What tree removal costs in Marietta, GA
Real 2026 metro Atlanta ranges, what moves them, and how to tell a fair quote from a cheap one. No obligation to call us at the end of it.
Call (770) 802-1864Most tree companies will not put numbers on a website. We think that is unhelpful, because the first thing you actually want to know is whether the quote in your hand is reasonable. So here is the real picture for metro Atlanta in 2026, where the numbers come from, and what moves them — including for the bids you get from someone other than us.
Two things to hold in mind. These are market ranges from published metro Atlanta pricing data, not our rate card. And no honest company can price your tree from a description over the phone: lean, decay, access and what is underneath it change the number more than height does.
Tree removal cost by size
| Tree size | Typical examples | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 ft | Dogwood, redbud, crape myrtle, young pine | $200 – $500 |
| 30 – 60 ft | Maple, mid-size oak, Bradford pear | $400 – $1,000 |
| 60 – 80 ft | Mature water oak, loblolly pine, sweetgum | $900 – $1,800 |
| 80 ft + | Old-growth white oak, tall pine, crane work | $1,500 – $3,500+ |
| Service | Range | How it is measured |
|---|---|---|
| Stump grinding | $100 – $400 per stump | Roughly $2–$5 per inch of diameter, $100–$150 minimum |
| Full stump removal | $200 – $800 | Excavating the root ball; needed before a slab or foundation |
| Emergency / after-hours | $1,000 – $3,000+ | Night work, damaged tree, structure or utility involved |
| Trimming & pruning | Quoted per tree | Size, how much comes out, access; far below removal cost |
| Land clearing | $2,500 – $6,000+ per acre | Stem density, slope, mulched in place vs hauled off |
| Debris haul-away (if separate) | ~$80 – $100 | Chipping or hauling; included by default in our quotes |
The seven things that actually move your price
- Height and trunk diameter. The baseline. Wood volume rises much faster than height does, so an 80-foot tree is not twice the work of a 40-foot one — it is considerably more.
- Proximity to structures. The single biggest multiplier. A tree that can be felled in one piece is a fraction of the cost of the same tree that must be dismantled and lowered over a roof.
- Access for equipment. Can a bucket truck reach it? Will a chipper get down the drive? A fenced back yard with a 36-inch gate turns a machine job into a hand job.
- Condition. Decay is expensive. A hollow trunk cannot be trusted to hold a climber, which forces a crane, and cranes cost $1,000 to $3,000 a day.
- Species. Oak and hickory are dense and heavy, so more sections and more time. Pine is lighter to cut but grows very tall. Sweetgum is awkward and brittle.
- Power lines. Work near a service drop needs clearance procedures. Anything touching a primary distribution line has to involve Georgia Power or Cobb EMC first, which adds coordination time.
- Debris volume and disposal. A large hardwood produces an astonishing amount of material. Chipping, hauling and tipping fees are real costs, which is why "we'll leave the wood" saves you money.
"Cheap" versus affordable, and how to tell them apart
Searches for cheap tree service Marietta and best tree service Marietta turn up plenty of results, and it is worth being clear about what separates an affordable tree removal from a bad one. An affordable tree service means the same crew, the same insurance and the same cleanup at a fair price — usually achieved by bundling trees, scheduling outside storm season, or keeping the wood. Cheap, in the sense that shows up unannounced after a storm with a truck and no paperwork, means the risk has simply been moved onto you.
Nobody works for free. What is genuinely free is the estimate: a site visit, a written itemised price, and no obligation, whether you go ahead or not.
What tree trimming costs, versus removal
Tree trimming cost is quoted per tree rather than by size band, because the variable is how much comes out rather than how big the tree is. A crown cleaning on a mid-size hardwood is typically a small fraction of what removing that same tree would cost, which is the whole argument for staying ahead of it. Deadwooding several trees in one visit is cheaper again.
Reading a quote properly
A written estimate should show, as separate lines: the removal itself, stump grinding if wanted, debris removal and haul-away, and any extras like crane time or permit handling. If a bid is a single number with no breakdown, ask for one. That is where the differences between quotes usually hide.
Questions worth asking every company, including us:
- Can I see a current certificate of general liability and workers' compensation, with my name on it?
- Is cleanup included, and does that mean raked and blown or just the big pieces gone?
