How Much Does a Tree Condition Survey Cost in the UK?

Most people ask about price because they want certainty. Last month in Altrincham I inspected a mature beech over a driveway—tight access and overhead cables. The survey was £300 + VAT, and the fix was a light reduction and deadwood removal, timed alongside the neighbour’s works to share access costs. That’s the value of a condition survey: clear priorities, no guesswork.

Typical UK price ranges (guide)

(Fees exclude VAT and can vary with access and reporting depth.)

• Single tree: ~£300 + VAT — site visit and photo-backed report.
• Small garden (5–30 trees): ~£480 + VAT — survey, priorities, full report.
• Medium site / larger garden (30–50 trees): ~£720 + VAT.
• Estate / multi-block (50–70 trees): ~£960 + VAT.
• Complex / multi-site / development: POA — scoped to drawings, stakeholders and deliverables.

Cost-saving option for large sites: negative reporting. I only report trees with significant, obvious defects, so you can address immediate duty-of-care needs now. It’s cheaper than a full inventory, but less detailed—useful as a stop-gap when budgets are tight.

Specialist investigations (e.g., decay detection, tomography, climbing inspections) are add-ons used only when proportionate.

What drives the cost of a tree condition survey?

• Number of trees & site size — more trees = more time.
• Access & constraints — highways, steep ground, locked areas, or short daylight windows add time.
• Risk profile — higher occupancy (playgrounds, car parks, highways) can justify closer inspection.
• Reporting depth — baseline vs. first-time, detailed reporting for unmanaged sites.
• Data & deliverables — GIS mapping, tagging, photographs, CAD overlays.
• Urgency — fast turnarounds or out-of-hours visits may carry a premium.

Why the survey is worth it (value, not just price)

A good survey replaces hunches with evidence. You’ll get:

• Risk-based priorities (do now / next / later).
• Proportionate recommendations—no unnecessary felling.
• A maintenance plan that sequences work to cut cost and disruption.
• Documentation that supports duty-of-care and insurance.

Duty-of-care context: UK law expects reasonable, proportionate management. See Legislation.gov.uk and HSE. Proportionate tree risk guidance: National Tree Safety Group. Good practice for tree work: Arboricultural Association.

What a professional deliverable should include

• Executive summary in plain English: “What do I need to do?”
• Tree schedule: condition, defects, targets, recommendations, timescales.
• Priority coding aligned to risk and occupancy.
• Plan or map so contractors can find trees quickly (PDF or GIS).
• Evidence photos (with marked defects where helpful).
• Follow-up intervals (re-inspection dates).

Make the price work harder

• Bundle visits (neighbours/blocks) to share mobilisation costs.
• Agree proportionate scope—light-touch vs. full inventory, or use negative reporting where appropriate.
• Stage works—urgent items first; lower-risk aligned to budgets.
• Keep records—reports and completion notes help track decline/recovery and support insurers.

FAQs

How much is a single-tree survey?
About £300 + VAT for a targeted inspection and report.

Will I be pushed into costly works?
No—recommendations should be proportionate to risk and value. You’ll get options and timeframes.

Do I always need advanced tests?
No. Use additional investigation only when it changes the decision (e.g., confirming internal decay where removal is being considered).

Bottom line

Focus on value: clarity, proportionate action, and a plan that protects people, property and amenity. A well-scoped Tree Condition Survey doesn’t just answer “how much?”—it helps you spend wisely, reduce risk, and care for your trees with confidence. For legal and good-practice context, see Legislation.gov.uk, HSE, and NTSG.