A tree service contract needs eight parts: both parties' details, a specific scope naming which trees and the work, the price and what it covers, whether cleanup and the stump are included, proof of liability and workers' comp insurance, a payment schedule, a change clause, and signatures with a date. Copy the layout below into Google Docs or Word and you have a one-page agreement that heads off the most common tree-work arguments.
We run our own home-service companies, so we know the disputes in this trade aren't about the tree coming down — they happen over the pile of logs left in the yard and the stump nobody agreed to grind. Two clear lines on the contract end both.
"I thought you were taking the wood" is the classic tree-service fight. State plainly whether logs and brush are hauled or left in a neat pile.
Removal and stump grinding are often priced separately. Say whether the stump is included and how deep it's ground, or the homeowner expects a clean lawn.
Tree work near a house is high-risk. Skipping the insurance reference leaves the homeowner uneasy and you exposed. Attach the certificates every time.
"While you're here, can you also take that one too" is how a $1,450 job becomes more work for the same money. The clause makes added trees a new line, not a favor.
A free template covers you when:
Have a local attorney review your standard terms once for large, hazardous, or crane removals, or any commercial work where the liability and dollar amounts climb. A single review of your reusable template is cheap insurance.
The contract template should be free, and now you can make one. Our job is upstream: getting the tree jobs to you. We build sites with AI lead capture from $249/month that turn "tree removal near me" into booked estimates and answer the homeowner with the leaning tree after hours, with a free working demo in 48 hours and full ownership of the site.
See tree service website design, tree service SEO, tree service marketing, and the homeowner guide on the best tree service.
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Even a one-line written scope and price beats a verbal deal. It takes a minute and prevents the small dispute that costs you a review.
Yes. Copy the layout above into Docs or Word and reuse it per job. Have an attorney review it once for large or commercial removals.
For larger removals, yes. A 30% deposit covers mobilization and signals the customer is committed before you bring a crew and equipment out.
Send your company name and city — we'll confirm your market is open and build a working demo within 48 hours. Free, no card, no commitment.
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