Hiring an Arborist
When receiving quotes for a tree care project there are many things to be aware of, along with being wary of.
One of the main reasons we decided to create our own tree care business was due to seeing many other tree care providers engaging in unethical behavior. Very poor quality work, upselling unnecessary work or removals, lying about conditions of trees to make more money, overcharging for services, no license or insurance, and uneducated or inexperienced workers performing extremely hazardous work are all things you do not want in a tree care company working on your property. Unfortunately because the Tree Care industry is largely unregulated there are an incredible amount of these shady business practitioners out there. These are observations from years of working within the industry, and while some may seem like common sense, you would be surprised how few people perform their due diligence in selecting an professional arborist.
1) Always make sure they have insurance. An Arborist needs to have liability insurance, if they do not the homeowner will be liable for all damages AND injuries should any of the workers be injured. For those of us who offer professional advice we need to have error and omissions insurance for our words. Those who want to protect their assets should never hire an arborist without insurance. This is a high risk industry.
2) Make sure you are working with an ISA Certified Arborist. Obtaining an ISA certification is simple for anyone serious about the industry, it requires 3 years of professional arboriculture experience, along with an extensive test covering all the basics of tree care. Being certified shows an individual has put forth time and has some experience performing the work. You don't want an unknowledgeable tree guy ruining your trees, or costing costly property damage. Use treesaregood.org to verify an arborists certification number. Input WE-13034A to view Clyde's credentials!
3) Make sure they are licensed! There are an incredible amount of small tree care business' that are unlicensed. These licenses will either be a Construction Contractors Board (CCB) or the Landscape Contractors Board (LCB) license. Be aware, a CCB license does not require any tree care credential, so additional research will be necessary to verify the company has knowledgeable certified arborists on staff. an LCB license is not permitted to do tree work unless it is an "Arborist Only" phase license. A standard LCB license, most landscape companies, can NOT perform tree work. Those with an LCB Arborist Only license can only perform tree work, and are required to have an ISA credential.
4) Be weary of tree guys who offer multiple services - if they offer additional services such as roof and fence repair, run! A competent, professional arborist sticks with trees. We have no need to do pressure washing, or repairing fences, especially since we don't break anything!
5) Avoid "Free Consultations/Assessments" - This is a lure to sell unsuspecting homeowners unnecessary work under the pretense they are talking with a professional. While a quote or estimate may be free, assessments and consultations are a paid service from professional, credentialed arborists. Many times I have done a property assessment for a client after they had a tree guy inform them trees needed to be removed, only to find out nothing was wrong and the tree was in fact healthy and fine. $150-$300 for a consult with a professional, Certified Arborist is a huge savings compared to a $3000 tree removal. Consult with paid professionals, not sales people attempting to get their foot in the door to sell garbage.
6) Avoid Angis/thumbtack/etc - These services do not verify any insurance, and do not require verification of business licensing. We have utilized these services in the past, and found ourselves competing with the bottom of the barrel. These services only care about selling leads to as many contractors as possible, and do not care about licenses or insurance. While you may find a quality arborist through these services, you will need to be vigilant in sifting through the grifters.
7) Never trust a door-knocker! Anyone who walks up to your door and says your tree is hazardous/dying/dead and attempts to use fear tactics to sell you on work is attempting to swindle you. Don't be swindled, close the door on them and visit Find An Arborist to view ISA certified arborists in your area.
8) Check the companies website/social media/reviews. If none of these exist that should be the first red flag. Does the website mention the qualities your looking for? Are the reviews positive? If you're looking for detailed preservation prune and the website boasts of only large removals, maybe you desire someone who specializes in what you're desiring.
9) Be wary of the lowest bid! While there are times when the professional, certified arborist team can be the lowest bid due to efficiency or equipment, most of the time the lowest bid should be something that is avoided. Whether its paying the employees a poor wage, signaling lack of knowledge and experience, or something else such as no insurance or license, the lowest bid is such for a reason. Often times the lowest bid will cost you more money in the long run should any property get damaged or another arborist needs to be brought in to finish the job. Professional Credentialed Arborists have invested years into gaining experience and knowledge, along with tens of thousands of dollars in gear, saws, trucks, equipment, and insurance. Just to get a climber off the ground the gear alone costs several thousand dollars, not including saws or anything else. Hourly rates for an ISA Certified Arborists vary depending on the region and any additional hazards. $100-$150/hour per person is the standard range to expect when hiring a credentialed arborist team. This is an industry where you absolutely get what you pay for, this isn't to say go with the highest bid every time, but rather to do your research on the companies providing the bids and choose one that you believe will meet your expectations.