- Is stump grinding in this number? To what depth?
- Who is liable if something is damaged, and what is the process?
- Will you be climbing and rigging, or felling it?
The cheapest bid is often the uninsured one. A crew without workers' compensation means an injury in your yard can become a claim against your homeowner's policy. A crew without liability coverage means the limb through your roof is your problem. Nobody who is properly insured can be 40 percent cheaper than everyone else — that gap is the insurance.
Permits, and whether they cost you anything
For a single-family home inside Marietta city limits, you generally do not need a permit to remove a tree on your own property, so there is no permit cost. Commercial, multi-family and apartment properties require an application through the Department of Development Services, which needs a site plan, species, trunk diameter at 4.5 feet, photographs and usually an arborist's report — that report is a real line item. Unincorporated Cobb County, Roswell and Woodstock each have their own rules, and Roswell's are notably stricter. Confirm your parcel before budgeting.
Choosing the best tree removal company for the job
Choosing a licensed tree service matters more than the logo on the truck. The best tree service for a large decayed oak over a roof is not necessarily the best one for four small stumps in a back yard, and price is only part of it. What to weigh: current liability and workers' compensation certificates, whether they climb and rig or only fell, whether they own a chipper and grinder or subcontract, how specific the written scope is, and whether they will tell you a tree does not need removing. That last one is the most reliable signal there is.
When paying more is the right answer
Crane work on a decayed tree. A proper reduction prune instead of topping. An arborist assessment before you spend four figures removing something that only needed deadwooding. Hauling the grindings and backfilling with topsoil if you intend to grow grass there. Each costs more up front and less over the life of the property.
And the reverse: if a company recommends removing several healthy trees at once, get a second opinion before writing that cheque. A mature shade tree adds real value to a Cobb County property and takes forty years to replace.
Get the actual number for your tree
Ranges are useful for sanity-checking. They are not a quote. We come out, walk the property, and hand you an itemised written price — removal, stump, cleanup, shown separately.
Or call: (770) 802-1864
Call for a free on-site estimate
One call, no obligation, and a written price before anything starts. The line is answered 24 hours a day — including storm nights and holidays.
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Have this ready and we can quote faster
- Roughly how tall the tree is, and the species if you know it.
- What it is closest to — house, driveway, fence, power line.
- Anything that has changed: a new lean, a crack, deadwood appearing.
- Your address or nearest cross street in Marietta or Cobb County.
If a tree is on a structure, blocking your way out, or touching anything electrical, call straight away rather than waiting for business hours.
Tree removal pricing — frequently asked
Across metro Atlanta the average residential removal is roughly $750, with most jobs falling between $200 and $2,000. Marietta sits squarely in that range. The spread is wide because a 25-foot dogwood in an open front yard and an 80-foot decayed water oak over a roof are entirely different pieces of work.
Usually one of four things: whether cleanup and haul-away are included, whether stump grinding is in the number, whether the company carries real insurance, and whether they intend to climb and rig or drop it and hope. Ask every bidder to itemise removal, stump, debris and cleanup separately — the cheap quote often turns out to exclude two of them.
Georgia homeowner policies commonly cover removal when a tree strikes a covered structure, and often cover the resulting damage regardless of whose tree it was. A tree that falls in the yard and hits nothing is frequently not covered, or capped at a few hundred dollars. Removing a living tree because you are worried about it is maintenance and is not covered. Check your own policy — coverage varies.
Modestly, sometimes. Demand drops between storm seasons, deciduous trees have no leaves so there is less debris to handle, and frozen or dry ground is easier on equipment. It is not a dramatic discount, but if the work is not urgent, booking in January or February is a reasonable way to save.
Bundle several trees into one visit — mobilising a crew and chipper is a fixed cost whether it is one tree or five. Keep the trunk rounds for firewood, which typically takes $100 to $300 off because we are not hauling and disposing of the wood. Add the stump to the same visit rather than a return trip. Schedule outside storm season. What you should not do is hire an uninsured crew to save 30 percent.
No. The site visit and the written estimate are free and carry no obligation, in Marietta and everywhere else we work. A detailed written arborist report for a permit, HOA or legal matter is a separate paid service, quoted up front.
Find out what your tree actually costs
Free on-site estimate, written price before anything starts, and a crew that cleans up before it leaves.