Removal by height: three national guides
All three guides price removal mainly by height, but they cut the bands a little differently, so they're listed separately.
| Tree height | HomeGuide | Angi |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 feet | $150 to $500 | $150 to $450 |
| 30 to 60 feet | $300 to $1,000 | $450 to $1,200 |
| 60 to 80 feet | $650 to $2,000 | $800 to $1,500 |
| Over 80 feet | $1,200 to $2,700 | $1,000 to $2,000 |
| Tree height | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 feet | $200 to $500 |
| 30 to 50 feet | $500 to $900 |
| 50 to 80 feet | $900 to $1,200 |
| More than 80 feet | $1,200 to $2,000 |
Thumbtack's Birmingham page gives general ranges rather than Birmingham prices: a small tree from under $150 to over $450, a 30- to 60-foot tree from $150 to $850 or more, and a 60- to 80-foot tree that may start at $500 or run past $1,000 (checked Nov 12, 2026). Angi notes that shorter trees cost closer to $150 while tall, hard removals "can cost up to $10,000."
Height matters a lot in St. Clair County. The USDA Forest Service puts a mature loblolly pine at 90 to 110 feet, which lands it in every guide's top band.
Pines, oaks and what makes them different
| Job | Pine | Oak |
|---|---|---|
| Removal | $200 to $1,600 | $250 to $2,500 |
| Trimming, per tree | $250 to $1,600 | $450 to $1,500 |
A pine is mostly one tall, straight trunk. An oak spreads: UF/IFAS lists water oak at 50 to 60 feet tall but 60 to 70 feet wide, so a big one reaches over a lot more of the yard and house, and every heavy limb over something breakable has to be lowered on rope. A hollow trunk, which UF/IFAS says is common in water oaks by about age 40, also limits how a climber can tie in.
Hourly rates and add-ons
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Cutting a tree down, hourly | $65 to $140 an hour |
| Climbing and cutting, hourly | $50 to $125 an hour |
| Storm damage or emergency removal | $150 to $250 an hour |
| Crane-assisted removal | $500 to $2,500 a day, extra |
| Root removal, hourly | $75 to $150 an hour |
| Wood chipping, hourly | $100 to $150 an hour |
| Log splitting, hourly | $50 to $100 an hour |
Trimming costs
HomeGuide's tree trimming guide puts the national average at $400 to $900 per tree, running from about $80 for a small tree to $2,500 or more for a very large one, with minimum job charges of roughly $100 to $300 or more (checked Nov 12, 2026). By height: up to 30 feet, $250 to $700; 30 to 60 feet, $600 to $1,200; over 60 feet, $1,000 to $2,500 or more. Thumbtack gives $270 to $450 as the national average range (checked Nov 12, 2026). More on the tree trimming page.
Stump costs
HomeGuide's stump grinding guide (checked Nov 12, 2026):
- $120 to $400 for the first stump, $30 to $60 for each additional one.
- $2 to $6 per inch of diameter, with minimum service charges of $80 to $160.
- By width, before minimums: $30 to $70 for a stump up to 12 inches, $70 to $220 at 36 inches, $150 to $430 at 72 inches.
- Digging a stump out instead: $80 to $190 per stump, and a $150 to $350 minimum to bring a backhoe.
Angi suggests budgeting $100 to $150 more when the stump is part of a removal (checked Nov 12, 2026). The stump grinding guide has the full table.
Storm and urgent work
HomeGuide puts storm and emergency removal at $150 to $250 an hour. Forbes Home says urgent removal averages about $2,500, and by Angi's account an urgent removal can reach $5,000 (all checked Nov 12, 2026). A tree on a roof costs more than the same tree standing because it's under load, often tangled, and has to come off without doing more damage.
