30/09/2026
Why does it cost so much ?
Professional tree climbing is specialist, high-risk work, and the rates reflect much more than the time spent physically working in the tree.
As a self-employed arborist, I don't receive an employer's sick pay or a guaranteed wage. Every time I climb a tree, I accept a level of personal risk. Even with the correct training, experience, equipment and safety procedures, there is always the possibility of an injury.
If I am injured, the consequences aren't simply the time needed to recover. I may be unable to climb or carry out physical work, meaning I cannot earn an income during that period. Unlike an employed worker, there is no company paying me while I'm off recovering. My ability to earn depends directly on my ability to work
Ultimately, the customer isn't just paying for the hours the climber spends in the tree. They are paying for the skill, experience, equipment and responsibility required to put someone safely into a tree and carry out work that most people simply cannot do themselves.
For a self-employed climber, the rate also has to provide some protection against the financial consequences of doing a dangerous job. If I get injured, I don't get paid to recover. I lose the ability to earn altogether.
That is a fundamental part of why professional arboricultural climbing rates are necessarily higher than simply calculating an hourly wage.
