Before employing a tree removal service, it’s crucial to thoughtfully choose the most suitable local provider for your requirements.
In order to hire an excellent tree removal service, you need to gather as much information as possible.
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Toggle1. Make sure they are qualified
You can never be too careful. If a tree removal company does not know how to do its job, you might end up with serious property damage. Ask the company if they have a qualified arborist employed who will be on site. Do not shy away from asking them this as legitimate companies know the industry is full of non-skilled hacks.
They should be able to produce a Certificate of qualification to prove they are a certified arborist1. They should have a minimum of Certificate III in Arboriculture.
2. They must be insured
You simply cannot afford to hire a tree removal company that does not have proper insurance. They need to have at the very least Public Liability insurance for up to 10 Million in cover (industry standard). Don’t just cite the piece of paper. Ask for a copy and phone the insurer to make sure it all checks out before they start work.
If they injure themselves or do damage to your property, you are leaving yourself wide open to being liable.
3. You need to get a detailed quote
Obviously, you will need to get a quote from several companies. Three or four estimates should be enough to pick a winner. I mentioned detailed quotes for tree removal or pruning as you need to have it in black and white what you are being charged for.
If it just says “tree trimming”, that can mean a lot of things. Are you removing a certain number of branches? Which tree? Is it a power line clearance of 3 trees and a canopy lift on another? The more specific you are during the quoting process more likely you are to get the job done to your liking.
4. Check their online reviews
We live in the age of the Internet, and it is very difficult for companies to hide their bad reputation nowadays. Online reviews will give you a clear idea about what to expect from a company. Check for reviews left by customers and if you spot a significant number of negative reviews, it is a sign that you cannot trust the company to give you a great service.
On the other hand, too many positive reviews can also be suspicious. Look for detailed positive reviews where customers have mentioned what exactly they liked about the service or the company.
It’s worth noting that Amazon and Google have both publicly stated that about half of all reviews have been found to be false. The fake ones are normally all positive reviews, so be careful during this part of your research.
5. Listen carefully to information provided for faults
You should pay close attention when you are gathering information from a prospective tree removal service. Sometimes, companies have no idea what they are talking about.
Make sure you are not being taken for a ride by asking plenty of questions and make sure they have a solid answer for you. Should not take too long to catch out fraud when talking about trees.
6. Ask for referrals
Asking for referrals and not just checking online reviews is a great way to get to know a tree company a little better before hiring.
It’s going to be easy to tell if the person on the other line is genuine and if they really do recommend the company in question.
7. Obligation free estimates
Most companies do give obligation-free estimates, but I have heard of cases where some businesses will try to charge a call-out feed for “tree inspection”.
Be sure to ask the tree service before they arrive at your door if they are providing a free estimate.
It is also a great time to ask if they can provide you with other credentials like qualifications and insurance papers.