s rules, and any urgent-work process, before the tree comes down.

We cover the Eastern Suburbs, the CBD and inner city, the Inner West, the North Shore, the Northern Beaches, the Hills District, the Ryde area, St George, the Sutherland Shire, Western Sydney and South West Sydney.

Have a look through the areas we cover and find your suburb.

Yes. Tell us your preferred day when you ask for a quote and we will confirm whether it is available. Planned work is usually booked within one to two weeks of you accepting the quote.

Move cars out of the driveway and away from the tree, keep pets inside, and unlock any side gate or leave the way in clear. Move outdoor furniture, pot plants and anything fragile from under the tree. If we need a shared driveway or a neighbour’s side of the fence, let your neighbours know before the day.

Yes. We hold $20 million public liability insurance covering our advertised tree work. Our ABN is 84 908 231 900. Ask for insurance details with your quote if you need them for strata, a builder or your own records.

Yes. Our team includes an AQF Level 3-qualified arborist with more than 15 years of tree-work experience, and our owner is a General Member of Arboriculture Australia. We don’t write consulting arborist reports; if your council asks for one, it comes from an independent consulting arborist.