Lincoln Precision Tree Service: Tree Removal, Tree Trimming and Stump Grinding in Lincoln, NE
Lincoln Precision Tree Service works as a tree service contractor across Lincoln, NE, on yard trees from a single stump up to a wind-split silver maple. Taking a tree down here typically runs about $1,100, and most jobs land between $400 and $1,900 by height and lean. We price each tree standing, with the stump on its own line.
Request a quote
Point us to the tree and say what bothers you about it. A first range comes back by phone.
A lot of homes here were built before 1940, especially near downtown, which can hold the biggest and oldest trees. Big trees should be checked while the weather is calm so that they are ready when it comes time for the summer windstorms, which can blow trees and branches down and winter snow and ice putting weight on the weak limbs.
- Most Lincoln tree removals are around $400 to $1,900
- Most yard trees, 20 to 50 feet, can be down in 2 to 5 hours
- Curb-strip trees cleared with Community Forestry first
- Utility flags in the grass before the grinder starts
- Mats under the wheels where machines cross the lawn
Price a removal by height
Typical prices per tree for Lincoln jobs, from the source below. Your quote follows a look at the job.
$350 to $680
Call (402) 382-2424 for your priceAt a glance
| Item | Typical figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A typical removal | About $1,100; most $400 to $1,900 | HomeBlue, Lincoln NE tree removal cost, read 2026-11-06 |
| A 50 ft tree | $590 to $1,130 taken down | HomeBlue, Lincoln NE tree removal cost, read 2026-11-06 |
| Crew of three, by the hour | $200 to $260 | HomeBlue, Lincoln NE tree removal cost, read 2026-11-06 |
| Grinding the first stump | $169 to $288 | Homewyse, zip 68502, read 2026-11-06 |
| Rush work after a storm | Often 2 to 3 times the usual rate | HomeGuide, tree removal cost, national, read 2026-09-25 |
| Curb-strip trees | City's written OK before removal | City of Lincoln Storm Response page, read 2026-11-06 |
| Tree work for hire | City arborist license, renewed yearly | City of Lincoln Arborist Guide, read 2026-11-06 |
Residential Tree Service, Stump Grinding and Removal
Stump Grinding and Backfill
Stump grinding and backfill consists of grinding a stump down about six to eight inches below the grass line and then backfilling with dirt. This will allow grass to grow back over it and eventually look like there was never a tree there. Usually it's one price for about any size of stump. The chips can be raked into the top of the soil as the new grass will cover all this up.
Tree Removal in Tight Yards and Alleys
For tree removal in tight yards and alleys, most of these trees will need to be cut in pieces first, starting at the top of the tree. And using a climbing line or a lift, the heavy wood would then be lowered down past the roof.
Tree Trimming and Pruning
For tree trimming and pruning, pruning is always the best solution, but with a yearly limit of about a third of the leaves and branches to be cut. Each cut should be done at a side branch. A crown reduction shortens the limbs back to the side branches. We try to avoid topping trees, since off the top of that flat cut, the new branches can rot and not be strong.
Stump Removal for Patios and Replanting
Choose stump removal for patios and replanting instead of just grinding the stump. When you just grind the stump, the roots stay and take years to rot. If there's a new tree that's going to be put in, a removal is required, which takes out the root plate that must be dug all the way out, so a new tree can be planted. Always be sure to check for buried utility lines before digging.
Emergency Storm Tree Removal
On August 9, 2025, the airport logged a 91 mph gust, and trees went down across town. For tree removal after a windstorm, the first people who get emergency storm tree removal will be the ones who have trees or large limbs on the roofs of their homes and driveways. Then any split limbs that have fallen over walkways are next in line. And finally, trees or limbs that are damaged out in the open will wait for everyone else to get taken care of first. A tree across a street is a call to police non-emergency, 402-441-6000, not 911.
Ash Tree Removal and Emerald Ash Borer
Ash tree removal and emerald ash borer can be a nuisance in this area from these small green beetles whose larvae can kill ash trees from the inside. The dead ash tree becomes more brittle every year. Some of the signs can be a thinning crown around the top of the tree and D-shaped holes in the tree where adult beetles came out. Best to call someone right away if you see these signs. The borer turned up in Lincoln in August 2018, and the city counted about 14,000 ash among its public trees. Treatment is an injection that needs a Nebraska commercial applicator license, so we explain it without offering it.
Dead and Hazardous Tree Removal
Dead and hazardous tree removal should be taken seriously, as dry summers can weaken trees and they die slowly over the years. A dead tree by a house should be looked after first so that the tree or any large limbs do not fall onto the roof. During a dry summer, the borers and cankers move in and kill the tree over time. Tree assessments once in a while are a good idea. Lincoln gets about 29 inches of precipitation in a normal year. An HOA letter calling a tree dead deserves a second look before anyone cuts.
