Ask three companies to quote on the same tree and you can get three very different numbers. That makes tree felling prices feel like guesswork, but they are not. Every honest quote weighs the same handful of things: how big the tree is, how easy it is to reach, what sits underneath it and what has to happen once it is down. Once you know those, you can read a quote properly and compare like with like.
Below we set out the typical ranges you will see around Cape Town, what moves a job up or down within them, and fair ways to keep the bill sensible.
Typical tree felling prices in Cape Town
These are typical market ranges for the Cape Town area, not our fixed prices. We use one simple size scheme so the bands are easy to compare.
| Job | Typical Cape Town range |
|---|---|
| Small tree (under 5 m) | R500 to R1,500 |
| Medium tree (5 to 10 m) | R1,500 to R3,500 |
| Large tree (over 10 m) | R3,500 to R7,500 and up |
| Stump grinding | R300 to R950 per stump |
Why such wide bands? Two trees of the same height can take very different amounts of work. A small tree in an open front garden is quick, while a tree of the same size tucked between a pool and a boundary wall may need a climber and most of a morning. The large band is open-ended for the same reason: a tall gum leaning over a double-storey house is a different job from one standing in open ground.
That is why we always quote in writing after a free site visit. The ranges help you spot a quote that is far out of line, but the written quote is what counts.
What pushes the price up or down
Size is where pricing starts, but it is rarely what decides it. These are the things we look at on every site visit.
Height and trunk size
A taller tree with a thicker trunk simply holds more wood, which means more cutting, more lowering and more to load and take away. Dense timber such as gum is heavier and slower to process than lighter wood, which is one reason big old gums and pines tend to sit at the top of the large band.
Access
If our vehicle can park beside the tree, branches and logs move quickly. If every piece has to be carried through a narrow side passage, up a flight of steps or through the house, the same tree takes far longer.
What is under the tree, and rigging
A tree with open ground around it can often be felled in one controlled drop. Once a roof, pool, wall, power cable or the neighbour’s garage is within reach, it cannot. Our climbers then take it down in sections, lowering each piece on ropes. Rigging is slower and needs more people on the ground, and it is the main reason trees close to houses cost more.
Weather plays a part too. Nobody should dismantle a large tree at height in a strong south-easter, so a summer booking near a house sometimes moves by a day.
Condition of the tree
Dead, decayed or split trees behave unpredictably when cut. They need extra care and often a slower method, so a dying tree can cost more to remove than a healthy one of the same size.
Number of trees
A good part of any job is getting a crew, equipment and a truck to your property. Two or three trees done in one visit share that cost, so the price per tree usually comes down. The same applies when you add stump grinding or palm cleaning to a felling visit.
The stump
Felling takes a tree down to a low stump. Grinding that stump out uses a separate machine and is a separate line on the quote, typically R300 to R950 per stump depending on its diameter and how easy it is to reach. Left in the ground, a stump can resprout, attract fungus and trip people up, and it gets in the way if you plan to pave or replant. Booking stump grinding with the felling is cheaper than a second visit.
Protected species
Permits rarely apply to ordinary garden trees. A protected species such as a milkwood is the exception: it needs a national licence before it can be cut, which adds time to the job. Our guide to preparing for tree felling explains when that applies.
What our quote includes
Every written quote from us covers the whole job: felling or sectional dismantling, cutting up the timber and branches, clearing the site and taking the waste away. The waste is not a separate per-load charge added at the end. That matters, because one large tree can fill several truck loads, and a quote that leaves them on your lawn is not a finished job.
We are fully insured, with public liability cover for damage to property and COIDA (Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act) registration for our workers. If you would like to keep some logs for firewood, tell us when we quote so we can plan around it.
Urgent or after-hours work, such as a tree brought down across a driveway by a winter storm, may cost more than a planned job. Either way, the price is agreed with you before work starts. We quote across Cape Town, the Helderberg and the winelands, from tree felling in Constantia in the Southern Suburbs to tree felling in Stellenbosch.
How to compare quotes fairly
The only fair comparison is between quotes that cover the same work. Before you look at the bottom line, check each quote for these points:
- Waste: is clearing and taking it away included, or will the branches be stacked on the pavement?
- The stump: is grinding included, priced separately or not mentioned at all?
- Insurance: does the company have public liability cover and COIDA registration? If a climber is hurt or a wall is damaged, an uninsured operator’s problem can quickly become yours.
- The method: ask how they will handle the limb over the garage. A professional can explain the rigging in plain words.
- Paperwork: a written quote with the scope spelled out. Be wary of cash-only work and of anyone at the door asking for a large deposit.
If one quote is a fraction of the others, something is usually missing, most often insurance, the stump or the waste. A very high quote may simply come from a company that does not want the job. Two or three quotes on the same scope is plenty.
A good quote should not change on the day unless the scope does, for example if you add another tree or hidden decay calls for a different method. Any change should be discussed with you before work carries on, never after. For more on judging the company itself, read our guide to choosing a tree felling company.
Fair ways to keep the cost down
- Batch the work. Felling, stump grinding and palm work in one visit costs less than separate call-outs.
- Clear the way. Move cars, trampolines and pot plants out of the work area and leave the gate open. It saves crew time on the day.
- Plan ahead. Book a removal for a calm, quieter spell rather than waiting for the first winter storm, when urgent call-outs take priority. A medium tree dealt with now is cheaper than the large one it will become.
- Describe the site honestly. Mention pools, cables, thatch and narrow access when you ask for a price. Surprises are what change numbers.
The one saving we advise against is picking a quote that leaves the waste behind. A pile of branches drying out through summer is a fire risk, and it still costs money to remove later.
For a written quote on your tree, WhatsApp a photo and your address to 071 799 1993, or request a free quote and we will arrange a site visit.