Top Ten Things to Consider When Hiring a Tree Company

Who to hire to have a service professional provide work at your residence can be a difficult decision. There are many variables and factors, especially when it comes to tough and sometimes dangerous jobs like tree service. This article explores a list of the top ten things to consider when hiring a tree service company. These items are very informative and are important to know when obtaining estimates for tree work.

1 – Security

Safety is the most important aspect of tree work that must be considered when hiring a tree company. With the dangerous nature of our business, a culture and tone of safety first in a forestry company is critical. Make sure the tree company you hire has a certified tree care safety professional on staff, adheres to industry safety standards, safety policy, and that the company 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 liability and workers’ compensation insurance. The tree company must have a minimum of 1,000,000 each occurrence and 2,000,000 general aggregate for General Liability and 500,000 for workers’ compensation. It is unwise for a homeowner to hire an uninsured tree service for many reasons, the most important of which is: do you value your home, your car, and your belongings? If so, be sure to hire a company that is fully insured!

Being licensed and certified are both equally important. Most of the time, it is fine for a tree business to have a business license in the city or county where it is located, but some cities and counties also require a license in their jurisdiction. For certification, both the ISA (International Arboricultural Society) and TCIA (Tree Care Industry Association) certify people in Arboriculture. A tree care company that you are hiring must have an ISA certified arborist on staff and a TCIA CTSP certified tree care safety professional.

3 – Reputation and longevity

Any service company doing work in a residence must have a good reputation. There are “so called” tree professionals who will take your money and run. Never pay a tree service upfront for a job, not even a deposit. True professionals in our industry frown on deposits. To determine if the business you are considering has a good reputation, some good questions are: How long have you been in business? How many certified arborists do you have on your staff? can you provide references? Do you have your own equipment, especially your crane? Another way to determine a business’s reputation is to check websites like Angie’s List or Consumer Checkbook. However, the best way is to talk to your friends and neighbors; they probably 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, will likely provide quality tree service.

4 – Equipment

We all remember the old expression; It is not the arrow but the Indian! Well, this is definitely 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 trucks and chippers, chippers, platforms, chainsaws, etc. that are relatively newer and well-maintained.

5 – Employees

Ask how many employees a tree company has. Since tree work is very dangerous and requires special talent, it is critical that the right people are there to do the job right. Who wants a hobbyist or unskilled worker to bring down a huge oak tree over their home? I do not! A good and reputable tree company should have at least a few high-level climbers with more than 2 years of experience with large extractions. A company like JL Tree Service Inc has over 18 tree climbers with many years of experience in large movers and crane moves, 3 certified arborists, and 1 certified safety professional on staff – this is what you want to look for.

6 – Rental

The distance between a business and its location may not seem very important, but it is. An estimator from a tree company should calculate the cost of travel time as part of the cost. If the business is close to your residence, naturally the cost should be better as the travel time is less. A tree company located 10-15 miles from your home will probably suffice. We all know that fuel prices are not cheap these days!

7 – Industry Standards

The tree care industry has OSHA and ANSI standards to follow such as safety guidelines, general work procedures, tree trimming, and more. Make sure the tree service you hire follows the ANSI standard pruning. There are many tree men who improperly prune trees 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 tenured professional provides professional opinion. Topping and cutting trees too hard are examples of improper tree care.

8 – Accept all forms of payment

Be careful who you hire. It is very likely that some tree cutters that you drive by asking about your business are not insured, only accept cash, and are not professionals. Many tree companies will provide a free estimate. If you receive 3 or 4 estimates, they will vary greatly. For example, you may receive a low offer of $ 1800 and a very high offer of $ 4000. Some others will be close and between $ 2800 and $ 3200; these are probably the two companies you will want to consider. It is not best to always go for the lowest bid for tree work as there are many factors that are discussed in this article. Take a close look at all the 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 client with a fair amount of tree work to complete, be sure to hire a real tree company. There are many ‘tree cutters’ who do not have the proper insurance for tree work. Be careful who you hire, especially for the biggest and most dangerous trees. Most reputable and professional forestry companies provide services related to gardening or landscaping, such as emergency tree service, tree removal, tree pruning, stump grinding, tree fertilization, tree planting, preservation of trees, gardening, land maintenance, snow plowing, etc. .

10 – Recycle wood and debris

I cannot tell you how many times I have received a phone call from a customer or a municipality saying, “Can you give me a price to transport the rubble that a contractor left on the sidewalk?” Yes, a random tree cutter cut down a tree and did not include the transportation of the lumber and debris with their price, but they did not tell the owner, which is why the price was so good! Now the homeowner has to deal with debris removal because the City or County will not pick up the debris left by a contractor. Make sure the transportation or abandonment of the wood and debris is clearly spelled out in the proposal.

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