Tree Trimming Around Power Lines
The Lincoln Electric System clears its own lines. But the wire from the pole to the eaves of your house is the owner's responsibility. Do not ever get closer than 10 feet to a line when trimming any of your trees. And if there are any limbs on the wires, always call the Lincoln Electric System. The 10-foot limit is a federal safety rule, keeping anyone not trained for power lines and their tools safe from being electrocuted. That rule is OSHA 1910.333, and LES answers at 888-365-2412.
Street Tree Pruning by City Rules
Street tree pruning by city rules states that the curb strip between the sidewalk and the street is city ground with city-owned trees. The city prunes and removes these trees at no charge. The owner may prune these trees, but needs to follow the ANSI A300 national standards for how to prune trees. Community Forestry is the city's office in charge of these public trees.
Wondering what your tree will cost?
Give us the cross streets, a guess at the height and whatever sits beneath the branches. The call back brings a likely range and what could move it.
Commercial Tree Service for HOAs and Rental Owners
Associations and property owners usually want several trees handled on one quote.
HOA Tree Trimming for Common Areas
We walk every tree an association letter flags and say which ones need to go, in writing the board can share. Common area trees then go on a pruning round every 3 to 5 years. That beats one emergency at a time.
Rental Property Tree Removal
Renters live in about 42% of Lincoln homes. We give each address and each tree its own quote line, so an owner with three houses sees what every one costs before saying yes.
Commercial Storm Cleanup
After a wind storm we open entrances and parking lot aisles first, then take down hanging wood over walks and cars. Stumps and chips wait for a second visit, once the debris is off the pavement. The lot opens sooner that way.
Church and School Tree Trimming
We raise low limbs over walks and play areas and time the loud saw work around drop-off and services. Dead wood above a spot where people gather comes out first.
Property Management Tree Service
Managers with several sites get every tree marked on a simple site map with our notes on its condition. Next year's pruning round then starts from that list instead of a fresh walk of every property.
Specialty Tree Work, Arborist Assessments and Cranes
Tree Risk Assessment
Level 2 is considered to be the basic check in the national standard for tree risk assessment. This assessment is done from the ground. If there is any hollow sound when the trunk is struck with a mallet or a soft cavity, this shows rot inside, which means the tree is dead or dying. At this point heavy pruning or even removal is suggested.
Land Clearing and Brush Removal on Acreages
Acreages at the edge of Lincoln can carry dozens of volunteer trees and thick brush. A small lot with light growth usually takes 1 to 3 days. We keep clean brush apart from soil and stumps, because the Bluff Road compost area takes tree waste only when it is free of soil. Forestry mulching leaves the chips in place and does not suit a building pad.
Tree Cabling and Bracing
A cable sits roughly two-thirds out from a weak fork toward the tips, under ANSI A300 Part 3, so both halves of a split-prone elm or silver maple sway as one. A brace rod goes through the trunk lower down. We fit them on sound wood only. A cable buys a healthy tree years. It cannot hold up a rotten one.
Crane Tree Removal
When a dead ash leans over the house, or the wood is too punky to climb, a crane lifts whole sections over the roof. Most residential crane removals take four to eight hours on site. Climbing the same big tree can take a full day or more. We check where the outriggers can sit first, since a soft lawn or a buried line changes the plan.
Tree Replacement After Removal
Planting on the curb strip takes a no-fee city permit, and the Street Tree Voucher Program shares the cost when it is funded, for a trunk at least 1 inch across. Ash is no longer allowed there. We grind the old stump deep enough for the new root ball. Our usual advice is a different species from the one that died.
How a Tree Job Runs From Call to Cleanup
Most worries come down to the yard afterward and whether the bill matches the quote.
I can remember years ago, my neighbor had a large tree right next to my property. I kept telling him, “That thing’s looking old and tired. You should get it checked out before it does any damage to our shared fence.” Sure enough, the next ice storm we had brought down several of the big limbs that looked like they were dying, which landed on our fence. And because it was on his property, he ended up having to pay for it. The lesson is get trees that look suspect checked out while the weather is calm before storms hit.
Step by step
- We stand under the tree with you and note the roof, fence, beds and sprinkler heads below it.
- The written quote prices climbing, hauling, the stump and the hole fill on separate lines, so you can set it beside other bids.
- On the day, mats or plywood go down wherever a machine crosses the grass.
- Near the house, heavy wood comes down on ropes.
- Sawdust and twigs get raked from your yard and the neighbor’s, and the stump hole is filled level.
Lincoln’s Arborist License and How to Check a Crew
Anyone doing tree work for hire in Lincoln needs a City of Lincoln arborist license.
What the city asks of a tree crew
It is renewed each year by December 31, with proof of workers’ compensation and liability cover of at least half a million dollars. Passing the exam takes 75%.
How you can look one up
Community Forestry posts the current holders as a PDF, with each company’s insurance agent and expiry date. Ask for the name on the license and find it there.
Tree Work Times, From Locate to Last Rake
Removing a tree is like moving a piano down a staircase. The carrying is quick. Planning every turn takes the time.
