Imagine that spring has finally arrived (hooray!), and underneath all the snow and ice you find damaged trees and shrubs that clearly need professional attention from an arborist. There are a range of choices when it comes to hiring household service providers so how do you decide which professional should work at your property if you don’t already have an arborist you rely on?
Here are our top eight tips for finding a tree care professional, otherwise known as an arborist, who will provide good value and results for you and your property:
1) He or she responds quickly to your initial contact, preferably within 24 hours even though professional arborists are often out in the field providing estimates to other clients. You should feel as though your call, your property and your job is a priority.
2) The arborist listens to your needs, takes comprehensive notes while they are onsite and provides a professional written estimate according to your requests, the property specifics and their professional knowledge.
3) He or she is at the very least ISA Certified, supplies requested references if they weren’t referred by one of your friends or relatives, and provides proof of comprehensive insurance coverage that is easy to verify with the insurance carrier. We recommend checking that the coverage is actually in effect if you have any doubts: unscrupulous providers buy coverage and then cancel it once they have a Certificate of Insurance in hand that they can photocopy and hand to tree care consumers as ‘proof’ that they are insured. Accredited tree care companies are held to the highest standards of coverage and integrity in this arena: click here to search for one in your zip code.
4) The arborist does not require a deposit on the estimated work unless there are large amounts of materials being provided for the job.
Early spring is a great time to have a professional arborist evaluate your trees and shrubs. Photo by Putney Pics.
5) He or she schedules the work with you and adheres to the agreed upon date(s) for beginning and completion. Any changes to aforesaid start or duration times of your job are communicated in a timely and professional fashion.
6) The arborist crew who shows up to do the work is punctual, presentable, polite and productive. You should feel comfortable that the crew members who are working at your home or business are safe, reliable, efficient and trustworthy.
7) He or she follows up with you soon after the work is complete to address any questions or concerns.
8) After the job is over, and you are enjoying your yard in its spring glory, without reservation you should want to recommend the professional arborist to your friends or loved ones!
Visit chippersinc.com for more information.