Going with the wrong arborist or tree service in Perth can have you over-paying for a sub-standard job.
There are a few key things you can do that will increase your chances of hiring a great company at rock bottom prices.
It’s not just in company selection, but questions you ask during the quoting process. Let’s take a look.
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Avoid tree companies at top of search results
As a general rule of thumb, any tree arborists in Perth spending the money to be in the number one spot on popular internet sites like Truelocal, or Google search, are charging higher prices.
It’s a no brainer as they need to recoup their large marketing budget by passing on the cost to their customers.
I hate to lump all companies into one basket, but in general, it’s what you can expect.
How to save 43% in 2 minutes
All tree arborists in Perth, WA have a very high business running costs. So for them time is money.
The quicker they can get your tree job done, the less they will charge you. Simple right?
So to save money you need to save them time.
Let’s say you have 2 identical trees. One is in the front yard and the other in your backyard with no rear access.
Depending on the size of the tree being removed and room to work, you can guarantee the tree in the front yard is going to be about half the price.
This is because the time and manpower take to get the tree from the backyard to the font and in the truck will take twice as long.
Its time vs. money.
So if you do have a tree that is hard to get to with poor access, consider having a 2-minute conversation with your neighbour to see if you can use their rear access driveway and remove a panel of fence for access.
This will allow the tree company to get their truck nice and close to the tree in your neighbor’s yard. This will save them time and money.
Company reviews are not always accurate
Some people base their tree company search criteria around the reviews on Google search or Facebook.
It’s important to remember is they are not always accurate.
Some companies actively chase reviews, where other companies do not. Yes seeing a company with 40 five star reviews is a good thing and they do require further investigation.
But according to a study originally done by the Washington Post, they found that 61% of all Amazon reviews are fake.
I’m not suggesting that all Perth arborists have asked all their friends to leave fake reviews, but reviews certainly can’t be trusted as an indicator of past performance.
They say 80% of people who had a bad experience will leave a bad review, and people who have a good experience will almost never leave one.
I have been working closely with tree surgeons in Perth over the last few years and I see lots of 1-star comments from “potential customers” for a company not returning a call after 2 hours, or some other petty reason.
Most Perth arborists are sole traders and are busy on the job from 7 – 4 pm.
So a 1-star review is pretty harsh considering this is their livelihood.
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It’s 20% cheaper hiring arborists in winter
This might sound strange, but it not like that for just arborists in Perth but all tree surgeons Australia wind. During the Autumn and Winter months, there is a lot less demand for most outdoor trades such as landscaping, lawn maintenance and tree service.
People are just not out in their gardens as much, so demand is lower during this time of year.
With supply staying the same, but the number of jobs declining, arborists need to quote slightly cheaper prices to win work.
If it can wait until winter, it is worth it.
Consulting arborists in Perth
Sometimes when you want to remove a tree and it is deemed as a “significant specimen” by your local council.
In this case, they will ask you to get a third party opinion in the form of a Perth arborist to provide a report on the tree’s health, vigour and the trees Safe and Useful Life Expectancy (SULE study).
Based on these independent findings, the council can make a more informed decision on whether to grant approval to remove your tree or not.
Not all tree services in Perth do Arborist reports, but here is a list from our friends at The Tree Guild WA. Most of these guys are consulting arborists.
Arborist reports in Perth WA
An arborist report will take in many factors when deciding whether to give you the approval to remove the tree.
Just because you are paying their bill, doesn’t mean they are working for you.
Their job is to give a fair and honest assessment of the tree.
That being said, if you do want approval, you are best getting a “working arborist” to do the report. This is an arborist that also removes trees as well as doing reports.
The conflict of interest and the prospect of getting paid to remove the tree after they give approval is too much to resist.
For more info on how to get council approval to remove a tree, you need to read our report on what to say and who to talk to.
What does an arborist report in Perth cost?