Typical times
| Job | Typical time | What sets the pace |
|---|---|---|
| Tree under 20 ft | 30 min to 2 hours | Room for the chipper |
| Tree 20 to 50 ft | 2 to 5 hours | Lean and what’s below |
| Tree 50 to 80 ft | 5 to 10 hours | Rigging over roofs |
| Crane removal | 4 to 8 hours | Where the crane can sit |
| One stump | 30 min to 2 hours | Width of the root flare |
| Small lot cleared | 1 to 3 days | How thick the brush is |
Raking and hauling often match the cutting time.
What Tree Service Costs in Lincoln, NE
Every local tree search leads with price, so here are the ranges together.
Lincoln Tree Service Prices
| Job | Typical range | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Removal, 30 ft tree | $350 to $680 | tree |
| Removal, 50 ft tree | $590 to $1,130 | tree |
| Removal, 70 ft tree | $820 to $1,580 | tree |
| Three-person crew | $200 to $260 | hour |
| First stump ground | $169 to $288 | visit |
| Each added stump | $30 to $60 | stump |
| Land clearing | $1.00 to $1.35 | sq ft |
| Risk assessment | $100 to $250 | tree |
| Cabling | $200 to $350 | tree |
The first three rows and the crew are Lincoln figures, the stump and clearing rows zip 68502, November 2026; the rest are national. Crane time and rush work are extra. Your own number comes after we see the tree.
What moves the price
- Height and spread: each extra 10 feet adds rigging time.
- What sits underneath: a roof or a wire means roping every piece down.
- Dead or infested wood: brittle ash may need a lift or crane.
- Rush work: same-day or next-day removal often costs 2 to 3 times the usual rate.
Since crews typically charge a rush rate for work done the same day or next day after a storm, as long as a damaged tree is not going to fall on your house, other structures or cars, we would schedule it at a normal rate as soon as they can get there.
When a cheap bid skips the stump
A low bid can leave the stump or the haul-away off. Ask every company to list both.
Some bids will include everything, including stump grinding and hauling away the large trunk wood and all the limbs and brush, where other bids may have it itemized per job. In our opinion, either of these works, as long as you know they’re both reputable, good companies.
Where the wood goes
Bluff Road compost takes clean brush at $25.15 a ton in 2026. If you burn wood at home, keep it and that line drops off.
We price it standing in your yard
How the trunk leans, how much dead wood it carries, where the pieces can land and whether a truck fits down the alley set most of the price. Those get checked on site, and the quote lists each part on its own line.
Where We Work Around Lincoln
Lincoln Precision Tree Service handles removals, trimming and stumps across Lincoln, NE, and out through Lancaster County to the towns along its edges.
Lancaster County, NE
- Waverly
- Bennet
- Hickman
Cass County, NE
- Eagle
- Weeping Water
- Louisville
Saline County, NE
- Crete
- Wilber
Seward County, NE
- Milford
- Seward
Saunders County, NE
- Ashland
- Wahoo
Otoe County, NE
- Syracuse
Lincoln's arborist license and street tree permits apply inside the city limits. The Nebraska 811 locate covers every town on this list.
Lancaster County was one of eight counties in Nebraska's emerald ash borer quarantine, which limits moving ash and other hardwood out, so firewood from a Lincoln ash should be burned close to home.
Request a quote
Phone (402) 382-2424 to go over it now, or fill in the tree details and expect our call.
What Lincoln Homeowners Ask Before Tree Work
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree in my own yard in Lincoln?
We found no Lincoln rule asking for one on private property. The city's permits cover street and park trees. A home inside an HOA may still need the association's sign-off first.
How much does it cost to have an arborist look at a tree?
A quick inspection runs about $100 to $250 nationally. A written report on one tree, the kind an insurer or an HOA might want, usually costs $150 to $450.
Can my ash tree still be saved?
Typically, if the ash tree is 14 inches across the trunk or less, we would remove it. If it's larger and relatively healthy, treating it with injections into the trunk would be the way to go.
Does homeowners insurance cover tree removal?
Usually insurance policies only pay for tree removal if it has damaged any of the buildings on your property, and they typically pay out about $500 to $1,000 per tree that fell.
What is the cheapest time of year for tree removal?
Winter and early spring are usually when the crews are the slowest and prices can often ease. Several trees in one visit typically run about 10 to 25% less per tree.
Will the city pick up branches after a storm?
No. City crews only handle public trees. They don't pick up limbs from private yards. The limbs and debris should be in bundles no longer than four feet and set beside your garbage cart. The North 48th Street Transfer Station takes private tree debris at its regular charges.
Can I keep the wood from my tree?
Yes, make sure you say so before the job starts. We can leave all the trunk wood in rounds that you can split into firewood later. The haul line is what the quote charges to carry the wood away. The city also hands out free self-load mulch at Holmes Park.
How do I tell if a tree is dead or just dormant?
With a thumbnail test on a twig, green wood underneath means it's alive. If it snaps dry, that twig is dead. If bark is peeling in sheets, the tree is likely dead.