Consulting arborists - Top Questions Answered

Last updated: 23 September 2020

An arborist is a professional who deals with tree removal, tree trimming, and stump removal.

Consulting arborists do tree inspections, arborist reports, risk assessments, pest and disease treatments, and a whole host of other more technical tree-related tasks.

We will walk you through the cost, and how to hire a consulting arborist.

Both types are certified arborists and have taken the same courses up until certificate III in Arboriculture, but consulting arborists have furthered their education to the level of a Diploma (Cert. V) and are equipped to do a more in-depth assessment of trees.

Most consulting arborists run regular tree services businesses and do tree consulting on the side as needed, though there are more and more arborists specializing in just tree reports and more consulting type work.

A practicing arborist will perform all the physical aspects of managing trees in an urban landscape. Those tasks include but are not limited to:

Tree removal
Tree trimming
Stump removal
Tree safety inspections

A consulting arborist is more of an office job than physical. They do need to be out in the field quite a bit taking photos and inspecting trees, but the bulk of their work is putting together plans and reports.

You should consider hiring an arborist if you have one of the below tasks.

A consulting arborists main tasks are:

Write tree reports
Tree hazard and risk inspections/ reports
Tree inspections
Advice on Tree Protections Zones on construction projects
Tree identification
Pest identification and control
Tree ordinance development for municipals
Management of nurseries
Tree planting programs

Consulting arborist fees vary by the job, not by the hour. If you have a single tree that needs an arborist report to satisfy the council, it will cost $350 – $500 for a detailed report and recommendation.

The cost of an arborist for tree trimming and removal is a totally different kettle of fish as you are talking much larger undertakings. We have an arborist cost guide here that goes into a little more detail.

The price for reports for several trees on a property depending on the size and number of the trees would be $500 – $1000.

Reports vary in scope so it does depend on quite a bit of the specific requests by the council.

Finding a local consulting arborist in your area is a little trickier than finding a regular arborist or tree service.

As mentioned above a lot of the time they are one and the same, but if you wanted to just get a registered consulting arborist you are best going to the Arboriculture Australia site or ISA to see the list of consulting arborist they recommend in your area.