The cost of arborist reports will vary depending on what is being reported on. If it is a single tree for a council permit application, they anywhere from $300 – $450 should cover it. More trees will cost a little more as will tree reports for Development Applications.
Is tree lopping cheaper in Perth’s Southern suburbs?
It’s strange, but this question keeps coming up. People in the Hills district of Perth want to know if it costs more where they are, of if others are getting a better deal.
Although your geographic location does move the needle slightly when it comes to price, it is not a huge factor. Arborists live all over Perth, so you will find there are some in the Perth Hills, in Perth’s Western suburbs and the north.
Travel is a factor, but if you get someone local, you are more likely to get a better deal.
What tree services can a Perth based arborist perform?
There is a wide range of tasks tree surgeons in Perth can perform. As most think it is not just limited to getting them to remove or prune your tree.
As discussed above they can also perform:
- Tree inspections
- Arborist reports
- Root pruning
- Stump removal
- Transplanting large trees
- Treating pest infected and diseased trees
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FAQ's
A level 5 arborist has further studies in arboriculture and has gained a Diploma. Most working arborists who perform tree trimming and removal are level 3 arborist. A level 5 arborist has continued studies to be able to do arborist reports. They are trained in identifying pests and diseases, fungus and acute safety issues. If you need an arborist report you will need to contract a Level 5 arborist to do the report in Perth.
Arborist don’t really charge by the hour but by the job. This is actually good news for you as they take on all the risk. If they charged by the hour, it’s quite easy for the job to take longer than expected. If you were paying by the hour it would cost you more.
Tree removal and trimming jobs are quote after a tree has been inspected and the price includes all works from start to finish.
If your tree is protected by your local Tree Preservation Order (TPO), then your local Council might ask you to get a report from an independent arborist. The arborist will make up a detailed report on the health, safety and their recommendation for the tree moving forward.
I would not go out and get an arborist report unless prompted to do so by the council first. So make your tree removal application to council. If they knock it back or ask for a report, then contract an arborist to do so.
Just because you get an arborist report, does not mean you will like the arborist’s findings. Arborist do not recommend the removal of all trees they inspect. So if your desired result is to have the tree removed, but the tree is healthy, then you might be wasting your time by getting a report.
That being said you are not a trained professional and there will be things an arborist can see that you cannot. These could all lean in your favor for a removal recommendation.
This will depend on what you are wanting from the arborist. If you need a report, then they will need to come out and inspect the tree, take photos and begin formulating a plan for their report. At this point though, you would have committed to paying for the report. If you need your tree removed and your tree does not need a report, a level 3 arborist will come out to inspect the tree before giving a firm price.
The cost of an arborist varies depending on the task. Arborist normally perform tree trimming, tree removal, arborist reports, tree inspections and a host of other jobs.
Arborist do not charge by the hour but rather by the job. The average tree removal by arborist in Perth is $1,100. The real range for tree removal is $350 and $4,500. It all depends on the size of the tree being removed.
You will need to get quotes from local arborist to know exactly what your tree removal or trim will cost you as there is no standard price.
An arborist report will cost on average about $450 for a single tree. If you multiple trees that need reporting on you will the price will increase about $50 – $100 per tree. Arborist reports for DA approval are also more involved and will cost a little more.
This will depend on the council. If they do not specifically stipulate they a level 5 arborist is required, you can go with a level 3. These days most council are asking for level 5 arborists for all of their reports.
No. A council will only ask for an arborist report for a second opinion. They council arborist will have his own idea on what needs to be done and the recommendation of an independent arborist will go a long way to away their decision, but the final say is with council.
When you get an arborist report, you don’t have to submit it to council. You can actually get another opinion from another arborist. You will need to pay for a second report, but they could see some things that the first arborist did not. In theory, you can get as many reports from different arborist as you like and just submit the one that has a recommendation for removal.
