Who to hire a service professional to deliver work to your home can be a tough decision. There are many variables and factors, especially when it comes to heavy and sometimes dangerous work, such as tree maintenance. This article examines a Top Ten list of things to consider when hiring a tree service company. These items are very informative and important to know when getting estimates for tree work.
1 – Safety
Safety is the most important aspect of tree work that should be considered when hiring a tree company. With the dangerous nature of our business, a culture and tone of safety is paramount in a tree nursery. Make sure the arbor company you hire employs a certified arborist safety professional, follows industry safety standards and policies, and holds regular safety meetings.
2 – Certified, licensed and fully insured
Another important thing to look for in a qualified tree care company is that the company is fully insured with workers compensation and liability insurance. The tree company must have a minimum of 1,000,000 for each event and 2,000,000 for general liability and 500,000 for workers compensation. It is not wise for a homeowner to hire a tree service that is uninsured for many reasons, the main one being, do you value your home, car and belongings? Then call in a company that is fully insured!
Being licensed and certified are both equally important. Usually it is OK for a tree nursery to have a business license in the city or county where they are located, but some cities and counties also require a license in their jurisdiction. For certification, both the ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) and the TCIA (Tree Care Industry Association) certify persons in arboriculture. Any arborist you hire must employ an ISA certified arborist and a TCIA CTSP certified Tree Care Safety Professional.
3 – Reputation and Longevity
Any service company that performs work in a home should be in good standing. There are “so called” tree professionals who will take your money and run. Never pay a tree service up front for a job, not even a down payment. Deposits are frowned upon by the true professionals in our industry. To determine if the company you are considering is reputable, some good questions to ask are: How long have you been in the business? How many qualified arborists do you employ? Can you provide references? Do you own your own equipment, especially your crane? Another way to determine a company’s reputation is to check out websites such as Angie’s List or Consumer Checkbook. However, the best way is to talk to your friends and neighbors – chances are they have stories to tell, both good and bad! A company like JL Tree Service Inc, which has been in business for over 35 years and has worked for homeowners, businesses and municipalities alike, will most likely provide quality tree service.
4 – Equipment
We all remember the old expression; it’s not the arrow but the Indian! Well, this is absolutely true, as tree work requires a special talent. However, good equipment is absolutely necessary to get the job done efficiently and safely. Make sure a tree company has equipment such as bucket and chippers, chippers, flatbed trailers, chainsaws, etc. that are relatively newer and well maintained.
5 – Employees
Ask how many employees a tree company has. Because tree work is very dangerous and requires special talent, having the right people on hand to do the job right is critical. Who wants an amateur or unskilled worker to knock down a huge oak tree over their house? Not me! A good and reputable tree company should have at least some top climbers with more than 2 years of experience in large removals. A company like JL Tree Service Inc employs over 18 top tree climbers with many years of experience in large removals and crane removals, 3 certified arborists and 1 certified safety professional – this is what you want to look for.
6 – Location
How far a business is to your location may not seem very important, but it is. A tree company estimator should include travel time costs as part of the cost. Of course, if the company is close to where you live, the cost should be better as the travel time is shorter. A tree company within 10-15 miles of your home will probably suffice. We all know that fuel prices are not cheap these days!
7 – Industry Standards
The arborist industry has OSHA and ANSI standards to follow as guidelines for safety, general work procedures, tree pruning and more. Make sure the tree service you hire follows ANSI standard pruning. There are many tree men who prune trees incorrectly and recommend poor tree maintenance. There are many different tree species and each tree responds differently to a diverse set of tree pruning methods. Make sure a certified arborist or regular professional gives their professional opinion. Cutting down trees too hard and cutting down trees are examples of improper tree care.
8 – Accept all forms of payment
Be careful who you hire. Some tree cutters who drive by to ask about your business are most likely uninsured, only accept cash and are not professional. Many tree companies will provide a free estimate. If you get 3 or 4 estimates, they vary widely. For example, you might receive a low offer for $1800 and a very high offer for $4000. A few others will be close and will be between $2800 and $3200 – these are most likely the two companies you want to consider. It is not best to always go with the lowest bid for tree work as there are many factors that will be discussed in this article. Take a good look at all offers and ask questions! A company like JL Tree Service Inc accepts all forms of payment, including all credit cards.
9 – Services offered
If you are a customer with a fair amount of tree work to complete, make sure you hire a real tree company. There are many ‘tree cutters’ who do not have the right insurance for tree work. Be careful who you hire, especially for the bigger and more dangerous trees. Most of the professional and reputable tree companies offer services related to tree or landscaping such as emergency tree service, tree removal, tree pruning, stump grinding, tree fertilization, tree planting, tree protection, landscaping, grounds maintenance, snow plowing, etc.
10 – Recycle wood and debris
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten a call from a client or council saying, “Can you give me a price to pick up the rubble a contractor left on the sidewalk?”. Yes, a random tree cutter cut down a tree and didn’t drag the wood and debris along with their price, but didn’t tell the homeowner – that’s why the price was so good! Now the homeowner has to deal with removing the debris because the city or county won’t pick up debris that a contractor leaves behind. Make sure the transportation or abandonment of the wood and debris is clearly stated on the proposal.
Top ten things to consider when hiring a tree company
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