Tree removal
Tree Removal Cost in Boise: Typical Ranges and What Sets the Price
Short answer
National cost guides put typical tree removal at $400 to $1,200 on average (HomeGuide, 2026), with Angi citing $200 to $2,000 or more (2026). Those are published estimates, not our prices. What you’ll pay depends on the tree and the yard it’s in, so we quote every job individually instead of publishing our own price list. Call us or send a few photos, and we’ll give you a free quote for your tree.
A 40-foot maple in an open backyard and a 40-foot maple leaning over a North End bungalow can be very different jobs, which is why a quote from someone who has seen the tree beats any chart. If you already know the tree has to go, see our tree removal service.
Typical Price Ranges
We found no Boise- or Idaho-specific figures from these major cost publishers, so these are national numbers, copied as each source states them. Size bands are each source’s own.
| Size band | HomeGuide (Feb 4, 2026) | Angi (updated Jul 8, 2026) | Fixr (updated Jan 31, 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | $400 to $1,200 average range; $850 national average | $200 to $2,000 or more; average around $750 | $400 to $1,100 average range; $435 national average |
| Small | Under 30 ft: $200 – $500 | Up to 30 ft: $150–$450 | Up to 30 ft: $150 - $400 |
| Medium | 30–60 ft: $500 – $1,500 | 30–60 ft: $450–$1,200 | 30–60 ft: $450 - $700 |
| Large | 60–80 ft: $850 – $2,000 | 60–80 ft: $800–$1,500 | 60–100 ft: $900 - $1,200 |
| Very large | Over 80 ft: $1,200 – $2,500+ | Over 80 ft: $1,000–$2,000 | 100 ft+: $1,300 - $2,000 |
Source: HomeGuide (Feb 2026), Angi (Jul 2026), Fixr (Jan 2025). Figures as published on each guide’s own page.
The guides disagree even for the same height, because height is only one factor.
What Sets the Price
Height matters, but it’s only part of the picture.
Size and amount of wood
A bigger tree means more cutting, chipping and hauling. Trunk diameter and canopy spread count as much as height. A tall, narrow pine can be less work than a shorter tree with a wide crown and heavy limbs.
What the tree could hit
If there’s open ground where the tree can fall, a crew can sometimes drop it in one piece. Many mature Boise trees don’t have that room. When a house, garage, fence, shed or neighbor’s yard is in the way, the tree comes down in sections, with each piece cut and lowered on ropes. That takes more people and more hours, and it’s often the biggest factor in the price.
Getting to the tree
A tree beside the driveway is easy to reach with a chipper. A tree in a fenced backyard behind a narrow side gate means every branch gets carried out by hand. Slopes, steps and soft lawns slow things down too.
Health of the tree
Dead, rotting or split wood is less predictable, so crews take it down more slowly and carefully. A dead tree is rarely the cheap option people expect.
Cleanup
Most quotes include chipping and hauling. Keeping logs or chips on site can lower the price.
Stump work
Many removals leave the stump cut close to the ground. Grinding it out or digging it up is usually a separate line on the quote, covered below.
Why Two Similar Trees Get Different Quotes
Three yards, three different quotes:
Open yard, easy reach. A medium ash in an open West Boise backyard with a wide gate. It can be felled in one or two pieces with the chipper parked close, about as simple as removal gets.
Tight side yard. A similar tree on a narrow lot, over the roof and fenced on two sides. Every limb is roped down and carried out by hand. Same tree, much more labor.
Large, declining tree. A big cottonwood with a dead top. Dead wood can’t be trusted to hold a climber or rope like live wood, so the work goes slower and needs more rigging.
Houses and Power Lines
A tree leaning over the roof comes down in roped sections, which takes more time and more hands on the ground. A tree near power lines needs Idaho Power involved first, and nobody untrained should work within 10 feet of a line. Our guide to removing a tree near a house or power lines explains both.
Emergency Removal
Emergency jobs usually cost more than planned ones. HomeGuide (Feb 2026) puts rush removals at 2 to 3 times the standard rate, mostly because of night work, storm conditions and a tree that’s already loaded or broken. See emergency tree removal if a tree is down now.
The Stump
Grinding or digging out the stump is usually its own line on the quote, priced mostly by diameter, the number of stumps and access. See stump grinding vs stump removal.
What Your Quote Should Spell Out
Quotes are only comparable if they cover the same work. Make sure each one answers these:
- Which trees, exactly, are coming down
- How each one will be removed: felled whole, or cut in sections and lowered
- Whether all brush is chipped and hauled away, and what happens to the logs
- Whether the stump is included, and if so, ground how deep or fully removed
- Who handles any permits or Idaho Power coordination
- What, if anything, could change the price on the day
Ways to Keep the Cost Down
- Bundle jobs. Several trees or stumps in one visit usually cost less than separate trips.
- Keep the wood or chips if you can use them. (Not elm wood with the bark on; see the permits section.)
- Move cars, patio furniture and planters out of the work area before the crew arrives.
- Ask whether trimming would solve the problem instead of removal.
- Don’t wait on a declining tree. Dead trees are harder to remove than sick ones.
Permits
A non-elm tree fully on your own lot usually doesn’t need a City permit. Street trees and any elm need a free City Forester permit first, which can add a few days. Our Boise tree removal permit guide covers the details.
FAQ
Cost FAQs
Is it cheaper to remove a tree in winter?
It can be. With the leaves off there’s less material to chip, and firm or frozen ground is easier on your lawn, which may make a planned job simpler. It isn’t a rule, though, and a hazardous tree shouldn’t wait for the season.
How accurate is a photo-based quote?
Good photos get you close. If something only shows up in person, like hidden rot or a buried fence line, the quote may be adjusted, and you’ll hear about it before any work starts.