Removal: the national numbers
Felling and hauling off a single tree averages $450 to $1,450 nationally in Thumbtack's removal cost guide (last updated March 24, 2026), with low-end jobs at $373 to $432 and high-end jobs at $2,500 to $3,300. Having the stump removed as well raises the usual range to $884 to $1,627 (checked Nov 9, 2026). The guide sorts trees by trunk diameter and canopy width rather than by height:
| Canopy width | Trunk under 12 in. | Trunk 12–24 in. | Trunk 24–36 in. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30 ft. | $226–$596 | $517–$1,364 | $976–$2,573 |
| Over 30 ft. | $359–$946 | $808–$2,132 | $1,562–$4,117 |
The table tops out at a 36-inch trunk. UF/IFAS says a live oak's trunk can pass six feet across and its canopy can spread 60 to 120 feet, so the biggest live oaks in Lake County yards sit beyond anything published here (checked Nov 9, 2026).
Trimming: the national numbers
Thumbtack's tree trimming cost guide, last updated October 23, 2026, gives a typical national range of $402 to $1,158 per job, where the cheapest jobs average $186 and the priciest $2,456 (checked Nov 9, 2026). By height, a tree of 5 to 10 feet runs $474 to $848 and one taller than 40 feet runs $1,126 to $1,957. The full table is on tree trimming.
Stump grinding: the national numbers
Thumbtack's stump grinding guide, also updated October 23, 2026, puts most grinding projects at $230 to $593, with low-end jobs around $116 and high-end ones around $1,210. By diameter, a stump under 12 inches runs $267 to $354, 12 to 24 inches $324 to $443, 24 to 36 inches $355 to $486, and 36 to 48 inches $372 to $494 (checked Nov 9, 2026). More on stump grinding.
Worked example: a laurel oak over the roof
Picture a laurel oak inside Leesburg's city limits with a trunk about 20 inches across at chest height and a canopy about 40 feet wide, hanging over a one-story roof. You want it gone, stump and all, and it doesn't fit an exemption.
- Removal, using the 12-to-24-inch trunk tier with a canopy over 30 feet: $808 to $2,132.
- Grinding a stump in the same size range: $324 to $443.
- Leesburg's tree removal permit: $50.
- Total: $1,182 to $2,625, plus any replacement planting the city asks for.
Thumbtack figures are national (checked Nov 9, 2026); the permit fee is from Leesburg's fee schedule (checked Nov 9, 2026). Limbs that must be roped down over the roof push toward the top of the range. Keeping the logs for firewood can trim the hauling.
Local fees and costs that can be added
- Leesburg tree removal permit: $50 on the Planning and Zoning fee schedule, when a permit is needed (checked Nov 9, 2026).
- Replacement trees in Leesburg: where the code requires replacement, it's 25 percent of the removed trunk inches for protected trees and 50 percent for specimen trees, with canopy replacements at least 2.5 inches thick (checked Nov 9, 2026).
- Lake County permit, when one is needed: the county's form lists a $200 application fee and $35 per tree, capped at $1,000 for residential work, with $70 per tree for removals done before a permit (form revised January 2021; checked Nov 9, 2026). Home lots of two acres or less are generally exempt.
- Leesburg bulk pickup: the city notes a fee "in some cases of bulk collection," and says tree contractors must haul off their own waste (checked Nov 9, 2026).
