How to Hire a Good Tree Care Service

Injured worker costs fall on your insurance, if the tree service does not provide workmans comp.

Trees add value to a home and taking care of them properly is an important responsibility of the homeowner. When a tree is damaged, diseased or even just in the way, it may be time to hire a tree service to fix the problem. In many communities, a person with a pickup truck and chainsaw often call themselves a tree expert. Taking the care to find a qualified, good tree service can mean the difference between a satisfactory experience that solves a problem and a bad experience, which creates even more problems for you.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Call the director of the local parks or arboretum in the area and ask them whom they use for their tree services. If several people recommend the same service, it's a good bet it's a quality tree-service company.

2. Check with the local government branch who handles tree service licenses within the area for a list of local tree care businesses. The clerk probably will not recommend individual companies, but may provide the entire list.

3. Ask a tree service to come out and look at the tree. If the company insists you sign a contract before it will inspect the tree, or if they want to give a quote for the tree before inspecting it, then stay away from the company.

4. Require the company provide a license, proof of personal and property insurance, proof of workman's comp insurance, and references before you agree to any contract. Check if it is a member of professional organizations such as the International Society of Arboriculture, Tree Care Industry Association or the American Society of Consulting Arborists.

5. Check the references carefully. Ask references if the tree service company fulfilled all its requirements of the contract in a timely manner.

6. Negotiate the terms of the contract and what you expect the company to do. If you request special items such as the wood cut into fireplace lengths, then clarify that and have it written down beforehand. If the company will not work with a written contract, then avoid it and work with a different tree service.

7. Call several tree services and compare prices and services. Most companies are booked well in advance and may not be available for work immediately, especially following a storm. If a tree service indicates they can do the job the next day, be a little concerned about their lack of clients.

References

• Iowa State University: Hiring Professional Tree Services
• Pacific Northwest Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture: Hiring a Good Arborist
• Trees are Good: Why Hire an Arborist

Resources

• International Society of Arboriculture: Homepage