Tree work in Dumont: what to expect
Dumont is two square miles of 1920s to 1960s houses on fifty-foot lots between Bergenfield and Cresskill, bisected by the Tenakill Brook and the old West Shore line. The borough's Shade Tree Commission runs its own tree nursery, an adopt-a-tree program and a heritage tree list, and the streets show the work: continuous curb-side oaks and maples on most blocks, with the usual back-yard silver maples, spruces and the odd giant white oak behind the older houses on the hill toward Haworth.
Narrow lots, detached garages and PSE&G drops through the crowns make Dumont rigging country. The borough was early to a private-tree permit, so most local crews know the drill; out-of-town companies sometimes do not.
Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Dumont?
Yes, for any tree. An amendment to Dumont's Shade Tree ordinance effective September 20, 2013 requires a permit before any tree can be removed in the borough, on private property or in the right-of-way. The homeowner or the contractor applies at the Building Department at Borough Hall with the property survey, the Tree Removal Permit Application, the name of the tree company and proof that it is insured; the fee is $25, by check or cash. The Shade Tree Commission inspects the tree, and once the permit is approved the work can proceed. Chapter 344 of the code also covers planting standards, protection of borough trees during construction and the borough's power to order diseased or dangerous trees dealt with.
Street trees remain the Shade Tree Commission's; a request to prune or remove one goes to the Commission and the DPW.
Where to ask: Building Department, Dumont Borough Hall, 50 Washington Avenue, 201-387-5022. Source: Dumont Shade Tree Commission (dumontshadetree.org) official notice and tree permit page, dumontnj.gov Shade Tree Commission page, and Borough Code Chapter 344 (ecode360), read October 2026. Confirm the current rule with the municipality before work starts; ordinances change and towns were still amending these in 2025.
What goes wrong with trees in Dumont
- Curb oaks and sidewalks. Dumont's continuous street-tree rows lift slabs and shade lawns; they are borough trees, and the Commission's inspection decides their fate, not a private estimate.
- Silver maple splits. Fast-grown silver maples with included bark in the main fork split in ice and wet snow, usually onto a garage. Cabling helps a sound tree; a cracked one comes down.
- Spruces with no drop zone. Sixty-foot Norway spruces planted between houses in the 1960s; dismantled from the top in small pieces.
- Brook-side saturation. Trees along the Tenakill lean and uproot after floods; a fresh lean with heaved soil is an emergency call.
What it costs in Dumont (2026)
| Job | Typical NJ price |
|---|---|
| Small tree, under 30 ft | $200 – $600 |
| Medium tree, 30 – 60 ft | $500 – $1,500 |
| Large tree, 60 – 80 ft | $1,000 – $2,500 |
| Crane removal over a house | $2,500 – $3,500+ |
| Tree trimming, mature tree | $450 – $700 |
| Stump grinding | $100 – $500 per stump |
Ranges are published 2026 New Jersey figures (T&D Tree's NJ cost guide and treecostremovalcalculator.com's NJ pages), not quotes from this site; some North Jersey companies publish higher 2026 ranges, which we compare in the Bergen County cost guide. Your number depends on the tree, the access and your town's permit.
The $25 permit is the smallest fee in the county, so a Dumont quote is the tree and the access. Fifty-foot lots mean climb-and-rig pricing in the middle to upper range for anything large; shared crane days with a neighbor bring big back-yard removals down.
What we can line up in Dumont
Tree removal
Oaks over the roof, storm-split maples, dying ash: climbing, rigging and crane jobs.
Storm and emergency work
A tree on the house, the car or across the driveway, with the insurance paperwork you will need.
Is this tree dangerous?
A licensed look at a leaner, a cracked fork or a thinning crown before you decide.
Pruning and trimming
Deadwood out, clearance off the roof and the service line, weight off long limbs.
Stump grinding
Old stumps ground out so the spot can be lawn, patio or a replacement tree.
Lot and brush clearing
Overgrown back lots, pool and addition footprints, saplings and vines taken back to soil.
Streets and neighborhoods we cover around Dumont
We match homeowners across the borough: Washington Avenue and the center, Madison Avenue, Knickerbocker Road, the Grant Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue blocks, the streets along the Tenakill Brook and the Haworth and Cresskill borders. Nearby we also cover Bergenfield, Tenafly, New Milford, Cresskill, Haworth and Closter.
How it works
- Describe the tree. Your town, what is wrong or what you want done, and a photo from the street if you can get one. A minute on the form.
- We hand it to one company that works your town. An independent Bergen County tree business registered with the NJ Board of Tree Experts and insured, picked because it actually covers your municipality and knows its permit.
- They come out and price it in writing. The company calls or texts you, looks at the tree, and gives you a written quote with no obligation. From there you deal with them directly.
Dumont tree questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Dumont, NJ?
Yes, for any tree, since September 2013. Apply at the Building Department with your survey, the permit application and your contractor's insurance; the fee is $25 and the Shade Tree Commission inspects before approving.
Can the tree company pull the Dumont permit for me?
Yes. The borough says either the homeowner or the contractor can apply, and most local companies include it in the job.
How much does tree removal cost in Dumont?
Published 2026 New Jersey ranges: about $200 to $600 for a small tree, $500 to $1,500 for a medium tree, $1,000 to $2,500 for a large one and $2,500 and up for a crane job, plus $100 to $500 per stump and the $25 permit.
What about the tree between my sidewalk and the street?
It is a borough shade tree. Ask the Shade Tree Commission or the DPW to inspect it; private crews do not prune or remove right-of-way trees in Dumont.