Updated November 9, 2026
A tree service estimate template has to protect you from one thing most trades never face: what is above the house. Height, what sits under the drop zone and where the debris goes decide the price far more than the species.
Quick answer: A tree service estimate lists the tree (species, height, trunk size), the access and what sits under it, the removal price, rigging, debris and stump as separate lines, then exclusions, permits and how long the price holds. The worked 45-foot removal below comes to $1,305 and leaves a 28.7% margin after crew cost.
Lawn Love puts the average U.S. tree removal at $850, with most jobs between $385 and $1,070, or about $9.50 to $14.50 per foot of height, and stump removal another $180 to $525 (Lawn Love, updated Oct 5, 2026). This Old House gives bands of $150 to $450 up to 30 feet, $450 to $1,200 for 30 to 60 feet, $800 to $1,500 for 60 to 80 feet and $1,000 to $2,000 above that (This Old House, updated Mar 5, 2026).
Those are homeowner averages for trees with reasonable access. The estimate is where you charge for the part they cannot see: a limb over a roof takes rigging, an extra climber and more time on the ground.
| Line | What to write | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Customer and site | Name, address, gate width, where the truck parks | No charge |
| Tree | Species, height, trunk diameter, tag or photo number | Reference |
| Removal | Cut to ground, what is left behind | Per foot or flat |
| Rigging and hazards | Over roof, wires nearby, dead or leaning wood | Flat add-on |
| Debris | Chip and haul, or logs left on site | Flat |
| Stump | Diameter, grind depth, chips left or removed | Per inch or flat |
| Permit | Who pulls it, cost passed through | At cost |
| Exclusions | Utility line clearance, lawn repair, buried lines | Written out |
| Terms | Price valid 15 days, deposit, insurance certificate | Written out |
The prices below are assumptions inside the published ranges above. Replace them with yours.
| Line | How it is priced | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Removal, 45 ft | 45 ft × $12 | $540 |
| Rigging over neighbor fence | Flat | $350 |
| Chip and haul debris | Flat | $175 |
| Stump grind, about 18 in | Flat | $240 |
| Estimate total | $1,305 |
Before sending it, check the job against your cost. Three people for five hours at an assumed $48 an hour loaded is $720; truck, chipper and fuel $150; dump fees $60. That is $930 of cost and $375 of margin, or 28.7%. If the crew runs an hour over, cost rises by $144 and margin falls to 17.7%, which is why the rigging line deserves its own price.
After a storm, your normal estimate breaks down: the tree may be on a roof, and the customer's insurer may want an itemized bill. State the emergency rate on the estimate, photograph the damage first, and separate tree removal from any roof tarping so the claim is easy to read. Decide your storm rate before the season, not at 6 am with a line of callers.
Tree work is often shopped against two other companies, so send the estimate the same day you walk the property and follow up within two days. Run your numbers through the free tree service pricing calculator, and see how to price tree removal jobs for the hourly math behind each line.
Unmanually is a 24/7 AI Office Manager for tree service companies. It answers calls and texts while your crew is in the air, collects the address and photos, books the walkthrough, builds the estimate from your price list, sends it and follows up. See how it works for tree service companies.
The tree details, access and hazards, separate lines for removal, rigging, debris and stump, permit handling, exclusions, deposit and how long the price holds.
Lawn Love puts it at about $9.50 to $14.50 per foot, or $285 to $435 for a 30-foot tree. Add rigging and access charges on top.
Yes, as its own line. Lawn Love puts stump removal at another $180 to $525, and a separate line lets the customer choose.
Fifteen to thirty days is common practice. Say so on the estimate, because storms and season can change your schedule and prices.
Home service businesses answer only about half their calls (Invoca, July 2026), and owners spend about 11 to 16 hours/week on admin. Knowing what to do is the easy part; the money leaks out in the calls you can't take, the quotes nobody chases and the invoices that sit unpaid. Unmanually is a 24/7 AI Office Manager for tree service companies that you run by voice from your phone:
Sources: Invoca, July 2026 (52% of home-service calls answered by a person, 60M+ calls); admin hours: Time etc / Censuswide 2023 and Amex SME Barometer 2026.
Unmanually is an AI Office Manager that works 24/7 and that you run by voice from your phone. Leave your mobile number and the AI Office Manager calls you right away, the same way it would call back one of your customers. That call is the demo: it answers, books you a 15-minute time with the founder and follows up.
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