Compare the three jobs
Tree removal, lopping or pruning: which one you need
Removal takes the whole tree. Pruning cuts selected limbs back to a branch or the trunk and keeps the tree. Lopping cuts big branches back hard, and the regrowth is the catch.
Side by side
Removal, lopping and pruning compared
The same tree can need any of the three. The table shows what each one leaves behind.
| Removal | Lopping | Pruning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | The whole tree taken downUsually in sections where there is no room to fell it. | Big branches or the top cut back hardOften to stubs, to take height off quickly. | Selected limbs cut back to a branch or the trunkDeadwood out, crown thinned or lifted. |
| When it fits | The tree is dead, failing or in the wrong place | Height has to come off fast | The tree stays and needs clearing or thinning |
| What grows back | NothingThe stump can be ground out afterwards. | Bushy regrowthIt is often poorly attached to the main stem, and can make the tree dangerous later. | Normal growthThe tree keeps its shape. |
| Canopy tree permit (clause 52.37) | Needed for an existing canopy tree in residential zonesUnless an exemption applies, for example a canopy tree that is dead. | Counts the same as removalThe clause covers anyone who will remove, destroy or lop an existing canopy tree. | Exempt for maintenanceNo more than 1/3 of the foliage, and the tree left at least 5 metres tall and 4 metres across. |
| Typical cost (published price guide) | $250 to $950 for a small treeUp to $10,000 for a very large one. | Up to $1,000 for a small treeUp to $7,000 for a very large one. | $500 to $2,000Depends on the size of the tree and how much comes off. |
Price ranges are national guide figures from hipages, before anyone has seen the tree. On a lot with an existing house, clause 52.37 only covers boundary canopy trees, and overlays can add their own rules: see the permit guide.
Also compared: stump grinding or stump removal, council tree rules compared
Choosing the job
What people ask before deciding
Is lopping cheaper than taking the tree out?
On the day, often. But lopped regrowth is often poorly attached to the main stem, so the tree usually needs going over again, and the second visit is the one people did not plan for.
Can a pruned tree stay near the house?
Often, yes. Lifting limbs off the roof and gutters and taking out deadwood is what pruning is for. If the tree itself is the problem, removal is the honest answer.
Does lopping need a permit in Geelong?
It can. Clause 52.37 treats lopping an existing canopy tree the same as removing it. Maintenance pruning is exempt when no more than 1/3 of the foliage comes off and the tree is left at least 5 metres tall and 4 metres across.
Can someone tell me which one my tree needs?
Send the tree, the address and what is underneath it. We pass it to a local tree contractor, who looks at it and quotes the job in writing.