Two Alabama rules bear on the price. The Department of Insurance says a homeowners policy generally covers up to $500 toward tree removal, a limit that applies to all the downed trees from one event, and that removing a tree from the house or another insured structure is paid under the dwelling part of the policy (checked Nov 12, 2026). And during a declared state of emergency, Ala. Code § 8-31-3 makes unconscionable prices for any service unlawful in the affected area. The 25 percent yardstick in § 8-31-4 is written for commodities and rental facilities and doesn't mention services (checked Nov 12, 2026). See storm and emergency removal.
What raises the price on a St. Clair County lot
| On the lot | Why it costs more |
|---|---|
| A yard that drops away | Trucks and lifts need firm, level ground. When they can't reach, the tree is climbed and rigged, and every log has to be kept from rolling downhill |
| A deck, roof or shed below | Pieces get lowered on rope one at a time instead of dropped |
| Tall pines | A mature loblolly reaches 90 to 110 feet (USDA Forest Service), the top tier in every guide |
| Wires | Alabama Power says anyone without line qualifications should stay 10 feet back from lines under 50,000 volts (checked Nov 12, 2026) |
| A lake lot | Inside the 15-foot buffer on Alabama Power land, a tree over 3 inches across needs written authorization first; Alabama Power says permits can take 30 days or more depending on the reviews required (checked Nov 12, 2026) |
| Hauling | Pell City won't collect a tree service's limbs or logs, and leaving them at the curb is unlawful for the contractor (Ordinance 2017-4778, checked Nov 12, 2026) |
| Burning off the table | ADEM's vegetation burning rule requires 500 feet from the nearest occupied dwelling (checked Nov 12, 2026) |
| Rock in the stump hole | Ridge soils typical of this region run 10 to 40 inches to rock (USDA soil series descriptions), and stones slow a grinder |
Ways to keep the number down
- Keep the wood. Firewood-length rounds stacked on the lot, or chips left for your beds, mean less to haul.
- Do several trees or stumps at once. HomeGuide's stump figures show the drop: $120 to $400 for the first, $30 to $60 for each one after.
- Leave a stump that isn't in the way. Unless it came from a pine infested with southern pine beetle or Ips, grinding is optional.
- Clear the way. Move cars, furniture and anything else from the work area and the path to it.
- Don't wait for the storm. A standing tree costs less to take down than the same tree on the roof.
Cost questions from Pell City
Why does the same size tree cost more at my house than the guides say?
The guides are national averages. A sloping lot, a deck underneath, wires, hauling and lake rules all push a St. Clair County job toward the high end.
Does the price usually include the stump?
Not always. Ask whether grinding is in the price, and if so, how deep and whether the chips are hauled.
Will insurance pay for taking down a dead tree before it falls?
The Department of Insurance guide speaks to downed trees and trees that damage the house. For a standing tree, ask your agent; don't assume coverage.
Why isn't there a Pell City price list here?
No local price page could be read for this site, and no prices were gathered from local contractors, so nothing here is dressed up as a local price. The national figures show the range; the contractor's written price is specific to your tree.
This site sets no prices and does no tree work. A request sent from it reaches one independent contractor who works around Pell City and St. Clair County, and that contractor writes the price.
Source notes
- HomeGuide, Tree Removal Cost, Tree Trimming Cost and Stump Grinding Cost (no updated date shown). Checked Nov 12, 2026.
- Angi, How Much Does Tree Removal Cost?; Forbes Home, Tree Removal Cost (audited October 1, 2024); Thumbtack, Birmingham tree removal (national figures). Checked Nov 12, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System, Pinus taeda; UF/IFAS, Quercus nigra: Water Oak (ST553); USDA official soil series descriptions for Montevallo and Townley.
- Alabama Department of Insurance, An Insurance Preparedness Guide for Natural Disasters; Ala. Code § 8-31-3 and § 8-31-4. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
- Alabama Power, Residential Vegetation Management, shoreline guidelines and permitting post (September 15, 2022); City of Pell City, Ordinance No. 2017-4778; Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-3-3-.01. Checked Nov 12, 2026.