Tell us the job

Tree services, from removal to stump grinding

Pick the job that sounds most like yours.

Every tree job we match is listed below, and the quickest way to the right page is to say what the tree needs: to come down, be cut back, be ground out, or be checked.

A worker in a helmet, earmuffs and a visor feeding a leafy branch into a wood chipper on a grass verge
An arborist roped in near the top of a tall limbed-up pine, rigging it before the top comes out

What does a tree service actually do?

Tree service is the name most businesses give themselves, and it can mean almost any work on a tree. The British call the same tradie a tree surgeon. Here the trade is arboriculture, and the person is an arborist.

What's painted on the ute matters less than the job. Taking a big gum down beside a house, shaping a young fruit tree and writing a report for council are different kinds of work, so start with the job.

Which tree job is yours?

Start hereWhat it covers
The whole tree has to goTree removalTaking it down, often in sections, plus the stump and clean-up
It's too big or over the roofTree pruningLifting, thinning or reducing the crown to the Australian Standard
You were quoted for loppingTree loppingWhat the word means, and what to ask for instead
The stump is still thereStump grindingGrinding it, digging it out or leaving it
A storm brought it downStorm damageWho to call first, then the clean-up and insurance
Council wants a reportArborist reportsA consulting arborist's written assessment
Palms, hedges, roots or landPalms, hedges, roots, land clearingJobs with their own gear and methods

Two things to check before anyone cuts

Councils protect a lot of trees, in some places even dead ones, so look up the permit rules for your state before anything is cut.

A tree touching a street power line is the electricity network's job, not an arborist's. The power lines guide has the network to call.

Can't tell which job it is? Pick the closest and describe the tree in a sentence. An arborist can usually work out the rest.

Every tree job we match

Tree removal near the house and gardenWhen removal beats pruning, how trees come down near houses, permits, stumps and what a quote should cover.Large tree and crane removals, Dead and dangerous treesTree lopping, and what to ask an arborist forWhat lopping means to an arborist, why topping hurts trees, and the jobs to ask for instead.Tree pruning and trimmingPruning to AS 4373: crown lifting, thinning, reduction, deadwood, branches over the roof and council rules.Fruit tree pruning, Crown thinning, lifting and reductionStorm damage and fallen treesAfter a storm: 000, the SES, power lines, what an arborist does next, insurance and permits.Stump grinding and stump removalGrind, dig out or leave it: depth, regrowth, pipes and BYDA, the hole, replanting and what a quote covers.Palm tree removal and cleaningPalm cleans, seed pods and removals, cocos palms, and which councils protect palms.Hedge trimming, shaping and removalHedge trimming and removal: what you can do yourself, timing, council rules and NSW high hedges.Arborist reportsWhen councils ask for an arborist report, who can write one, and what a good report includes.Tree root removal and root pruningRoots under paths, pipes and slabs: the real cause, what can be cut, and council rules on roots.Tree root barriersLand and block clearingClearing a block: who sets the rules in each state, wildlife, bushfire clearing and mulch.Tree health checks and treatmentThe signs of borers, termites and dieback, how an arborist checks a sick tree, and when it can be saved.Tree and palm transplantingWhich trees and palms can be moved, what the job involves, and the approvals to check first.Strata and commercial tree workCommon-property trees, what councils ask strata schemes for, and planning tree work on busy sites.

Tree services, from removal to stump grinding: common questions

Is a tree surgeon the same as an arborist?

Yes, it's the British word for the trade. No Australian state or territory licenses arborists, so ask about qualifications: the Certificate III in Arboriculture (AHC30824) for the people doing the work, and the Diploma of Arboriculture (AHC50524) for consulting arborists who write reports.

More on tree services, from removal to stump grinding

Do I need a permit to remove a tree?Do you need a permit to remove a tree? Why the rules differ by state and council, and how to check yours.Checking an arborist: insurance, qualifications and questionsNo licence exists, so here's how to check insurance, qualification codes and memberships yourself.Reading a tree quote: what should be in itWhat a written tree quote should cover, line by line, and the red flags that say keep looking.How to choose an arborist (and what cheap can cost you)What makes tree quotes differ, the red flags, and the questions to ask before you book an arborist.Tree lopping, topping and pruningWhy lopped and topped trees regrow weakly, what the pruning Standard says, and how to ask for the result you want.

Where this information comes from

Tree rules change, so check with your council before anything is cut. How we write and check these pages.