Homeyou
Birmingham, AL- Tree removal, one medium tree
- $521 to $709
- Stump removal
- $60 to $350
Cost guide updated September 2026. View source
Tree Removal Cost in Birmingham, AL
Most tree removal in the Birmingham area runs a few hundred dollars for a small, easy tree and well into the thousands for a big tree over a house. Below are the published averages, what pushes a job up or down, and straight answers to the questions people ask before they call.
What published cost guides say
These are third-party averages, not K&M prices. They are a useful starting point, but averages are built from easy jobs and hard ones together. Big trees near a house, dead trees, and crane work land well above them.
ProMatcher
Alabama- Tree removal, standing tree under 30 ft
- $351 to $435
- Tree trimming, two-person crew
- $115 to $143 per hour
- Land and lot clearing
- $1,109 to $2,265 per acre
Statewide averages. View source
HomeGuide
National averages- Trees under 30 ft
- $150 to $500
- Trees 30 to 80 ft
- $300 to $2,000
- By height
- $5 to $25 per foot
- Stump grinding
- $100 to $400
- Stump grinding, by size
- $2 to $6 per inch
Not specific to Birmingham. View source
Figures checked October 2026. In an r/Birmingham thread about 70 to 100 foot trees near houses, one homeowner said five companies quoted between $1,000 and $5,400 for their job. That spread is normal for big trees, which is why the estimate matters more than the average.
What moves the price
- Height and trunk size. More wood, more time, more hauling.
- What is underneath. A tree in an open field gets felled. A tree over a house gets taken apart piece by piece.
- Condition. Dead and hollow trees cannot be climbed safely, so they need a bucket truck or crane.
- Access. Can a truck get near it, or does every piece walk out through a gate?
- Power lines. A tree in the lines needs the utility involved, which adds a step.
- Cleanup and stump. Hauling everything and grinding the stump adds to the job. Keeping the wood or leaving the stump costs less.
- Timing. Emergency and storm work costs more than a scheduled job. Winter costs less than spring.
How to keep the price down
- Do several trees on one visit instead of separate trips.
- Grind stumps the same day as the removal.
- Be flexible on the date.
- Keep the wood if you burn it. Hauling is real cost.
- Do not wait until the tree is on the house. A scheduled removal costs far less than an emergency one.
Comparing quotes
Get more than one quote, and make sure they cover the same scope: stump ground or left, wood hauled or left, cleanup included. Ask every company for proof of insurance. K&M is licensed, bonded, and insured, with coverage up to $1 million in property damage liability, and customers in our Google reviews mention fair prices compared to other quotes.
Get your free estimate
Kenny prefers to see the job in person so the price is accurate, and the estimate is free. Tap the quote button, pick the size and what the tree is near, and add a photo. We will reach out to set it up.
Tree removal cost questions
Published guides put a single medium tree removal in Birmingham at roughly $521 to $709 (Homeyou), a standing tree under 30 feet in Alabama at $351 to $435 (ProMatcher), and trimming at $115 to $143 an hour for a two-person crew (ProMatcher). Big trees near a house, dead trees, and crane jobs run well above those averages. The only accurate number comes from someone seeing the tree, which is why our estimates are free.
HomeGuide puts trees under 30 feet at $150 to $500. A 20 foot tree in an open yard is usually toward the low end. Close to a house, fence, or power line, it costs more because it has to come down in pieces.
Using the HomeGuide figure of $5 to $25 per foot of height, a 30 foot tree works out to roughly $150 to $750. ProMatcher lists $351 to $435 for a standing tree under 30 feet in Alabama. Access and what is underneath the tree move it up or down.
Per-foot math gives $500 to $2,500, but trees that tall near a house usually need rigging or a crane, which costs more. In an r/Birmingham thread about 70 to 100 foot trees near houses, one homeowner said five companies quoted between $1,000 and $5,400, with the crane quote at the top.
Late fall and winter. Crews are less busy, the ground is firmer, and with the leaves off the work goes faster. Spring storm season is the most expensive time because everyone is calling at once.
The cheapest quote is often missing something: insurance, cleanup, haul-off, or the stump. Compare quotes for the same scope, and ask every company for proof of insurance. If a crew without coverage damages your house or gets hurt on your property, it can land on your homeowners policy.
Trimming is usually cheaper, and a trimmed tree keeps its shade and value. Whether trimming will solve the problem depends on the tree. A dead or badly leaning tree usually has to come down.
You can ask. What actually lowers the price: flexibility on the date, keeping the wood, doing several trees on one visit, and grinding stumps the same day. What does not: haggling a company into skipping insurance or cleanup.
There is no general program in Alabama for free tree removal. Utilities clear trees that threaten their lines, and some counties run cleanup programs after declared disasters. If a tree is touching a power line, call the utility first.
Usually you cannot. The exceptions: the utility may remove a tree that threatens its lines, your homeowners insurance may pay when a tree falls on a covered structure, and debris programs sometimes run after a declared disaster.
Homeowners insurance is the most common route, when a tree damages a covered structure like the house, garage, or fence. After a federally declared disaster, FEMA and county programs sometimes help with debris. Insurance work and claims are welcome here, and we accept all insurance.
When the tree damages a covered structure, usually yes, often with a cap on debris removal. A tree that falls in the yard and hits nothing is generally not covered. Removal for looks or maintenance is not covered. Every policy is different, so check yours.
Dead trees get brittle and drop limbs, then eventually fail at the trunk or roots, often in the next storm. If a dead tree you knew about falls on your house, your insurer may question the claim, and if it falls on a neighbor you could be held responsible.
A common rule of thumb is to remove no more than about 25 percent of a tree's live canopy in one year. Taking more stresses the tree. Dead and broken branches do not count against that and can come off any time.
Most trees are best pruned in late winter while they are dormant. Heavy pruning during the spring growth flush stresses the tree. Dead, broken, or hazardous limbs are the exception and can come off any time of year.
On a private residential lot, usually yes, but some cities and HOAs have their own rules, so check first. The bigger issue is safety. A tree near the house, a fence, or a power line is not a DIY job.
Insurance, equipment, and risk. Bucket trucks, cranes, chippers, and stump grinders are expensive to own and run, and lowering heavy sections between two houses takes a trained crew. The cheap quote is usually missing one of those.