What moves a Lake County price
| Factor | Why it matters here |
|---|---|
| Trunk and canopy | Thumbtack's tiers rise from $226 at the small end to $4,117 at the large end (checked Nov 9, 2026), and big live oaks go past the table |
| What's underneath | A tile roof, lanai, pool cage, pool or fence below means sections are lowered on rope |
| Getting equipment in | Fenced backyards, pools, drainfields and soft sand after rain limit where a truck, lift or crane can go |
| Condition | A hollow laurel oak or a dead pine may not be safe to climb, which can mean a lift or a crane |
| Permit and replacement | Leesburg's $50 permit (checked Nov 9, 2026) and any replacement planting the code requires |
| Wires | Work near the service line may wait on Leesburg Electric, Duke Energy or SECO Energy to disconnect it |
| Brush and wood | Leesburg says tree contractors must remove their own waste, so hauling or chipping is part of the job (checked Nov 9, 2026) |
| Stump and roots | Grinding is priced by diameter; surface roots are extra work |
| Storm damage | A trunk on the roof or tangled in a screen enclosure is slower and riskier than a standing tree |
Insurance and the bill
The Insurance Information Institute's July 2010 release says a standard homeowners policy covers damage when wind or hail drops a tree on the house, with removal of the tree generally covered up to about $500 to $1,000 depending on the insurer and policy. A tree that falls without hitting an insured structure generally isn't covered for removal (checked Nov 9, 2026).
In a hurricane, Florida's hurricane deductible applies. The Division of Consumer Services says insurers must offer $500, 2 percent, 5 percent and 10 percent options, and that the deductible applies once per calendar year with the same insurer group (checked Nov 9, 2026). On a policy with a percentage deductible, a tree on the roof can cost the owner a large share of the repair. More on storm and emergency removal.
Prices after a declared emergency
Florida Statute 501.160 makes it unlawful to charge an unconscionable price for goods and services needed because of a declared state of emergency. A price that shows a gross disparity from the average in the 30 days before the declaration is presumed unconscionable unless higher costs explain it (2026 Florida Statutes, checked Nov 9, 2026). The Attorney General's office takes reports at 1-866-9NO-SCAM.
What the written price should list
- Each tree by location and kind, with its rough trunk width.
- How it comes down: felled, in sections, or with a crane.
- Who applies for the Leesburg permit, if one is needed, and who pays the fee.
- Any replacement trees the city requires, and who plants them.
- The stump: ground or left, how deep, and whether surface roots are included.
- What happens to the logs, the brush and the chips.
- Who submits the Sunshine 811 request before grinding.
- How the roof, screen enclosure, pool, lawn and drainfield will be protected.
- The total price, any deposit, and when the balance is due.
Cost questions
Why doesn't this page list a Leesburg price?
No Lake County contractor's prices were gathered for this site, and no public record of local tree prices turned up. Use the national figures as a rough guide; the written price from the contractor is the one that applies to your tree.
Is a palm cheaper to remove than an oak?
Thumbtack's tables are built around trunk width and canopy size, not tree type. A palm's narrow crown puts it in the smaller canopy column, but its height, what's underneath and access still decide the price.
Does the permit fee change the price much?
Leesburg's $50 permit (checked Nov 9, 2026) is small next to the removal itself. Replacement trees, where the code requires them, can add more.
Will my insurance pay for removing a dead tree before it falls?
The Insurance Information Institute's guidance is about trees that fall and hit an insured structure. For a tree that's still standing, ask your insurer what, if anything, the policy covers.
Requests sent from this site reach one independent contractor around Leesburg. Prices come from that contractor, not from this site.
- Thumbtack, cost to remove a tree, last updated March 24, 2026; 2026 Tree Trimming Cost Guide and 2026 Stump Grinding Cost Guide, both last updated October 23, 2026. Checked Nov 9, 2026.
- City of Leesburg, Planning and Zoning fee schedule; Code of Ordinances Sec. 25-337.1; Garbage page. Checked Nov 9, 2026.
- Lake County Office of Planning and Zoning, Tree Removal Permit form (revised 2021/01) and Tree Removal Permit Exemption form (revised 2019/12). Checked Nov 9, 2026.
- UF/IFAS Extension, Quercus virginiana: Live Oak (ENH-722, revised December 2018). Checked Nov 9, 2026.
- Insurance Information Institute release on fallen trees, July 22, 2010. Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services, Florida's Hurricane Deductible. Florida Statutes section 501.160, 2026 edition. Florida Attorney General consumer alert, October 11, 2024. Checked Nov 9, 2026.