Signs a tree should come down
- Dead or mostly dead crown. No leaves in June on one side, bark falling off, woodpecker holes, or fungus (mushrooms or shelf conk) at the base. Dead oaks and ashes shed large limbs without warning.
- Emerald ash borer. Nearly every untreated ash tree in Rockland County is dead or dying from EAB, which has spread through the whole lower Hudson Valley. Dead ash gets brittle quickly and is dangerous to climb, so removal gets more expensive the longer you wait.
- A new lean or heaving soil. A tree that suddenly leans, or ground lifting on one side of the trunk, means the roots are failing. On Rockland's hillside lots, treat it as urgent.
- Cracks, cavities or a split trunk. Especially in multi-stem maples and Bradford pears, which split in ice and wind.
- Too close to the house, pool or driveway. Roots in the foundation or sewer line, limbs scraping the roof, or constant gutter cleaning.
- Construction. Additions, pools and driveway expansions. Clarkstown, Haverstraw and Stony Point all require a tree plan with the building permit, and Clarkstown and Nyack require replacement trees (see permits by town).
Tree removal cost in NY (2026)
| Job | Typical NY price | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Small tree, under 30 ft (trunk under 12") | $300 – $600 | Ornamentals, arborvitae, young maples |
| Medium tree, 30 – 60 ft (12 – 24") | $600 – $1,200 | Mature dogwood, cherry, smaller maple or pine |
| Large tree, 60 – 80 ft (24 – 36") | $1,200 – $2,200 | Oaks, tulip poplars, big maples and spruces |
| Very large, hazardous or crane job | $2,000 – $3,500+ | Over a house, dead ash, no access for equipment |
| Tree trimming, mature tree | $300 – $900 | Angi's New York average is about $520 per tree |
| Stump grinding | $100 – $400 per stump | Priced by stump diameter |
| Lot clearing | Quoted per job | Number of trees, hauling, grading |
Cost ranges are published 2026 New York industry figures (Environmental Forest Products' 2026 Hudson Valley tree removal cost guide, eforestproducts.com; Angi's 2026 New York tree trimming cost page; HomeGuide and LawnStarter 2026 national guides), not quotes from this site. Your price depends on the tree, access and your town.
What makes a Rockland County quote go up
- Access. A tree behind a house on a Nyack or Spring Valley lot with no side yard wide enough for a lift means climbing and rigging every piece. A crane job on a village street needs the street closed, often with a permit.
- Slope. Much of Rockland is hillside: New City's Tor ridges, Suffern, Stony Point, the river villages. Equipment that cannot be driven to the tree means a bigger crew and a longer day.
- Targets underneath. House, garage, pool, patio, fence, the neighbor's property, and wires. Everything has to be lowered on ropes instead of dropped.
- Condition. Dead trees cannot be safely climbed, so they need a bucket truck or a crane.
- Hauling and disposal. Chipping brush is cheap; hauling a 70 ft trunk is not. Keep the wood and the price drops.
- Season. Late fall and winter are cheaper and faster to schedule; after a storm, everyone is booked.
Permits: check before the crew arrives
Rockland has no county-wide tree permit; each town and village sets its own rule. Clarkstown (New City, Nanuet, Congers, Valley Cottage, West Nyack, Bardonia) requires a Town permit for more than one tree 8 inches and up per 5,000 sq ft of lot in three years, and for any tree near a wetland, stream or steep slope. Nyack treats every tree 12 inches and up as a "significant tree": one per three years with a $50 permit and a replacement planting, dead or hazardous trees any time with an arborist's report. Suffern requires a DPW permit for any tree over 12 inches. Orangetown (Pearl River, Orangeburg, Tappan, Blauvelt), Spring Valley, the Haverstraw villages and Stony Point have no permit for an ordinary removal at an existing home, though their rules kick in with a building permit. Dead and hazardous trees are usually exempt, but you often still need to document it. Read your town's rules on our service area pages, and ask the tree company whether they pull the permit.
How it works
- Tell us about the job. Your town, what you need, and a photo if you have one. Takes about a minute.
- We match you with a local tree pro. An independent Rockland County tree care company that holds a Rockland County home improvement contractor license and carries liability insurance, and that actually serves your town.
- Get a free on-site quote. The company contacts you directly, looks at the tree and gives you a written price. No obligation, and you deal with them from there.
Tree removal questions
How long does a tree removal take?
A small tree is an hour or two. A large tree near a house on a typical Rockland lot is usually a half to a full day for a crew of three or four, longer if a crane has to be brought in and the street closed. Stump grinding is often a separate visit.
Does the price include the stump and the wood?
Not always. Many quotes cover cutting the tree down and chipping the brush, with stump grinding and hauling the trunk wood as line items. Ask. If you want firewood, leaving the wood cut in rounds can lower the price.
Can I remove a tree myself in New York?
Small trees on your own property, yes, subject to your town's ordinance. Anything near a structure, a road or power lines is a job for a crew with the equipment and the insurance. If you pay someone to do it in Rockland County, that business needs a county home improvement contractor license.
What is a tree too close to the house?
Arborists generally want large shade trees at least 15 to 20 feet from the foundation. Closer than that, roots can reach footings and drains, and a failure in a storm lands on the roof. Closeness alone is not a reason to remove a healthy tree, though; pruning and a cabling system can often keep it safely.