What does it cost to trim a hedge?

You might think the answer would be pretty straightforward. We wish it was! It would make everything much simpler. Unfortunately for everyone, pricing hedge trimming is difficult. There are many different species of hedge, and hedges come in all manner of sizes. Some hedges have been well maintained for years, others have been left to overgrow for far too long. Some hedges have been damaged by snow or storms, others by pests or drought.

Most of the time, when we get asked to trim a hedge, this isn’t exactly what buyers mean. Instead, what is need is to make it look good again, or reduce the height or spread regardless of appearance. Without really seeing what the current state of the hedge is, and fully understanding the expectations we can’t really tell what amount of work will be involved.

Factors that go into the cost of trimming hedges:

1. Size and amount to be trimmed
2. How much needs to be repaired
3. What the goal is

1. Size and Amount to Be Trimmed

The total height, length and depth of a hedge is very important to cost. A hedge that is ten feet long, four feet tall and two feet wide is very easy to reach and access. The same hedge at 100 ft long would take much more time. A 30 ft tall hedge requires special equipment to access, while a hedge that is very wide may be very time consuming to work on. The bigger the hedge, the more expensive it will be.

The amount that needs to be trimmed is also a factor – a light touch-up with only 1-2 inches of new growth trimmed off is much different than taking a few feet off.

2. How Much Needs to Be Repaired

Is the hedge damaged at all? Does it have holes? Has it split apart? These issues can usually be resolved, but it can be time consuming depending on the level of damage. Repairing a hedge will usually also involve removing excess deadwood and leaves or needles that have piled up inside. Deadwood in hedges is common, but too much can make it hard to repair.

Does the Hedge Need to Be Cleaned Out?

As hedges age, they shed leaves and needles, much of which piles up in the interior of the hedge. Many hedges that have been trimmed year after year without being cleaned out may have six or more inches of debris at the base, which can cause significant damage. If a hedge is undergoing a major repair, removing this debris and all the deadwood can aid in recovery and keep it looking lush.

Cleaning out a hedge in this manner involves making hundreds of individual cuts on the inside of the hedge and collecting often large piles of old leaves, needles and other debris. This work must be completed prior to the repair or trimming to ensure the final product looks spectacular, but it does add time to the job.  

3. What Is the Overall Goal and How Challenging Is It?

Hedge trimming can mean many different things to different people. We’ve discussed a few different aspects of hedge care above. When taken together, they reflect the scope of work involved in the job and the level of difficulty it presents.

Improving the appearance

Some home owners want a hedge with crisp, straight lines or on large columns. Others want perfectly round balls made out of hedges, while still others just want to tame back an otherwise natural look. The more precise and challenging the more time it takes to achieve and the greater skill level is required to do it.

Difficulty of Hedge Repair

Has the hedge been damaged and needs to be put back together? This can happen when snow weighs down on a hedge and pulls it apart. Sometimes, there are holes and gaps in a hedge that need to be filled in. Fixing these problems is not necessarily easy or straightforward, especially if the damage is significant or the hedge is large.

Size Changes to the Hedge

Lastly, changing the size of the hedge can present serious problems. Many hedges have green on the outside and little to no growth on the inside. If cut a significant amount, only sticks will be visible and certain species will be unlikely to grow back properly or at all.

Pushing a hedge back from a driveway a few feet could radically alter the look and health of the hedge. Likewise, “topping” hedges by reducing their height a significant amount can result in serious damage. There are ways to achieve this without causing serious damage, but they aren’t fast. It may take a few years of trimming to get hedges smaller without serious problems. We generally won’t agree to do radical reductions in height or spread because no one ends up happy with the result.