Removal: national figures
Thumbtack's Tree Removal Cost Guide 2026, last updated March 24, 2026, gives a national average of $450 to $1,450 to cut down one tree, with the cheapest jobs averaging $373 to $432 and the most expensive $2,500 to $3,300. Removing the stump too raises the typical range to $884 to $1,627 (checked Nov 9, 2026). The guide sizes trees by trunk diameter and crown width rather than height:
| Trunk diameter | Narrower crown (to 30 ft) | Wider crown (past 30 ft) |
|---|---|---|
| Trunk below 1 foot | $226–$596 | $359–$946 |
| Trunk 1 to 2 feet | $517–$1,364 | $808–$2,132 |
| Trunk 2 to 3 feet | $976–$2,573 | $1,562–$4,117 |
The same guide splits a typical job into equipment, at $155 to $363, and labor, at $257 to $2,476 (checked Nov 9, 2026). Labor is the part that swings: a tree that has to be climbed and lowered piece by piece over a roof takes far more crew time than one dropped into an open field. Its tiers stop at 36 inches, so an old oak or a big pine with a wider trunk sits above anything in the table.
Trimming: national figures
Thumbtack's separate 2026 Tree Trimming Cost Guide, last updated October 23, 2026, puts most trimming jobs between $402 and $1,158, with averages of $186 at the low end and $2,456 at the high end. By height, a tree of 5 to 10 feet runs $474 to $848, 11 to 20 feet $577 to $993, 21 to 40 feet $768 to $1,362, and over 40 feet $1,126 to $1,957. It lists trimmers at $60 to $80 an hour, and emergency work up to $250 an hour (all checked Nov 9, 2026). See tree trimming.
Stumps: national grinding prices
Grinding alone, after the tree is already down, has its own tiers in the same March 2026 guide. A stump less than a foot wide runs $267 to $354; one a foot to two feet wide, $324 to $443; two to three feet, $355 to $486; and three to four feet, $372 to $494 (checked Nov 9, 2026). More on stump grinding.
Worked example: a willow oak over a Cape Cod house
Take a willow oak in the side yard with a trunk about 20 inches across at chest height and a crown about 45 feet wide, limbs over the roof, and the stump to be ground.
- Removal, trunk in the 12-to-24-inch tier with a crown over 30 feet: $808 to $2,132 (Thumbtack, checked Nov 9, 2026).
- Grinding a stump in the 12-to-24-inch tier: $324 to $443 (Thumbtack, checked Nov 9, 2026).
- National total for the two: $1,132 to $2,575 (Thumbtack figures, checked Nov 9, 2026).
If the house is in Rehoboth Beach, add the city's permit: $25 for the tree plus $100 for a 16- to 24-inch trunk, or $125 in all (checked Nov 9, 2026). Limbs over the roof that must be roped down push toward the top of the removal range. Keeping the trunk as firewood takes some hauling out of the job.
What moves a Sussex County price
| Factor | Why it matters here |
|---|---|
| Trunk and crown | Thumbtack's removal table starts at $226 for its slimmest tier and tops out at $4,117 for its widest (checked Nov 9, 2026) |
| What's below | Roof, deck, screened porch, pool, fence, shed or wires mean rigging and lowering instead of dropping |
| Lot size | Between houses on a small lot, a tall pine almost always comes down in sections |
| Ground | Poorly drained soils carry a water table within a foot of the surface from December to May, per USDA, which can keep heavy machines off the lawn |
| Brush | Delaware's burning limits make chipping and hauling the norm; DSWA yard waste sites charge for drop-off (checked Nov 9, 2026) |
| Town permit | Rehoboth Beach charges per tree, more for bigger trunks; Dewey Beach requires permits too (checked Nov 9, 2026) |
| Wires | Delmarva Power asks for a call before any work within 10 feet of a line; on co-op or Lewes lines, call that utility (checked Nov 9, 2026) |
| Condition | A dead, cankered or leaning tree can't always be climbed, which changes the method |
| Storm damage | A trunk on a roof is slower and riskier than a standing tree; Thumbtack lists emergency work up to $250 an hour (checked Nov 9, 2026) |
| Number of trees | Several trees, or a whole Leyland row, in one visit means one trip for the crew and machines |
Government charges that can apply
- Rehoboth Beach tree permit. $25 per tree, plus $100 for a 16- to 24-inch trunk or $300 above 24 inches; waived for a tree the city determines is dead (checked Nov 9, 2026).
- Dewey Beach. The town doesn't charge for pruning permits; the code sets penalties of $3,000 for improper removal and at least $500 for any violation (checked Nov 9, 2026).
- Drop-off. DSWA yard waste areas and the private yards on DNREC's list charge to take brush, stumps and logs. DSWA's yard waste page points to its user fee notice for current amounts (checked Nov 9, 2026).
- DelDOT. Work in a state right-of-way may need a permit from the South District office, (302) 853-1340 (checked Nov 9, 2026).
Your homeowners policy
In June 2013 storm tips, the Delaware Department of Insurance told homeowners that most policies do not cover damage to trees or landscaping, but that many include a debris cleanup allowance, and that cleaning up a fallen tree that caused a power outage may be covered (checked Nov 9, 2026). Photograph the damage before anything is moved, and keep receipts for any emergency work. Your own policy and adjuster have the final say. More on storm and emergency removal.
What to look for on the written price
- Every tree named by where it stands and what it is, with a rough trunk size.
- The method: felled, taken down in sections, or lifted by crane.
- The stump: ground or left; if ground, how deep.
- Brush, logs and chips: chipped, hauled, left, or a mix.
- Who files the Miss Utility ticket, and who gets any town permit.
- How the lawn, driveway, septic area, irrigation and fence will be protected.
- The total, any deposit, and when the rest is due.
Cost questions
Why isn't there a Sussex County price here?
No local contractor's prices were collected for this site, and no public record of local tree prices turned up. Treat the national ranges as context. For your own tree, the number that matters is the one in the contractor's written price.
Is a pine cheaper than an oak?
Not by species alone. Thumbtack prices by trunk width and crown spread, and what's under the tree matters as much as either. A tall pine at the woods' edge may cost less than a smaller maple leaning over a roof.
Does it cost less to keep the wood?
Often, because hauling is part of the price. Ask for the price both ways.
Do I need a permit, and what does it cost?
In Rehoboth Beach, usually, at the fees above. In Dewey Beach, for trees 20 inches or more around. In most of the county, no permit turned up for an existing home lot (checked Nov 9, 2026). See the rules guide.
Prices come from the one independent contractor who receives your request, not from this site.
- Removal and stump grinding figures: Thumbtack's Tree Removal Cost Guide 2026, last revised March 24, 2026 (checked Nov 9, 2026).
- Thumbtack, 2026 Tree Trimming Cost Guide, updated October 23, 2026 (checked Nov 9, 2026).
- City of Rehoboth Beach Code Chapter 253; Town of Dewey Beach Code Chapter 173. Checked Nov 9, 2026.
- DNREC yard waste drop-off list; Delaware Solid Waste Authority yard waste page; DelDOT permit FAQs. Checked Nov 9, 2026.
- USDA soil series description, Fallsington. Delmarva Power customer handbook (checked Nov 9, 2026).
- Delaware Department of Insurance, storm tips, June 18, 2013 (checked Nov 9, 2026).