There is no hard and fast rule on this, but I would say that council would like to see the recommendation from an arborist report that is no more than 12 months old. The condition of a tree can change from month to month, so anything over a year old will not be as valid as a fresh report. If you are submitting to council for approval, then I recommend you do it asap.
Tree removal in Australia can be a bit of a nightmare. Firstly it’s expensive, plus there are specific rules and regulations in each district and if you don’t know your local council’s rules, you could land in hot water and end up paying a hefty fine.
We are here to guide you through the process and save you a tonne of time and money along the way.
Cost of Tree Lopping
There are lots of things that contribute to the cost of tree removal, but there is a formula to working out a rough price so you know what to expect when it comes time to get prices.
We have put together a comprehensive cost guide that you can use to research your specific tree in more detail and get an accurate figure.
How to save on tree removal
This is what we all really what to know… right?
Maybe you have already asked around and you figured out it’s going to be an expensive affair.
But we’ve got you covered.
We have an entire page dedicated to saving you money on tree removal which you can visit here.
But here is a quick summary.
Access to the tree
A tree located in the front yard of your property is going to cost significantly less than if the same tree were to be located in your backyard will poor access.
Solution: Do your best to grant access. If your neighbour has a rear driveway, or you back onto a lane or park, consider removing a panel of fence to allow the tree company to get their equipment as close as possible to the tree.
Room to move
If you have a small yard with a manicured garden beneath a giant tree you want to be removed, the arborist is going to have to tiptoe around your yard and take forever to remove the tree. The more room to move the faster they can get the job done, the less it will cost you.
Solution: Transplant small ornamental plants while the work is happening. Remove all breakables and such as pots and garden furniture to help them out. It will save them time and money.
Dispose of palm trees yourself
Half of the cost of removing palm trees is soaked up in dumping fees. Due to the acidic nature of palms, they cannot be turned into mulch and need to be disposed of. Get the contractor to just cut them down and not remove them will slash your cost by 50% on average.
Solution: You can get them to put the trees out the front for a council clean-ups or dispose of them over time in the green waste bin. At $215 per tonne (about 2 cubic meters of palm) it’s worth the effort.
Sell the timber on eBay for firewood
This one is going to depend. If the tree is in the front yard and easily accessible, then it will actually be more of a hassle for them to cut the tree into firewood size pieces. But if you have poor access, you can just get a price to cut the tree down, and leave the timbre.
Solution: The time and manpower saved in carrying logs from the back of your property to the front by hand (we are talking hundreds of dollars, you can advertise the timber on eBay for firewood. Not only are you saving on the tree removal cost, but you are making money on the sale of the wood.
Someone will actually pay you to haul the timber!
Get Quotes from Economical Tree Companies
If you get 3 quotes from the top end of the market, you are going to be selecting from 3 expensive prices. The trick to saving the most money on removal is getting the ‘right’ companies to quote the job.
Solution: GoTreeQuotes is a free service that matches homeowners with the best-priced local tree companies. Just fill in the 2-minute form here and get 3 x quotes within 24 hours.
Local council tree removal regulations
Each council within a city has a different set of rules for tree pruning and removal depending on its Tree Preservation Order TPO.
To see the local rules for each council please refer to your city below for more details.
Sydney NSW
Like the most large city’s, the rule varies depending on if you are right in the centre or on the outskirts. You can see the specific rules here and find your local council or by going to our Sydney page and downloading a summary.
Melbourne VIC
Melbourne probably has the tightest rules out of any city as they have an extensive significant tree register where they have nominated specific trees within the urban forest that they would like to retail. You can go here to see if your tree is among them.
Failing that you will need to view your specific council’s rules and regulations on tree removal in Melbourne to know whether you will need council approval before proceeding with the removal of your tree.
Adelaide SA
As opposed to the above two cities, Adelaide’s tree removal rules are quite relaxed. They have outlined some minimum requirements for a tree to be regarded as a ‘significant tree’. Anything smaller than those requirements can be removed without approval.
View those requirements here on our Adelaide tree removal page.
