Most of the trees we remove in Lakeland are one of four things: a laurel oak or water oak in one of the historic districts that's reached the end of its 50-to-70-year life and is hollow, leaning, or dropping limbs the size of a car; a slash pine that bark beetles or lightning killed and that's now standing dead over a roof, a pool cage or a power drop; a palm with lethal bronzing; or a tree of any kind that was fine until a hurricane racked it and now it leans toward the house. There's a fifth category, which is a tree somebody told the owner was dangerous and isn't, and we'll tell you if yours is in it.
The job itself depends on the drop zone. On the big lots in Lakeland Highlands and Kathleen a tree can sometimes be felled whole. On a Dixieland bungalow lot with the house, the neighbor's house, a fence and a brick street all within the canopy, it comes down in pieces: a climber or a bucket operator takes the limbs and the trunk in sections, each one roped and lowered by a ground crew so nothing lands on anything, and the whole thing goes into the chipper and the truck. For the trees with no drop zone at all — an 80-foot pine over a pool enclosure — we bring a crane. Either way the lawn gets raked, the stump gets ground if you want it, and the certificate of insurance is in your hand before anyone leaves the ground.
What's included
Arborist assessment first
An ISA Certified Arborist looks at the lean, the root flare, decay and the species, and tells you whether the tree really needs to come down.
Rigged, not dropped
Limbs and trunk sections roped and lowered by a ground crew over roofs, pool cages, fences and gardens.
Chipped & hauled
Everything we cut goes into the chipper and off the property; firewood left if you want it.
Stump grinding
Ground below grade with Sunshine 811 called first; chips hauled or left for mulch.
Permit check
We confirm whether your lot needs a city or county permit — most single-family lots under an acre don't — and write the F.S. 163.045 letter when the tree earns one.
Insured, in writing
General liability and workers' compensation; the certificate is available before you sign.
Tree removal cost in Lakeland, FL
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small tree, under 25 ft | $200 – $600 | Crape myrtle, young oak, small palm |
| Medium tree, 25–50 ft | $600 – $1,500 | Most laurel oaks, water oaks, mid-size pines |
| Large tree, 50–75 ft | $1,500 – $3,000 | Mature oaks and slash pines |
| Very large, 75 ft and up | $3,000 – $5,000+ | Tall pines, big live oaks over structures |
| Palm removal | $250 – $1,500 | See palms |
| Crane-assisted removal | $2,500 – $7,500 | See crane work |
| Stump grinding | $2 – $5 per inch | $100–$175 minimum; 24–36" stump $350–$600 |
| Emergency surcharge | + 20–50% | Storm aftermath, nights, weekends |
These are 2026 Polk County ranges so you can budget. Your written price is itemized — the climb or bucket work, rigging, chipping and haul-off, stump grinding, crane time, permit check — and good for 30 days.
Recent work
Questions we get about tree removal
How do you decide if a tree needs to come down?
Species first — a laurel oak at 60 is near its end, a live oak at 60 is a teenager. Then the trunk: hollow sounds, fungal conks, cavities, a lean that's new. Then the roots: heaving, mushrooms at the flare, construction damage. Then the target: what it hits if it fails. A dead pine over a shed is a different call than a dead pine over a bedroom. We walk you through all of it.
Do I need a permit?
On a single- or two-family lot under an acre that isn't part of a development plan, Lakeland doesn't require one. Over an acre, commercial, right-of-way or inside a subdivision plan, it may. And under F.S. 163.045 an arborist-documented danger tree needs no local permit anywhere in Florida. We check before we cut; see the permit guide.
Can you take a tree down between two houses?
Yes — that's most of our work in the historic districts. It comes down in small sections on ropes, with a ground crew lowering every piece. It takes longer than a drop, and it's why the price is higher than a tree in an open field.
What about the stump?
Grinding is a separate line, $2–$5 per inch of diameter. We call Sunshine 811 two business days ahead so the locate is done before we grind — stump grinders find gas lines the hard way.
Can I keep the wood?
Yes. Oak rounds left for firewood or a mill, or chips left for mulch, take money off the haul-off line.