Removal: national figures
Thumbtack's tree removal guide, last updated March 24, 2026, says the national average for removing a tree runs $450 to $1,450, and that the full span from low to high is about $373 to $3,300. It sorts its own figures by trunk thickness and canopy height rather than by tree height (checked Nov 9, 2026).
Two other published cost guides sort national removal prices by the height of the tree, which is handy in a county full of tall pines.
| Tree height | HomeGuide (checked Nov 9, 2026) | HomeAdvisor, updated April 16, 2024 (checked Nov 9, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 feet | $150–$500 | $200–$450 |
| 30 to 60 feet | $300–$1,000 | $420–$1,200 |
| 60 to 80 feet | $650–$2,000 | $800–$1,500 |
| Over 80 feet | $1,200–$2,700 | $1,000–$2,000 |
Across all sizes, HomeGuide gives a typical range of $300 to $2,000 per tree and a national average of $1,150, and also quotes $5 to $25 per foot of height or $65 to $140 an hour. HomeAdvisor puts the average at about $750, with most jobs between $200 and $2,000. Angi's guide, titled with 2025 data, gives the same $750 average and $200 to $2,000 range (all checked Nov 9, 2026).
By kind of tree
The guides also price pines and oaks on their own (all checked Nov 9, 2026):
| Tree | Published national range |
|---|---|
| Pine | HomeGuide $200–$1,600; HomeAdvisor $200–$1,500+; Angi $250–$1,500 |
| Pine 100 feet or taller | HomeGuide $2,000–$3,000 |
| 40-foot pine | HomeAdvisor about $400 |
| 80-foot pine | HomeAdvisor about $1,500 |
| Oak | HomeGuide $250–$2,500 |
| Mature oak | HomeGuide $3,000–$6,000 |
NC State Extension lists longleaf pine at 60 to 120 feet at maturity and loblolly at 60 to 90 feet (checked Nov 9, 2026), so many local pines land in the guides' top height rows. See longleaf and tall pines.
Trimming: national figures
HomeGuide puts trimming at $400 to $900 per tree on average, with a national average of $650: $250 to $700 for trees up to 30 feet, $600 to $1,200 for 30 to 60 feet, and $1,000 to $2,500 or more above 60 feet. It prices pine trimming at $250 to $1,600 and notes minimum job charges of $100 to $300 or more. HomeAdvisor's trimming guide gives an average of $460 and a range of $270 to $1,800, with pine trimming at $200 to $1,800. Thumbtack's trimming guide, last updated October 23, 2026, puts the national average at $402 to $1,158, rising to $1,126 to $1,957 for trees more than 40 feet tall (all checked Nov 9, 2026). More on tree trimming.
Stumps: national figures
Thumbtack's 2026 stump guide, updated October 23, 2026, says stump grinding costs about $160 to $250, and full stump removal averages $207 to $579, with a low end near $102 and a high end near $1,144. HomeGuide prices grinding at $120 to $400 for the first stump and $30 to $60 for each additional one; HomeAdvisor puts grinding at $100 to $400 and removing a stump with its roots at $200 to $550 (all checked Nov 9, 2026). More on stump grinding.
Extras that show up on bills
- Crane: HomeGuide lists $500 to $2,500 a day on top of the removal; HomeAdvisor and Angi say a crane adds about $500 for trees over 80 feet (checked Nov 9, 2026).
- Emergency work: HomeGuide lists $150 to $250 an hour; HomeAdvisor and Angi say urgent removals can run as high as $5,000 (checked Nov 9, 2026).
- Hauling: often priced as its own line. Neither Southern Pines nor Pinehurst takes a whole tree's debris at the curb.
- Federal review in the Red Zone: if the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Moore County map puts your lot in the Red Zone, a consultant's cavity tree survey is required before removing trees 8 inches or more across (checked Nov 9, 2026). The consultant's charge is separate from the tree work.
Worked example: a 70-foot loblolly over a garage
Say a loblolly about 70 feet tall leans toward a detached garage on a Pinehurst lot outside the historic district. You want it down and the stump ground.
