Directory
Tree Service Companies in Virginia
Removal, trimming, stump grinding. What the trade covers, what it costs, how to hire, and pros by city.
Virginia grows big trees, and big trees near a house are a storm away from a bad day. A tree service handles removal, trimming, and the stump that gets left behind.
The work
What it covers
- Tree removal, including hazardous and storm-damaged
- Trimming, pruning, and crown work
- Stump grinding and removal
- Limb clearing away from the house and lines
- Emergency and storm cleanup
- Lot clearing and brush removal
The register
Tree Service Companies on Virginia Trusted Pros
Ballpark
What it costs in Virginia
| Tree removed (single tree) | $400 to $2,000 per tree |
| Trimming or pruning | $200 to $800 per tree |
| Stump grinding | $120 to $400 per stump |
| Emergency or storm tree removal | $1,000 to $5,000 |
| Lot or land clearing | $1,500 to $8,000 per acre |
| Full crew, hourly rate | $200 to $500 per hour |
These are rough ranges, not quotes. What you actually pay swings with the height and trunk size of the tree, how close it stands to the house or the power lines, whether a bucket truck or crane can get to it, and whether they haul off the wood or leave it. A big oak leaning over your roof costs a lot more than the same tree out in an open field, and anything after a storm runs higher because every crew in the county is booked solid. Get two or three written quotes before you decide.
Signs you might need to hire a pro
- Dead limbs hanging over the roof, the driveway, or the power line
- A tree leaning more than it used to, with the soil heaving or cracking on the uphill side
- Mushrooms or soft, punky wood at the base of the trunk
- Big branches coming down in every thunderstorm, or bark falling off in sheets
- Roots from a tree too close to the house getting into the crawl space or lifting the walkway
Before you sign
Licensing in Virginia
Any contracting job of 1,000 dollars or more has to go to a business licensed with the Virginia DPOR Board for Contractors, and under that none is required. The class on that license is a dollar ceiling, not a grade of quality. Class C covers single jobs under about 10,000 dollars, Class B under about 120,000, and Class A has no ceiling, so a small Class C outfit is not worse than a Class A, it just takes smaller work.
Virginia does not have a license just for tree work. What a real pro should carry is a DPOR contractor license, which the state hands out by the dollar size of the job, Class C for the smaller stuff, then Class B and Class A as the jobs get bigger. Any job of $1,000 or more is supposed to go to a licensed contractor, and most tree work of any real size clears that line. The license is worth checking, but the insurance is what actually protects your house if something goes wrong, so ask to see both before anyone starts cutting.
Verify it yourself. Look up any license at the Virginia DPOR lookup and ask for proof of insurance before you hire.
Facts on the table. You do the hiring. -M.H.
Good to know
Common questions
How much does it cost to take down one tree?
It depends mostly on size and where the tree stands. A small one out in the open might run a few hundred dollars, while a big oak or poplar hanging over the house can run $1,500 to $2,500 or more once you add stump grinding and hauling. Get two or three written quotes, because the same tree gets priced all over the map.
How do I pick a tree crew?
Ask to see proof of insurance before anyone climbs, both liability and workers comp. If a limb comes through your roof or a groundman gets hurt, you do not want that landing on you, and a real outfit carries both and will show you without a fuss. Also ask whether the quote includes hauling the wood and grinding the stump or leaves that for you.
Does a tree company need a license in Virginia?
Virginia has no special state license just for cutting trees, but any job of $1,000 or more legally needs a licensed contractor, and a lot of tree work clears that easy. Insurance is the thing that actually protects your house, so check that first. A DPOR contractor license on top of it is a good sign.
A storm dropped a tree on my house. What do I do?
Get the tree off and the roof tarped first, then worry about the bill. Take photos before anything moves and call your homeowners insurance, because most policies cover removal when a tree hits the house or blocks the driveway. Emergency crews charge more right after a storm since everybody is calling at once, so it helps to already know who you would call.
Do I have to grind the stump too?
You do not have to, but a stump left in the ground sprouts suckers, draws carpenter ants and termites, and rots slow in our humidity. Grinding runs about $120 to $400 for the first stump and less for each one after. If you plan to replant or put a patio where it stood, get it ground.
By city