Perth WA
Similar to Adelaide, Perth is not too strict when it comes to tree removal. A lot of local councils do not have a say on what you can do with trees on your private property. Also unlike any other city, they allow residents to prune street trees.
That being said there are some regulations for tree removal depending on the council, so be sure to get your facts straight on tree lopping in Perth before you go ahead and remove your tree.
Brisbane QLD
The rules for tree lopping in Brisbane vary from council to council, so you will need to get your facts straight before getting quotes, but in general, as long as the tree is not in a conservation corridor or listed as a significant or heritage tree then you are in the clear.
But have a look at more details here.
Sunshine Coast QLD
The Sunshine Coast is governed by one local council which has a tree management plan. If your tree falls outside the below rule then you may remove it without council approval.
No permit for tree lopping on the Sunshine Coast is required if;
A plant declared as a pest Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002;
A plant identified as a locally significant pest species in the Sunshine Coast Local Government Area Pest Management Plan; or
A plant which is otherwise an exotic species; provided that the removal:-
- is consistent with any current development approval that attaches to the land;
- does not involve the removal of vegetation on a heritage place identified on a Heritage and Character Areas Overlay Map;
- does not involve the removal of vegetation identified as character vegetation in a local plan; and
- does not result in the total clearing of an area of vegetation greater than 250m2
Gold Coast QLD
The regulations for removing trees on the Gold Coast are numerous. To get more information on whether you will need council approval you can download our summary below, or go to direct to the tree preservation order outlined by the Gold Coast here.
Canberra ACT
Tree lopping regulations all fall under the once council so I can layout the rules below.
You will need to apply for council approval if;
- Trees that are are 12 metres or higher or have a canopy 12 metres or wider and/or
- Have a trunk circumference of 1.5 metres or more, one metre above natural ground level and/or
- Have two or more trunks and the total circumference of all the trunks, one metre above natural ground level, is 1.5 metres or more.
Note: “significant tree register” means a register of trees of cultural significance to the Council, which is kept and maintained by the council. To qualify as a significant tree it needs to be larger than the rules for removal above, so if your tree falls outside the above rules then you should be safe to remove.
There are many tree lopping companies in Canberra that are not worth engaging due to their lack of skill and a lot of the time inflated prices. We have curated a list of the best ones to engage. Let us know about your tree job by filling in the 2-minute form and we will send you the best local contractors who have been voted by locals as best priced. This is a free service.
Central Coast NSW
There are 3 councils that cover the rules for tree removal on the Central Coast. They are Gosford, Wyong and Lake Macquarie Councils.
On the Central Coast, there are two things to take into consideration, the specific rules which have been laid out by the council, and the NSW fire hazard zones where the 20/50 rule applies.
Newcastle NSW
Like the Central Coast, there are 2 things to take into consideration, the regulations governing the lopping of trees in Newcastle and the 20/50 rule which allows you to remove trees within 20 meters of your come and undergrowth within 50 metres of your home without permission.
Newcastle is made up of three main councils, Cessnock, Maitland and the city of Newcastle. You can find the Tree Preservation Orders on each, by going to our council rules page. You can find the best company for the job by letting us know about your tree job and getting the top voted local contractors to quote the job.
Applying for a work permit for tree lopping
If you have looked at the above rules and regulations for tree lopping in your local council area, and you do in fact need council approval for tree removal, then you will need to make an application.
You can search for your council’s application form here. Just put in your pose code and you will be linked to the permit.
Upon application, you will generally need to pay a small fee to cover the cost of the council coming out to view the tree and give the ok.
What if my application is knocked back?
More than half the time councils do not give approval for removal. The closer you are to the centre of the city the less likely you are to get approval. The reason being there are fewer trees so they are a precious commodity.
There are a few things you can do and or say that will boost your chances dramatically of being able to remove the tree in question. To get more details on the right and wrong things to say to the council visit our page on council approvals.
