Guide
Arboricultural survey cost: what UK consultants publish, by report
Updated
An arboricultural survey costs a median of £349 across the 21 UK consultants that print a price on their own page, with a spread of £200 to £1,495, read on 27 October 2026. What you pay depends on how many trees there are, which reports the council wants, and whether the site is a garden or a development.
The published prices
We read 87 consultancies' own pages and 21 publish a figure for a planning tree survey. The middle half sit between £262.50 and £375 (every row, with its source). The other 66 quote after you send drawings or a tree count, which is the usual way this work is priced.
What each report adds
| Report | What one firm publishes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| BS5837 tree survey for planning | from £349 | Arbtech |
| BS5837 tree survey for planning | from £350 | Surrey Tree Consultant |
| Arboricultural impact assessment | from £249 | Arbtech |
| Arboricultural impact assessment | a fee of £200 | Godwins |
| Arboricultural method statement | from £200 +VAT | Surrey Tree Consultant |
| Root protection areas calculated | from £195 | Weddles |
| Site supervision and monitoring | from £299 | Arbtech |
| Full planning submission with AIA and method statement | £700 to £1,500+ | Lally Tree Management |
Sources: Arbtech, Surrey Tree Consultant, Godwins, Weddles and Lally Tree Management, each on its own page.
What moves the price
- Number of trees
- Every tree on or near the site is measured and graded, so a plot with 40 trees takes far longer than a garden with three.
- Which reports the council wants
- A survey alone is the cheapest job; an impact assessment and a method statement are separate reports that each add a fee.
- Site size and type
- A larger development is priced differently: Castle Surveys publishes arboricultural surveys from around £1,495+VAT for a phase 1 and 2 survey.
- Drawings
- The impact assessment is written against your layout, so it cannot be priced until the drawings exist.
What to ask before you book
- Which of the reports does the council's validation list ask for, and is each one in the quote?
- Is the price fixed for the number of trees on the site, or per tree beyond a set number?
- Who carries out the survey, and do they hold an arboricultural qualification?
- Does the price include VAT and travel?
Published figures are what each provider advertises on its own page, read through our fetch box on the date shown. A 'from' price is the provider's floor, not the price of your survey.