Hiring the best tree care service can be an anxiety-inducing job. Trees are a part of your property and bring natural beauty, property value, and environmental benefits. The work is also hazardous. All these factors mean you must find a tree care service that safely and efficiently provides high-quality service. Whether you’re hiring one for the first time or have tried multiple companies in the past, it can be challenging to build trust with your tree service.
In this article, we will examine some questions you should ask yourself and a tree care company. By asking these questions, you can build trust with your tree service and ensure you have the right company for your needs and property.
Key Takeaways
- Asking your tree service provider questions will allow you to understand their business better and build trust with them.
- Ensure a tree care company has the proper insurance, qualifications, certifications, and industry memberships with groups like the TCIA and ISA.
- Ask tree care companies about their equipment and training. A company with proper training and tools will stand out.
- Observe if the tree care company’s team leaves your property in a better state than when they first arrived and if they treat your yard like they would their own.
- If a tree care company can’t answer basic questions about the type of help your tree needs, it may not be trustworthy.
One of the biggest differences between a trustworthy tree service and the pretenders is attention to detail. The team at Top Notch Tree is seen here cleaning up a property after pruning a tree in Cohasset, MA.
6 Questions to Build Trust with Your Tree Care Company
Many people and companies will claim to be able to provide quality tree care, but only some actually can. We recommend asking your tree care provider and yourself questions about a company’s services, process, and commitment to excellence.
1. Do they have the proper certifications, policies, and insurance?
Many people buy chainsaws and trucks and claim to be tree care professionals who can handle all your needs. These individuals and companies are all across the South Shore, but they likely don’t have the certifications or insurance that a company should have in the industry.
Ask prospective tree care companies about their certifications and industry memberships. Look for a company that is a member of the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), the New England International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), and the Massachusetts Arborists Association.
You’ll also want to find a company with liability and workers’ compensation insurance to protect them and you from any accidents.
2. Do they have the necessary equipment to handle the job?
While tree removal might conjure up images of people in flannel swinging axes or sawing through a tree with a chainsaw, it can be a complicated procedure in more urban areas like Marshfield with houses close by.
A proper tree care company will likely have all kinds of tools at their disposal for tree work, such as:
- A crane for removing trees in tight spaces
- A bucket truck to make reaching the top branches of a tree easier
- A stump grinder to grind a stump down below the soil level after a tree removal
- Pole saws to assist with pruning higher portions of the tree while on the ground
- Other hand tools, like hand saws and chainsaws
- Tree climbing equipment to allow climbers into trees for pruning or removal
- A woodchipper to chip debris and a chip truck to store and transport the wood chips
3. Do they do what you would do in your yard?
Tree care is not a one-size-fits-all kind of work. What is suitable for one person’s yard and trees is not always what you might want. When you talk to a tree care service, make clear your intentions and ensure they follow through with it. If they can’t or don’t know how to do the requested tree work, they may not be a company you can trust.
4. Can they answer all your tree care questions?
Arboriculture is a complicated science; even the most skilled tree care workers are still learning more about trees. When you hire a tree care professional, they should be able to answer all your questions about trees. Use them as a resource to make informed decisions about what kind of work your trees need. Some of the things you can ask your tree care company include:
- Is my tree safe?
- What trees grow well on the South Shore?
- When should I prune my trees?
- What do I need to do before I have a tree removed?
- When should I prune my ornamental trees?
5. Does your property and tree look better than before they arrived?
Removing a tree or pruning large trees can be a messy job with all the debris from fallen leaves and branches. There’s nothing worse than hiring someone to take care of your trees, walking outside when they finish, and seeing a mess in your yard. A trustworthy tree care company will remove all debris and clean up thoroughly, leaving your property so tidy that the only sign of their visit is your newly pruned or removed trees.
Aside from keeping your property looking nice, a tree care company should make your trees look better than when they arrived for a job like pruning.
A reputable tree care company will have its team attend conventions and seminars to learn more about the industry. Pictured here is when the team at Top Notch Tree attended a Tree Care Industry Association expo.
6. Does the company have the right training and techniques to handle your trees?
Taking care of trees requires plenty of training in techniques. One of the simplest questions you can ask to find a reputable tree care company is whether they have an ISA Certified Arborist on staff.
An ISA Certified Arborist is a tree expert with an expansive knowledge of how to care for a tree and how to identify problems with a tree. A Certified Arborist adds credibility to a tree care company and should bolster your trust in them.
Top Notch Tree Can Handle All Your South Shore Tree Care Needs
It takes a lifetime to build trust and a second to lose it. We know it’s difficult to trust someone to care for your precious trees, but there are ways to determine a tree service you can feel comfortable working with. Look for a company with proper insurance and certifications, the ability to answer your questions, the right equipment and training, and that leaves your yard looking more beautiful than when the team arrived.
At Top Notch Tree, we aim to be more than just a couple of “tree guys” with chainsaws. We’ll work to build your confidence in us and ensure your trees look better than when we got there. We offer everything from regular pruning to tree removal.
Do you need tree work but don’t want to trust just anybody to handle it? Let us show you why the South Shore trusts Top Notch Tree! Call us at 781-871-8008 or request an estimate online today!
