Tree Felling Montana

Tree Felling Montana is northern-suburb work on stands developed from the eighties onward, where fast-growing screening trees planted at the time are now the largest thing on the property.

Tree Felling Montana is dominated by gums and conifer screens, together with the jacarandas and pines found throughout the northern suburbs.

What the Job Involves

Access in Montana is generally better than in the older parts of the city. Driveways are wider, stands are a reasonable size, and there is often room to position a chipper close to the work. That keeps the labour component down compared with the tighter suburbs.

The trees themselves are the cost driver rather than the access. Screening gums planted twenty-five or thirty years ago are now large, heavy and usually right on a boundary, which means the neighbour's side of the wall is part of the job. Arrange access with them in advance where the canopy crosses the line.

Trees We Get Called To

• Blue gum — Planted as fast screening, now large and heavy. The main removal work.
• Cypress and conifer screens — Long boundary rows, priced by length rather than per tree.
• Jacaranda — Mature specimens, brittle limbs and surface roots.
• Pine — Tall and shallow-rooted, the usual storm call.
• Syringa — A declared invasive that suckers from cut stumps.

Tree Felling Montana Price Guide

Job	Indicative range	What moves it
Small tree, up to 5 m	R850 – R2 500	Open access, one drop zone
Medium tree, 5 – 10 m	R2 500 – R6 500	Whether it can be dropped whole
Large tree, 10 – 20 m	R6 500 – R15 000	Rigging, roof and wall clearance
Very large tree, 20 m+	R12 000 – R25 000+	Crane or MEWP hire if needed
Sectional dismantle near a structure	+30% – 60%	Every piece lowered on ropes
Stump ground out afterwards	R600 – R3 000	Diameter and machine access
Green waste removal	R650 – R3 500	Bakkie load through to truck load

What Pushes the Price Up in Montana

• Whether the canopy crosses a boundary and neighbour access is needed
• Row work on screens, priced by length rather than per tree
• Timber volume off mature screening gums
• Position of the tree relative to the driveway and the chipper

Permits and Protected Trees

Three separate rules decide whether a tree can legally come down in Montana. Species protected under the National Forests Act need a permit from the national department before removal, whoever owns the land. Trees on verges, pavements and other municipal ground belong to the City of Tshwane rather than to the adjoining owner, so those are a call to the municipality and not to a contractor. Declared invasive species run the opposite way — there is a legal duty to control them, which is why bluegum, syringa and wattle removals are rarely refused.

Jacaranda sits in between: existing trees in the urban areas are allowed to stay, but the species is listed and replanting is not permitted. Estates, body corporates and homeowners' associations frequently add their own approval process on top of the municipal one. Check which of these applies before booking, not after.

Other Work in the Area

Montana is one area within the wider service coverage. For the full breakdown of methods, species and pricing, start at Tree Felling Pretoria.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does tree felling in Montana cost?

Most residential jobs land between R2 500 and R15 000. The band depends far more on what is underneath the tree than on the tree itself — a 12 m tree with a clear drop zone is a fraction of the cost of the same tree overhanging a roof, because the second one has to come down piece by piece on ropes.

Can a tree be felled close to my house?

Yes, but not by dropping it. It gets climbed or reached with a MEWP and taken down in sections, each piece roped and lowered rather than allowed to fall. That is slower and costs more, and it is the correct method when there is a roof, a boundary wall, paving or a pool underneath.

Do you take the wood away?

Ask before you accept a quote — this is the most common reason two quotes differ. Some include full removal of timber and brush, some leave the wood stacked on site, and some charge separately for haulage. Get it in writing either way.

What about the stump?

Felling normally leaves a stump at ground level. Grinding or excavating it out is a separate line item. If you are going to pave, plant or build over the spot, deal with the stump in the same visit — bringing a machine back later costs more than doing it while the crew is on site.

The tree is on the boundary and overhangs my neighbour. How does that work?

You are entitled to deal with your own tree, but the crew will usually need access from the neighbour's side to work safely and to clear the material that falls there. Arrange that in advance rather than on the day. If the trunk itself straddles the boundary line, it is legally a shared tree and both parties need to agree before it comes down. Being straight with the neighbour early avoids a job stopping halfway through.

How do I get quotes for Tree Felling Montana?

Describe the tree once — rough height, what is underneath it, and how close a vehicle can get — and add a photo taken from a few metres back so the whole tree is in frame. Companies covering the area receive it and quote you directly. It is free and there is no obligation to appoint anyone.