BirdsallTree Services · Leeds
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Service 09

Hedge removal.

Full hedge removal and hard reductions: overgrown leylandii and conifer hedges taken out roots and all, or cut right back, with a nesting-bird check before we start.

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From overgrown leylandii to full dig-outs.

Some hedges are past trimming. A leylandii row gone brown down one side, conifers twice the height of the fence, a boundary hedge in the way of a new drive or fence line. We'll tell you straight at the visit whether yours can come back with a hard reduction or whether removal is the honest answer: leylandii and most conifers won't regrow from old brown wood, so there's a point past which cutting back just leaves you looking at dead hedge.

Removal means the whole hedge, not just what you can see. Stems cut and cleared, then the stumps ground out below ground level with our narrow-access grinder, so you can fence, turf or pave straight along the old line. We check for nesting birds before every job without exception. If there are birds in it, the work waits, and we'll always tell you.

Typical jobs
Overgrown leylandii taken outConifer hedge removalBoundary hedge before new fencingHedge line cleared for a driveDead or diseased hedgesHard reductions short of removal
How it works
01

Free visit & bird check

We look at the hedge, check for nesting birds and tell you straight whether it needs removing or a hard reduction will bring it back.

02

Written quote

Fixed price agreed before we start, waste included. Stumps ground out or left in, your choice, and the quote can show both.

03

Removal done, site clear

Hedge out, stumps ground below ground level, all arisings taken away. Ready to fence, turf or pave.

Hedge removal & reduction

Questions we get asked

How much does hedge removal cost?
It depends on the length and height of the hedge, the species, how easy it is to reach and whether the stumps and roots are coming out or staying in. A long overgrown leylandii run with every stump ground out is a very different job to lifting a short privet hedge. We give a free site visit and a written fixed quote covering everything, waste included, so you know the price before we start.
Do I need permission to remove a garden hedge?
Usually not. The Hedgerows Regulations protect countryside and field-boundary hedgerows, not garden hedges, so most domestic hedges can be removed without any permission. The exceptions are hedges protected by a planning condition and some conservation-area situations, and nesting birds are protected by law whatever the hedge, which is why we check first. If the hedge sits on a shared boundary it's worth agreeing it with your neighbour before work starts, and we can advise on all of this at the visit.
Can you take out the stumps and roots as well?
Yes. We grind the stumps out below ground level with the same narrow-access machine we use for tree stumps, so it fits through a standard single gate into a rear garden. That stops regrowth and leaves the line clear to fence, turf or pave over. If you'd rather keep the cost down and leave the stumps in, that's fine too: the quote can show both options.
Is my hedge too far gone to save?
Not always. Beech, hornbeam, laurel and yew can come back from a surprisingly hard cut, so a neglected hedge of those species can often be reduced and reshaped rather than removed. Leylandii and most conifers are the exception: they won't regrow from old brown wood, so once a hedge is brown right through, removal is usually the honest answer. We'll tell you which side of the line yours is on at the visit.
When can a hedge be removed?
Any time of year, subject to the nesting-bird check. Birds nest mainly from February to August and active nests are protected by law, so if we find one the work waits until the young have flown, and we'll always tell you. Outside nesting season timing is yours: autumn and winter are often easiest, with the garden quieter and the beds clear.
Pricing guide What does tree & hedge work cost?
Related services
08 Hedge cutting & trimming 03 Stump grinding & removal 01 Felling & dismantling

Ready to get started? Book a free site visit.

We'll tell you straight whether it's a reduction or a removal. Fixed price before we start.

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