Tree surgeons in Birmingham
If you need a tree pruned, reduced or felled in Birmingham, use a qualified, insured tree surgeon and check whether the tree is protected first. We can introduce you to one vetted tree surgeon who covers your property in Birmingham.
Beatrice Vasey is a horticulturist, not a tree surgery company. We introduce you to one vetted tree surgeon and are paid a referral fee by that business.
Before tree work in Birmingham
- Protected trees
- Birmingham City Council shows tree preservation order sites on its online TPO map, and you can request a copy of an order, which can take up to 10 working days. Cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting or wilfully damaging a protected tree, including its roots, needs the council's consent. Removing a dead tree needs 5 working days' written notice first. Breaking the rules can mean an unlimited fine and a duty to plant a replacement.
- Conservation areas
- In a conservation area, give the council 6 weeks' written notice before working on a tree with a trunk over 75 mm across at 1.5 m. If the council doesn't respond or make an order, the work can go ahead within 2 years.
- Council and street trees
- Birmingham City Council prunes its own trees mainly for safety, damage or obstruction, and gives priority to trees that are dead, diseased or dangerous.
- Nesting birds
- It is also an offence to take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built, so tree work in spring and summer needs a nest check first.
Common tree work and costs
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Crown reduction | About £250 to £400 up to 7 m tall, rising to £960 to £1,150 over 18 m |
| Crown thinning | About £400 to £1,400 |
| Crown lifting | About £300 to £850 |
| Felling a small tree | About £240 to £340 |
| Felling a medium tree | About £410 to £960 |
| Felling a large tree | About £1,190 to £2,450 |
| Stump grinding | About £160 to £710, by size |
| Hedge trimming | About £60 to £150 a visit outside London; £90 to £220 in London |
| Taking the waste away | About £100 to £800 when charged separately |
Typical prices from published cost guides. Your tree surgeon quotes for your property.
Your tree surgeon in Birmingham
We pass each Birmingham enquiry to one vetted tree surgeon who covers your property. You get an email naming them before your details are shared, and they quote you directly. We are paid a referral fee by that business, as set out in how our partner network works.
We also arrange tree surgery in Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham.
In Birmingham we can also introduce you to specialists for Japanese knotweed treatment, bat surveys, ecological surveys, tree surveys and landscaping, all listed on our Birmingham page.
Tree surgeons questions in Birmingham
Do I need a survey before felling a tree in Birmingham?
Only in some cases: if the felling is part of a planning application, you'll need a tree survey for planning in Birmingham, and if you're unsure whether a tree is safe, a condition survey gives you an independent view. For routine pruning or removing a small garden tree that isn't protected, a tree surgeon's assessment is usually enough.
How do I check if a tree is protected in Birmingham?
Birmingham City Council shows tree preservation order sites on its online TPO map, and you can request a copy of an order, which can take up to 10 working days.
Can I cut back my neighbour's tree in Birmingham?
You can cut back branches overhanging your garden, but only up to the property boundary; go further and your neighbour could take you to court. If the tree is protected by a tree preservation order or stands in a conservation area, you need the council's permission first, even for overhanging branches. It's good practice to ask your neighbour whether they want the cuttings back.
Who takes the cuttings away in Birmingham?
Most tree surgeons take the cuttings away as part of the price, so check the quote says so; charged separately, removal typically adds £100 to £800. Whoever takes your waste must be a registered waste carrier, and if an unregistered carrier fly-tips it, you can be fined too.
Get a tree surgery quote in Birmingham
Tell us about the trees and the work. Beatrice reads every enquiry.