Tree Removal cost in Ann Arbor, MI

Ann Arbor, MI · updated August 2026

$1,400

Typical local cost

$400 – $5,300

Typical range

per tree
$450 – $5,350

Installed, local pricing

Permit
It depends

$0 – $270 in fees

Typical timeline
Same day to 2 days

Same day to 2 days, 1-4 weeks if a permit is required

Ann Arbor runs -3% against the U.S. average · data confidence Medium · modeled estimate, not a quote

The modeled midpoint for Ann Arbor is $1,400. The local adjustment for this trade is x0.969 — driven mainly by Washtenaw County labor rates and 20% exposure to local code requirements.

Cost by project size

Generated from the same unit pricing the calculator uses.

Estimated cost by project size
Project sizeEstimated range
Small tree (under 30 ft)$200$2,700
Medium tree (30–60 ft)$400$5,300
Large tree (60–80 ft)$600$8,500
Very large tree (80 ft+)$900$11,700

Based on Ann Arbor pricing of $450–$5,350 per tree.

Where the money goes

Labor
$1,200
78% of median
Materials
$200
13% of median
Permit & fees
$135
9% of median

Ann Arbor project costs-3% vs U.S. average

Based on Washtenaw County labor rates, local material logistics and permit-fee posture for this trade.

What the project looks like start to finish

Typical sequence for this scope. Timing varies with contractor backlog and plan-review queues.

  1. 01

    Planning & quotes

    Scope, material choice, contractor selection

  2. 02

    Permit application

    Filed with City of Ann Arbor building department

  3. 03

    Materials & staging

    Order lead time on non-stock materials

  4. 04

    Installation

    Same day to 2 days, 1-4 weeks if a permit is required

  5. 05

    Closeout

    Final sign-off, warranty and documentation

Ann Arbor labor intelligence

What the trade charges here, and how much of your price it is.

Loaded hourly rate

$52–$68

Outdoor crews in Washtenaw County · -4% vs U.S. ($62/hr)

Typical crew

2 × 1.5 days

On-site time for a typical tree removal job here.

Labor in the price

$1,200

85% of the median — the rest is material, disposal and permit.

Because labor is 85% of this job, Ann Arbor wage levels move the price far more than material prices do. A quote well under this labor figure usually means a smaller crew, a longer schedule, or unlicensed help.

Basis: Hometriva labor model: national outdoor crew rates adjusted by the Washtenaw County labor factor (x0.961). · BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Hometriva methodology

Why Ann Arbor differs from the national average

The local delta, broken into dollars by driver.

Trade labor rates$50
Dollars of the Ann Arbor difference owned by each driver, versus the U.S. median for tree removal.
  • Trade labor rates-$50

    Washtenaw County crews price 4% below the national average, and labor is 85% of this job.

Basis: Decomposition of the modeled Ann Arbor median against the U.S. median for this scope. · City of Ann Arbor building department, Hometriva methodology

Ann Arbor vs Michigan vs the U.S.

Ann Arbor$400$5,300Michigan average$400$5,300U.S. average$450$5,500
Modeled ranges for tree removal. The tick marks the median in each geography.

Change the inputs, see your number

The same local model, run against your job instead of the average one.

Simulated tree removal in Ann Arbor

$1,535

Likely range $535$5,435

Simulated from the same local model as the numbers above — it changes the inputs, not the pricing method.

What makes the number move

  • Tree height, species and trunk diameter
  • Proximity to the house and power lines
  • Crane or bucket truck access
  • Stump grinding and debris haul-off
  • Emergency post-storm service

Who issues each permit

Tracked per discipline — the building permit issuer is not always the body that reviews electrical, plumbing, zoning or fire.

Permitting authority by discipline
DisciplineIssuing authority
buildingCity of Ann Arbor building departmentModeled estimate
electricalCity of Ann Arbor building departmentModeled estimate
mechanicalCity of Ann Arbor building departmentModeled estimate
plumbingCity of Ann Arbor building departmentModeled estimate
zoningCity of Ann Arbor building departmentModeled estimate
fireCity of Ann Arbor building departmentModeled estimate

Permit requirement in Ann Arbor

It depends on scope. Like-for-like cosmetic work in Ann Arbor is often exempt, but a permit is required as soon as you change structure, plumbing, electrical or the building envelope.

Permitting authority
City of Ann Arbor building departmentModeled estimate
Permit fee
Estimated allowance $0$270Modeled from comparable fee schedules — not an official quoted fee.
Full Ann Arbor permit guide for tree removal

Local conditions that change this job

Only the exposures that materially affect tree removal.

Design wind speed exposure

High70/100

Named-storm exposure

High70/100

Nearby market comparison

MarketLocal factorMedianPer tree
Ann Arbor (this page)x0.969$1,400$450$5,350
Livoniax0.969$1,400$450$5,350
Dearbornx0.969$1,400$450$5,350
Detroitx1.046$1,500$450$5,750

What Ann Arbor homeowners actually paid

Homeowner-reported invoices for this market. Nothing is published until enough reports clear review, so this section is often empty in newer markets — adding yours takes 20 seconds and no personal details.

No name, email or address is collected. Reports are reviewed before they count.

Quotes homeowners were given in Ann Arbor

Quotes run ahead of final invoices. Reporting yours shows the local spread and where there is room to negotiate.

No name, email or address is collected.

How Hometriva estimates Ann Arbor tree removal costs

Hometriva does not publish invented city prices. The Ann Arbor estimate for tree removal is produced by this chain, and every input is stored separately:

  1. National baseline$1,400

    Typical U.S. cost for tree removal on a single-family home.

  2. Local labor factorx0.961

    Ann Arbor-area trade labor rates, weighted at 85% of this job.

  3. Material factorx0.999

    Material and delivery pricing into Washtenaw County, weighted at 15%.

  4. Regulatory factorx1.013

    Local code, product-approval and inspection load, applied at 20% for this project type.

  5. Applied multiplierx0.969

    Blended Ann Arbor adjustment specific to tree removal.

  6. Permit component$0 – $270

    Budgeted separately from the contract price because it is paid to the jurisdiction.

Because labor, material and regulatory factors are weighted per project, tree removal in Ann Arbor carries a different local adjustment than other trades in the same market.

Reviewed by

Hometriva Cost Data Desk

Maintains the unit-cost baselines, local adjustment factors and material pricing. Reviewed for tree removal pricing in Ann Arbor, MI.

  • National unit-cost baselines against current trade pricing
  • Local labor and materials factors for the market
  • Material installed-cost ranges and service life

Last reviewed August 2026 · Editorial standards · Report an error

Frequently asked questions

How long does tree removal take?

Same day to 2 days, 1-4 weeks if a permit is required. Permit review and inspection scheduling are usually the largest source of variation.

What changes the price the most?

The largest cost drivers are tree height, species and trunk diameter; proximity to the house and power lines; crane or bucket truck access.

Sources

Sources & verification

Model vintage August 2026. The links above are the issuing agencies' own pages — we publish them so you can confirm the current rule yourself, not as evidence that each fact on this page was re-checked with them today. Cost figures are modeled estimates based on national baselines adjusted for local labor and material pricing, not quotes. Permit rules change; confirm with the building department before starting work.

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