- Removing a tree 60 to 80 feet tall, HomeGuide's range (checked Nov 9, 2026): $650 to $2,000.
- Grinding one stump, HomeGuide's first-stump range (checked Nov 9, 2026): $120 to $400.
- Added together: $770 to $2,400.
That assumes ordinary access and a place to land the pieces. If the lean puts the trunk over the garage roof and a crane is needed, HomeGuide's crane figure of $500 to $2,500 a day (checked Nov 9, 2026) would come on top. If you keep the rounds for firewood, the hauling part shrinks. Brush can go in Pinehurst's yard cart only a cartload at a time, so plan on the crew taking it.
What moves a Moore County price
| Factor | Why it matters here |
|---|---|
| Height | Tall pines push jobs into the guides' top price rows |
| What's underneath | A roof, garage, screened porch, pool or fence below means pieces are lowered on ropes, not dropped |
| Access | Small in-town lots, fences and gates, and soft ground decide what equipment can reach the tree |
| Condition | A dead, lightning-struck or beetle-killed pine may not be safe to climb, which can mean a lift or crane |
| Wood and brush | Hauling, chipping or leaving rounds, since the towns' curbside limits are small and backyard burning isn't allowed in town |
| Stump | Ground on the same visit or left |
| Power lines | The service wire may need to be disconnected by Duke Energy or your co-op first |
| Storm damage | A tree resting on a roof is slower and riskier than a standing tree |
| Several trees | More than one tree per visit spreads the cost of bringing the crew and machines |
Insurance and fallen trees
The Insurance Information Institute explained in July 2010 that when a tree falls on an insured structure, a standard homeowners policy generally covers the damage, and removal is usually covered up to about $500 to $1,000 depending on the company and policy. When a tree falls without hitting anything insured, there's generally no coverage for hauling it away (checked Nov 9, 2026). NC State Extension's tree fall liability paper notes that a tree that's dead or visibly dying is one of the things that can make its owner responsible when it falls on a neighbor's property (checked Nov 9, 2026). See storm and emergency work.
Items the written price should cover
- Every tree included: its location, its species and roughly how tall it is.
- The method: felled, taken down in sections, or lifted by crane.
- The stump: ground or left, and if ground, how deep.
- Logs, brush and chips: which ones go and which stay.
- Who files the NC 811 ticket before grinding.
- How the roof, lawn, septic area and anything under the tree will be protected.
- Who handles any town approval or the federal woodpecker paperwork, if either applies.
- The total price, any deposit, and when the balance is due.
Cost questions
Why isn't there a Moore County price on this page?
No contractor in the county supplied prices to this site, and it turned up no public list of local tree prices. Treat the national ranges as a rough guide and the contractor's written figure as the real one.
Is there a town fee to add?
Pinehurst says that outside its historic district you generally won't pay the village a fee to remove a tree. Southern Pines' tree page doesn't mention any charge for private trees. Right-of-way trees and historic district reviews have their own processes; ask the town.
Does a taller tree always cost more?
Usually, but what's under it matters as much. A tall pine at the back of an open lot may cost less than a shorter one leaning over a garage.
Will keeping the wood lower the price?
Often, because hauling is part of the cost. Ask the contractor to price it both ways.
This site connects each request with one independent contractor who works in Moore County. The price you get comes from that contractor; this site sets none.
- HomeGuide, tree removal cost guide and tree trimming cost guide (no update date shown). HomeAdvisor, tree removal cost guide (updated April 16, 2024) and tree trimming cost guide. Angi, tree removal cost guide (2025 data). Thumbtack, tree removal cost guide (last updated March 24, 2026), tree trimming cost guide (last updated October 23, 2026) and 2026 Stump Removal Cost Guide (updated October 23, 2026). National figures, all checked Nov 9, 2026.
- NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, Pinus palustris and Pinus taeda; Tree Fall Liability. Insurance Information Institute, insurance for fallen trees (July 22, 2010). Checked Nov 9, 2026.
- Village of Pinehurst, Buffer Development Standards FAQ and Solid Waste page; Town of Southern Pines, Trees and Yard Debris pages; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Moore County project review. Checked Nov 9, 2026.