tree-service

How Much Does Tree Removal Cost in Salt Lake City, UT?

Tree removal in Salt Lake City, UT runs from roughly $250 for a small tree to $6,500 for a giant cottonwood, with access and permits shaping the bid.

How Much Does Tree Removal Cost in Salt Lake City, UT?

Removing a small tree in Salt Lake City, UT costs roughly $250 to $600, a medium tree runs about $600 to $1,300, and a mature cottonwood or elm can reach $2,800 to $6,500. Most homeowners end up somewhere between $800 and $1,500 for a typical backyard job.

Those spreads are wide because the valley grows some enormous trees on some awkward lots. A 90-foot cottonwood leaning over a terraced yard in the Avenues is a different project than a dying apple tree in a flat Rose Park backyard.

Fall is also the busiest bidding season of the year. Crews are juggling storm calls and winter prep through October, which affects both the price you are quoted and how long you wait.

What Each Size of Tree Costs

Height drives the quote more than any other factor, because taller trees mean more rigging, more cuts, and more hours. Trunk diameter matters too, since a thick trunk adds bucking time and heavier wood to haul away.

The ranges below assume reasonable access and a structurally sound tree. Dead wood, steep slopes, and crane work push bids above the top of each range.

Most quotes bundle felling, limbing, and hauling the brush. The stump is almost always a separate line item, which is covered further down.

Cottonwoods and Siberian Elms Earn Their Reputation

Fremont cottonwoods grew up along the valley's creeks and irrigation ditches, and many now stand 80 to 100 feet with trunks four feet across. The wood is heavy and the branch unions are weak, which is an expensive combination to dismantle safely.

Siberian elms were planted all over Salt Lake County in the mid-1900s because they shrug off drought. The trade-off is brittle wood that drops limbs without warning, and a mature elm often grows three or four trunks that each come down like a separate tree.

Bids of $3,000 to $6,500 are normal for either species at full size. If a company quotes a 90-foot cottonwood at $1,200, ask hard questions about insurance and experience before anyone starts a saw.

Bench Lots Add Real Money

Yards in the Avenues, Federal Heights, and Olympus Cove often sit two or three terraces above the street. When a bucket truck cannot reach the tree, climbers rig every limb and lower it by rope, which can add 25 to 50 percent to a bid.

Retaining walls and narrow side yards slow the hauling as well. A crew carrying rounds through a gate by hand bills those extra hours, and a chipper parked half a block away means more dragging time.

A crane set up in the street sometimes beats three days of rigging. On tight East Bench lots, a $1,500 crane day can lower the total bill by cutting the job from days to hours.

Park Strip Trees Need a City Permit

The strip of grass between the sidewalk and the curb is public space in Salt Lake City, and the trees growing in it are public trees. You must obtain a permit through the city's urban forestry program before removing one or doing major pruning, even though it sits in front of your house.

That rule surprises homeowners every year, because the park strip tree shades their yard and fills their gutters with leaves. The city still has jurisdiction over it, and unpermitted removal can bring fines plus the cost of a replacement tree.

Trees standing fully on private property generally need no permit in Salt Lake City. A quick call to the city before any large removal is cheap insurance, since rules differ for some protected trees and planned developments.

Stump Grinding and Other Add-Ons

Stump grinding runs $100 to $400 per stump in the Salt Lake Valley, usually priced around $3 to $5 per inch of diameter. A 40-inch cottonwood stump sits at the top of that range and can pass it when surface roots run under a sidewalk.

Hauling the wood is often negotiable. Keeping the logs for firewood can trim $100 to $250 off a bid, though green cottonwood is heavy, stringy to split, and modest stove fuel once it dries.

Wood chips are sometimes free if you want them for garden paths. Ask before the crew arrives, because once the chip truck leaves, so does the mulch.

Comparing two or three bids is worth the phone calls on any job over $1,000. The rest of our tree service cost guides can help you benchmark the individual line items.

Fall Scheduling and Canyon Wind Emergencies

Late October through February is the discount window, and some companies knock 10 to 20 percent off because demand falls with the leaves. Dormant trees are simpler to assess, and frozen ground protects lawns from equipment.

The exception is wind. East canyon winds roar out of Parleys and Emigration a few times each cold season, and the September 2020 windstorm flattened thousands of trees across the valley in a single morning.

Emergency removals after a blow run $1,000 to $5,000 or more, with after-hours premiums on top. When a tree lands on a structure, homeowners insurance usually gets involved, and many companies bill the adjuster directly.

Storm season is also when uninsured crews with chainsaws start knocking on doors. Our home services blog covers how to vet a contractor before the truck is in your driveway.

Salt Lake City Tree Removal FAQ

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in my backyard?

Usually not, if the tree stands entirely on your own property. Trees in the park strip between the sidewalk and curb are city trees, and removing one without a permit can bring a fine plus replacement costs.

How much does it cost to remove a large cottonwood?

Plan on $2,800 to $6,500 for a cottonwood over 75 feet, and more if a crane is needed. Tight bench lots in the Avenues or Olympus Cove push totals toward the high end.

Is stump grinding included in a removal quote?

Almost never, so read the bid closely. Expect a separate charge of $100 to $400 per stump, figured at roughly $3 to $5 per inch of diameter.

When is the cheapest time to schedule a removal?

Late fall through winter, when some Salt Lake Valley companies discount 10 to 20 percent. Booking in November for a December job usually beats calling during spring rush.