Tree Removal in Durham, NC (with Stump Grinding)
Free quotes from independent local stump grinding companies. We connect Durham-area homeowners with independent local stump grinding and tree companies for free, no-obligation quotes. Get quotes for taking down a tree and grinding the stump, priced line by line.
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Tree removal in Durham
Durham is a heavily wooded city. The City’s 2017 canopy assessment found 36,600 acres of tree canopy covering 52% of the city. Many of those trees are big and old: in the 1930s Durham planted about 13,000 street trees, mostly willow oaks, and a 2019 EPA article says their long lives are coming to an end. Removal requests here often involve a declining oak over a roof, a dead ash, or a tulip poplar dropping limbs.
Large trees near houses are usually taken down in sections and lowered by rope; tight sites may need a bucket truck or crane.
We connect Durham-area homeowners with independent local stump grinding and tree companies for free, no-obligation quotes. Stump Grinding Durham is a quote service, not a tree company.
Typical tree removal prices
Cost guides list Durham tree removal at about $400–$1,800. Height, trunk size, lean, nearby structures and lines, and rigging or crane needs drive the price.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Tree removal (Durham, typical) | about $400–$1,800; stump work usually extra |
| One average stump, Durham area | about $150–$450 (Durham average about $327) |
| Each additional stump | about $40–$70 |
| Full stump removal (excavation) | about $175–$520 |
| Chip haul-away | $2–$3 per inch, or about $80–$125 |
| Topsoil backfill per hole | about $50–$100; seed or sod $75–$200 |
Typical ranges from published cost guides (2025–2026) — estimates, not quotes. Your quote comes from the company you choose. See the full Durham stump grinding cost guide and calculator.
Stump work is usually extra. A Durham cost guide says that in most cases stump removal is not included in tree removal. Ask what grinding the stump would add. Read more on the stump grinding cost page.
Arborists, cranes and rigging
ISA Certified Arborist is a voluntary, private credential from the International Society of Arboriculture, not a state license. North Carolina has no license specific to stump grinding or tree work. For tree removal, especially a large tree near a house, it is reasonable to ask whether an ISA Certified Arborist is on staff and to verify the name at treesaregood.org.
Ask whether the job needs a crane or rigging and how the crew will reach the tree. Crane work over roofs carries more risk, so the insurance certificate matters more.
Other rules homeowners ask about: the general contractor license applies only to jobs of $40,000 or more (G.S. 87-1), and the landscape contractor law excludes arboriculture and tree removal, land clearing and grading, and jobs under $30,000 (G.S. 89D-13). This is general information, not legal advice.
Street trees, historic districts and permits
Durham’s development code ties tree rules to development; for a tree or stump on an existing home lot, no permit requirement was found — check with the City if you’re in a historic district or near the street.
- Street trees: trees in the City right-of-way belong to the City’s Urban Forestry Division. Call Durham One Call (919-560-1200) before hiring anyone.
- Local historic districts: landscaping site work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission. National Register listing alone (Trinity Park, Forest Hills, Hope Valley) is a separate designation.
- Chapel Hill: a permit is needed only when a single-family lot has more than 5,000 sq ft of land disturbance, per the 2010 ordinance text, and arborist-certified dead or diseased trees are exempt. Check the Town’s current ordinance.
- HOAs: check your covenants.
This is general information, not legal advice. For more, read tree permit rules in Durham and Raleigh.
Emerald ash borer and dead ash trees
The NC Forest Service records emerald ash borer as first detected in Durham County on August 6, 2015, and North Carolina has been under a statewide quarantine since September 2015. NC State Extension says infested trees typically die within five years and that once half the canopy is dead it is likely too late to save the tree. Healthy ash can be injected by a licensed applicator every two to three years.
Dead ash gets brittle, so don’t wait long; have the stump quoted at the same visit.
Hiring checklist for tree removal
Whichever company you choose, check these before work starts:
- Liability insurance: ask for a certificate of general liability insurance in the company’s name.
- Workers’ comp: required in NC for businesses with three or more employees; check with the NC Industrial Commission’s coverage search.
- A written quote stating grinding depth, surface roots, chip cleanup or haul-away, and backfill.
- NC 811: ask who requests the locate and for the ticket number.
- Private lines: mark irrigation, invisible fence and landscape lighting yourself.
- Access: share gate width, slope and the distance from where a trailer can park.
- For tree removal: ask about ISA certification (a voluntary credential; verify at treesaregood.org) and crane or rigging needs.
- Wood and debris: ask what happens to the logs, brush and chips. Several towns, including Carrboro, Apex, Creedmoor and Mebane, won’t collect debris cut by a contractor.
Stump Grinding Durham does not grind stumps or remove trees; the independent company you choose quotes, schedules and does the work directly with you.
After the tree is down
The stump can be ground right after the tree comes down or later. If you want the spot ready for lawn, see cleanup and backfill; if you plan to build there, compare full stump removal. Wondering whether the City will take it? Read does the City of Durham remove tree stumps. For a tree that came down in a storm, see storm-damaged trees.
Tree removal near Durham
Tree removal FAQ
How much does tree removal cost in Durham, NC?
Published cost guides put typical tree removal in Durham at about $400–$1,800, with height, trunk size, closeness to the house or lines, and whether a crane is needed driving the price. These are typical ranges, not quotes. Stump grinding is usually priced separately, so ask for it as its own line in the written quote.
Does tree removal include stump grinding?
Usually not. Durham cost guides say stump removal is not included in most tree removal prices, and national guides describe it as billed separately. Many tree companies offer grinding as an add-on, and some homeowners hire a separate grinding company later. Ask each company to price the tree, the stump and cleanup as separate items.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Durham?
Durham’s development code ties tree rules to development; for a tree on an existing home lot, no permit requirement was found. In a local historic district, landscaping site work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, and street trees belong to the City’s Urban Forestry. Check HOA rules too. This is general information, not legal advice.
Who removes a dead street tree in Durham?
Trees in the City right-of-way, often the strip between the sidewalk and street, are cared for by the City’s Urban Forestry Division. Don’t hire anyone yet. Call Durham One Call at 919-560-1200, report the tree and ask whether it is a City tree. It may be the City’s job, not yours.
My ash tree is dying. Is it emerald ash borer?
It may be. The NC Forest Service records emerald ash borer as first detected in Durham County on August 6, 2015, and the whole state has been under quarantine since September 2015. NC State Extension says infested trees typically die within five years, and if half the canopy is dead it is likely too late to save the tree.
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