Can I keep the wood? What does removal include?
Yes, you can keep the wood, and asking for it often lowers the price, since the crew skips hauling. A standard removal quote includes cutting the tree down, chipping the branches, and hauling the debris. It does not include the stump ($100–$400 to grind), splitting firewood ($50–$100), or, with some companies, hauling the trunk logs ($50–$150).
The most common surprise after a tree removal is not the price. It is the stump still sitting in the lawn, or a pile of trunk logs the homeowner assumed would be gone. Neither is the company cheating you; both are just outside what "removal" means in the trade. This page lays out what is normally in the quote, what is normally not, and how keeping the wood changes the math.
Every company is a little different, so use this table as the checklist for your quote, not as a guarantee.
| Item | Usually included? | If extra, typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cutting the tree down (felling or sectional dismantle) | Yes | — | The core job. Includes rigging and crane if quoted. |
| Chipping the branches | Yes | — | Chips go in the truck or stay as mulch, your choice. |
| Hauling away chips | Yes | — | Ask them to leave the chips if you want mulch. |
| Hauling away trunk logs | Usually | $50–$150 | Some companies leave logs by default. Confirm. |
| Cutting trunk into firewood rounds | On request | Free to $50–$100 | Stove length is 16–18 inches. Say so. |
| Splitting firewood | No | $50–$100 or not offered | Rent a splitter or hire separately. |
| Stump grinding | No | $100–$400 | The big one. Grinds 6–12 inches below grade; roots stay. |
| Removing stump grindings and filling the hole | No | Often $50–$150 | Grindings make a mound; ask if they rake and fill. |
| Raking and yard cleanup | Yes, basic | — | Small twigs and sawdust remain. Not a lawn service. |
| Permit | Varies | $25–$150 permit fee | Many companies pull it; the fee is passed through. |
Is the stump included in tree removal?
Almost never, and this is the number one thing to confirm. In the trade, "tree removal" means cutting the tree down to a low stump, usually 6–12 inches high, and dealing with everything above it. Grinding the stump below ground level is a separate service using a different machine, and some companies subcontract it. It costs $100–$400 depending on the stump's diameter and how many roots flare out. Leaving the stump is fine if it is out of the way; it will rot over five to ten years. Grind it if you want to plant, mow, or build there. Everything about stumps, including whether to grind, dig, or leave it, is in stump grinding vs. stump removal. For now, get it as a line item on the quote.
Can I keep the wood chips from tree removal?
Yes, and most crews are glad to leave them; it saves them a trip to the dump. One large tree makes several cubic yards of chips, which is more mulch than most yards can use, so have a plan or a neighbor. Fresh chips are fine around established trees and on paths. Keep them a few inches away from trunks and off vegetable beds until they have aged a season. Some companies will also deliver free chips from other jobs if you ask; it is a common arrangement.
Will the tree company cut the wood into firewood?
They will usually cut the trunk and large limbs into stove-length rounds, 16–18 inches, if you ask before the job, sometimes at no charge and sometimes for $50–$100 depending on the size of the tree. Splitting is a different matter; it takes time and equipment most crews do not carry, and many will not do it at any price. Rent a hydraulic splitter for a day or hire a firewood service. Fresh-cut wood is "green" and needs 6–12 months stacked off the ground and covered before it burns well. Oak, maple, ash, and hickory are excellent firewood. Pine and other softwoods burn fast and sooty and are better for kindling. Keeping the wood generally trims the price, since the crew skips the log haul.
Does the tree company pay me for the wood?
Rarely, and it is worth understanding why. Yard trees are low value to sawmills: they often have nails, fence wire, or old hooks buried in the trunk that wreck a saw blade, the usable straight length is short, and the grain is unknown until it is cut. Most removed wood becomes firewood, chips, or landfill. The exception is a very large walnut, cherry, or white oak with a straight, clear trunk of 10 ft or more; a portable sawmill operator may take it or even pay a little. Ask the arborist during the quote whether the tree has any lumber value. Do not expect the removal company to discount the job for the wood beyond the haul-away savings.
What should a tree removal quote list?
Felling or dismantling, limb chipping, haul-away of chips and logs, stump grinding, and cleanup, each with a yes or no and a price. The company's name and license number if your state has one, proof of liability and workers' compensation insurance, and who pulls the permit if one is needed. If the quote just says "remove tree" and one number, ask for the breakdown before you sign. A detailed quote protects you and makes it easy to hold the company to the scope you agreed on. Price ranges by tree size are on how much does it cost to remove a tree?, the removal process itself is on how professionals remove a tree close to a house, and timing that can lower the number is on when is the cheapest time of year to remove a tree?
No independently confirmed professional review is on file yet.
Not yet independently reviewed. Figures are typical US ranges for planning purposes, not quotes.