Cost of Cutting Conifers

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I need to get two conifer trees trimmed as they are getting out of control.

Has anyone had similar done and would you mind sharing what you paid?

I'm going to get some quotes but I can only find tree surgeons online so I'm anticipating a fairly expensive quote.

Depending on the work you need you may be able be to get it done by a gardener? If it involves climbing and chainsaws then you need the insurance tree surgeons have, but if it can be done from the ground or a ladder with a hedge trimmer then get a gardener.

I think it would be worth asking a gardener. One is barely more than a shrub but the other is level with the garage roof so not sure if it's too high for a ladder.

instead of trimming them, cut them down.

Are they potentially problematic then pigletjohn? They sit in a corner bed in the front garden and break it up a bit. We don't side on to anyone so they aren't causing problems for neighbours.

I know they aren't indigenous and I wouldn't have chosen them but I'd be nervy about losing that much tree and how long it would take for something to grow in their place.

conifers tend to be fast growing and end up being a nuisance.

my neighbour put up a hedge of them all round his garden. By the time he had them cut down (after complaints about the branches overhanging the road and pavement) they were taller than his house.

I've just had my conifer hedge trimmed (we've got 18 conifers) and my guy charged £100 for five and half hours work, must say they look great and he's shaped them well, he is a gardener and does most of his work on conifers/hedges and you can tell by how well he does it.

From my experience tree surgeons don't usually like cutting conifers and shaping them, my tree surgeon guy who I have to do my trees said he hates doing conifers and always inflates the price to put people off asking him, I think it's because they require more patience and time
then just cutting branches off a tree.

We have a neighbour a few doors along with a hedge like that pigletjohn. I know where you're coming from. I think I'm going to see how cutting goes first though before considering getting rid as it's only two.

Thanks eggsandwich that's good to hear. I was braced for a lot more! Got a gardener coming to have a look tomorrow.

If they are leylandii they can get huge, but there are lots of lovely small shrub and small tree conifers that won't get out of control. What do they look like?

I have a Cotoneaster Horizontalis which has not got too big to trim with a pair of secateurs. I let it peep over the garden wall. In less time, my neighbour's horrible things were overshadowing his house.

One is definitely a shrub. We could shape that ourselves but I figure if someone is coming they can do that too and make a nice job of it.

I think the other is laylandii from comparison pictures on google. Wondering if we should have that cut right back and then keep on top of it with regular pruning ourselves.

I would advocate getting rid of the Leylandii. They are thugs and grow several feet a year. It will be a never ending cycle of trimming. There are beautiful smaller trees you can get that you can just leave and won't be a dense green barrier to light. Birds and wildlife don't like them and they have little value in any garden. Why not get a tree you actually like?

Yes the best thing for leylandii is removal, they want to be enormous trees and really aren't suitable for gardens. They also hate being hard pruned and will have brown dead patches forever if you cut them back past the green outer layer.

i totally agree. get rid of both before they become a burden and plant something nice.

Only me who read this as 'cost of cutting corners'?