No two tree service companies are alike, and since the lives of your trees are at stake, don’t let just anyone come near your trees and your property! Someone inexperienced may do more harm than good while also lying about their accomplishments in order to get hired in the first place. You probably have a few ideas already about what to look for in tree services, but when you do find a company you’re interested in working with, it all comes down to asking the right questions.
1. How long have you been in business?
The longer a company has been in service, the more established they are in the community and will also have more experience, and certain jobs do require a hefty amount of said experience and on the job training. Of course, you also need to consider if the company owner is going to be on-site working with the technicians, or he/she will completely outsource the work, which is not recommended unless there’s testimonials to back up the quality of previous work. You will need to know how much experience the technicians working on your project will have as the amount of years in business may not impact their knowledge.
2. What are your trimming methods?
It makes sense to know exactly what will be done to your trees. There are different checklists for different types of tree service related work, hardest of which is generally tree removal and proper disposal. If someone takes pride in their work and knows what they’re doing, they will have absolutely no trouble explaining the steps they will take while also detailing the equipment used. For example, some arborists employ the use of spiked shoes which can be harmful to any tree.
3. Are you properly certified?
There’s a need to know that an arborist is properly certified to ensure that they know exactly how to deal with every emergency and trimming scenario. ISA and OSHA certification is always a must when talking about dealing with arborists. Unfortunately, some homeowners are lied to or they choose someone without certification in an effort to reduce costs. Don’t settle for less than what your trees deserve!
4. Will the crew wear protection and are they properly trained on using it?
When you have a trimming service crew begin working on your tree, you need to know that no accidents will take place on your property and if something doesn’t go according to plan, there’s a backup safety measure already in place. Should something bad happen, you may be left with hefty hospital and property bills. The bottom line is that a professional company employs the use of hardhats as well as protective goggles and everything will be in accordance to OSHA standards.
Learn more about PPE in this educational video…
5. How much will the project cost and is that the maximum price?
It’s important to know a project estimate as you need to be able to budget for the work. There’s nothing worse than being handed a bill that you weren’t aware of. The best way to circumvent a rude surprise is to ask for estimates from at least three different companies. This allows you to pick the most reasonable price while also knowing the cost of tree trimming.
You can’t afford to hire just about anyone off the streets without asking the right questions. The more you know about a company, the better! The top questions from above can ensure you deal with a quality tree service and you will get what you paid for. Bear in mind that there are plenty of dishonest people out there.