Felling is the traditional way to bring a tree down: cut a notch on the side you want it to fall, make a back cut, and let the tree go over in one piece along a planned line. It is quick and uses less rigging than climbing and dismantling. It only works when the ground the tree will land on is clear, with room to spare.
That tends to mean bigger plots. Think of a long back garden in Four Oaks, a paddock edge near Solihull, a school field boundary or a self-build plot that has been left to grow. If your tree is hemmed in by buildings, what you need is tree removal in sections instead. You don't need to know which method applies. The specialist decides from your photos.
What it costs
Felling is priced on the same height bands as removal. Where a tree can be felled in one piece, the job is often quicker, so the price may sit towards the lower end of the range.
| Tree height | Indicative price | Stump ground out at the same visit |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 5m) | £280–£380 | add £70 |
| Medium (5–10m) | £480–£720 | add £100 |
| Large (10–15m) | £850–£1,400 | add £150 |
| Over 15m | Free survey | Priced on survey |
Prices include cutting up the trunk and branches and taking them away. They are indicative: the specialist confirms a fixed price from your photos, usually the same day. See the tree removal cost guide for more examples.
What affects the price
- The length of clear ground. The tree needs somewhere to land that's at least as long as it is tall, and the specialist will want a wider safety zone around that. If that's not available, part of the tree may need to come down in sections first, which adds time.
- Lean and condition. A tree leaning away from where it needs to go takes wedges, a winch or a pulling line to steer it. Dead or diseased trees, including ash with dieback, can be brittle and unpredictable, so the specialist may use a machine rather than climb.
- Clearing the timber. A felled 12m tree leaves a lot of wood on the ground. Keeping the logs to season takes about £75 off.
- Several trees. Felling a line of trees on the same visit costs roughly 1.8 times a single tree for two or three, and 2.5 times for four or more.
- Getting machinery in. A tree more than 20m from where the van can park, or anything that has to go through the house, adds around 15%.
- Survey jobs. Anything over 15m, near overhead cables, next to a road or pavement, or likely to cost more than £1,200 is priced after a free visit.
What the job involves
- Planning the fall. The specialist picks the line of fall, checks for obstacles along it, and plans two escape routes for the person cutting, angled back and away from the fall.
- Clearing the zone. Nobody stands within the danger zone while the tree comes down. Vehicles, pets and garden furniture are moved well clear.
- The notch. A wedge-shaped notch is cut on the side facing the direction of fall, around a quarter to a third of the way into the trunk.
- The back cut and hinge. A cut from the opposite side stops short of the notch, leaving a strip of wood called the hinge. The hinge steers the tree as it falls. Wedges or a pulling line can help it on its way.
- Snedding and cutting up. Once it's down, the branches are cut off, fed through the chipper, and the trunk is cut into logs.
- The stump. It's cut low and either ground out on the day or left for later.
Felling larger trees is skilled work. Anyone doing it should hold NPTC or equivalent chainsaw certificates that cover felling trees of that size. We check these for every tree surgeon before they join. Our guide on whether tree surgeons need to be qualified explains the different certificates.
Tree specialists cover Sutton Coldfield, Solihull and North Birmingham, among other areas.
What to photograph for a quote
Good photos usually mean a fixed price without a visit. More photo tips.
- The whole thing, with your house or fence in shot for scale
- The base or ground level and what’s around it: walls, sheds, beds
- The route in from the road: side gate, steps, the path through
Questions about tree felling
What's the difference between tree felling and tree removal?
Felling means dropping the whole tree in one piece in a controlled direction. Removal is the broader job, and in most back gardens it means taking the tree down in sections from the top because there isn't room to fell it. Many trees end up with a mix of the two: the top taken down in sections, then the lower trunk felled.
How much space does a tree need to be felled?
As a rule of thumb, the landing area needs to be at least as long as the tree is tall, clear of buildings, fences and anything else you'd mind being hit. The specialist will want extra room around that for safety. Tell them the distances when you send photos.
Can a leaning tree be felled the other way?
Often, within limits. A moderate lean can be countered with wedges, a winch or a pulling line. A heavy lean towards a building usually means the tree is taken down in sections instead. The specialist will judge it from your photos or on a visit.
Can I keep the wood for firewood?
Yes. Ask for the trunk to be cut into rings or logs and stacked, which takes about £75 off. Freshly felled wood needs to dry out before it burns well, typically for a year or more depending on the species and how it's stored.
Do I need a felling licence?
Not for trees in a private garden. Felling licences from the Forestry Commission mainly apply to larger volumes of timber outside gardens, for example on farmland or woodland plots. Planning conditions, Tree Preservation Orders and conservation areas are separate, and are covered in our permissions guide.