How Much Does Hedge Trimming Cost in Ottawa?
There is no honest per-foot price for hedge trimming, and a number given over the phone is a guess. Two hedges the same length can be very different jobs: one is a waist-high Emerald row trimmed every year, the other is a twelve-foot cedar wall that has not been touched in five. Height, width, how overgrown it is, how easy it is to reach, and how much has to be cleaned up all change the work. That is why Hedge King looks at the hedge first and gives you a free quote.
What actually sets the price
These are the things we are looking at when we walk the hedge:
- Length: how many feet of hedge, and whether it is one straight run or wraps around corners and beds.
- Height: anything above head height means ladders or staging, which is slower and needs more care than work from the ground.
- Width and both sides: whether we are trimming one face, both faces and the top, and whether the back side is reachable at all.
- How overgrown it is: a hedge on a yearly trim takes light cutting. One that has gone several years has far more growth to take off, and more of it has to be done carefully so we do not cut into bare wood.
- Access: open lawn on both sides is quick. A hedge behind a pool fence, over a garden bed or tight against a neighbour's fence is not.
- Cleanup: every trim includes collecting all the trimmings and taking them away. More growth off means more to haul.
Why the same hedge costs less to keep than to rescue
Cedar hedges are cheapest to look after when they are trimmed once a year, around the same time each year. A regularly trimmed hedge only needs the new growth shaped, so the job is quick and the hedge stays dense.
Leave it for a few seasons and it becomes a bigger job every year, and eventually a hedge can grow past the point where it can be brought back to its old size, because cedars do not regrow from bare wood. At that point the choice is a smaller hedge, a slow restoration over two seasons, or hedge replacement. Our cedar hedge care guide explains why.
Why we do not quote over the phone
We could give a number to anyone who calls, but it would be either padded to cover the unknowns or wrong once we see the hedge. Neither is fair to you. A look at the hedge takes a few minutes, costs you nothing, and means the price you get is the price of your job.
When you request a quote, tell us roughly how long and how tall the hedge is and when it was last trimmed. That helps us plan the visit.
What is included
Every hedge trimming job includes a complete cleanup: we collect all the trimmings and take them away, and they are processed to recover their cedar oil before the rest is mulched and composted. Hedge King is fully insured. Ask us about maintenance plans if you would rather not have to remember to book each year.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to trim a cedar hedge in Ottawa?
It depends on the hedge: its length and height, how overgrown it is, access to both sides, and how much has to be cleaned up. Hedge King gives free on-site quotes so the price matches your actual hedge.
Why can't you give me a price over the phone?
Two hedges of the same length can be completely different jobs. A phone price would be a guess, either padded or wrong. A free on-site look gives you the real price.
Is it cheaper to trim a hedge every year?
Yes, in practice. A hedge trimmed yearly only needs its new growth shaped, which is quick work. A hedge left for years has far more to take off and can outgrow the point where it can be brought back.