Hello,

what should I expect to pay to have a set of 3 birch trees taken down and stumps ground down?

approx 3 stories high. 50 in. Circumference each,

I’d keep the main trunks for firewood.

 

Call several tree service companies in your area and get estimates. Since we don't know where you are located, available access to the trees, hazards in the area... it's impossible for us to guess.

 

Trying that. Getting people to come out proving to be a challenge. I thought there was a pandemic where people are looking for work.

We’re in rural Ontario....easy access to tress. About 15 ft from the house. First and only quote was over $2000

 

Manhattan, NYC - $5,000+
Anywhere, Alabama, - $500+

You should be somewhere in between.

 

Time is money. So, IF you have TIME, you CAN save MONEY.

If I Were You, I would rebid to get a quote to
A) de-limb the tree, and position the limbs to cushion the fall,
B) DROP the tree trunk,
then
C) grind the stump.

This would leave YOU responsible to A) drag the branches away, or have a nice bonfire, and B) chunk up the tree trunk into firewood sized pieces.
However, this WOULD essentially make this a 1-man job for the companies that are bidding, which should cut the cost significantly.

This would leave you with big tree trunk, sitting on several tree limbs. However, you can probably rent a chain saw from a big box store to chunk the trunk into 12-18" firewood rounds. Having the tree trunk dropped ONTO the tree limbs makes it easier to cut up the trunk into fire wood - the trunk stays up off the ground.

 

I’ve cut down trees before but not near homes and not quite this large. I’m comfortable bucking.

the first quote just seems high...I get the risks....but I’ve seen them doing neighbours....and it’s a half day job.

your plans seems reasonable.