How Much Does a Tree Survey Cost in Northern Ireland and Ireland?

Tree survey prices vary for good reasons. Here is what actually sets the cost, what a proper quotation includes, and how to get an accurate figure quickly.

Written by John McNamara, arboricultural consultant, McNamara Tree Consultancy

The honest answer to "how much does a tree survey cost?" is: it depends on the site, and any firm quoting a fixed price before seeing your details is guessing. But the factors that set the price are simple, and once you know them you can predict where your project sits and get an accurate quotation in a day or two.

The four things that set the cost of a tree survey

Number of trees. Surveying to BS 5837:2012 means recording species, dimensions, condition and category for every relevant tree. Three garden trees is an hour of fieldwork; a wooded development boundary is a day or more.

Size and access of the site. A single garden for a house extension costs considerably less than a multi-hectare development site. Difficult access, steep ground or trees on neighbouring land that must be assessed from your side all add time.

The type of report. A mortgage tree report addressing a lender's letter is a focused document with a fast turnaround. A full BS 5837 package for planning, with a tree schedule, constraints plan, Arboricultural Impact Assessment and Tree Protection Plan, involves more fieldwork and more drawing time. A tree risk assessment sits between the two, priced mainly by tree numbers.

Drawings and revisions. If your architect needs plans in DWG format, or the design changes after the survey, that affects scope. A good consultant will say up front what is included.

Cheap surveys are usually the expensive option

Planning authorities in Northern Ireland and Ireland reject applications with inadequate tree information, and a rejected or stalled application costs far more than the difference between quotes. The same applies to lenders: a report that does not answer the surveyor's exact wording gets bounced, and the clock starts again. Judge a quotation by what it includes, not just the number at the bottom.

Why quotations beat price lists

Every reputable arboricultural consultancy prices from your actual site details rather than a menu, because the four factors above vary so much between jobs. What you should expect is a fast, transparent quotation: send the site address, a short description of the project, roughly how many trees are involved and any drawings you have, and a professional can price the work accurately, usually within a working day.

That is exactly how it works here. Request a quote with your site details and you will get a clear price and timescale, with no obligation and nothing added later. If you are still working out which survey you need in the first place, start with what an arboricultural survey is or the five situations when a tree survey is necessary.