TREE CUTTING
SERVICE NEAR ME

INTRO

Trees’ best and worst feature is the fact that they grow with very little input from humans. If you have a tree or trees in your yard, you’ll know that they’re often one of the easiest things to maintain. However, this growth can become a problem over time. Trees don’t respect
property lines, and so there comes a time when you need to cut the branches or remove the
tree in its entirety.

The tree cutting industry is a growing business (or was pre-pandemic) with 1% growth per
year. This is because professional tree cutting services are able to quickly, efficiently, and
safely solve your tree problems with little work on your part. Knowing which tree service to call, however, can be tricky, since there are usually many local and national companies that operate within each area. Choosing the right option can be the difference between
a professional, safe job, and a less professional, less effective job. A good tree cutting service you’ll use many times, so it pays to do the research.

This guide will tell you what you need to look for when you’re making your selection.

INSURANCE
POLICIES

The first thing you should consider (and ask any company about) is their insurance policies.
The two key insurance policies they should carry are:
Liability Insurance
Workers Compensation
Insurance
These are the bare minimum that will ensure that any accidents caused on your property will be compensated by the insurance company – as long as you are not directly at fault.

For example,

if the tree cutting service cuts a branch and it falls onto your neighbors’ car, smashing the windshield, an uninsured company will mean you are potentially liable. Similarly, if a worker falls from the tree, or injures themselves with the cutting equipment, you could be on the hook for a medical bill.

Before proceeding with the work, you should ask the tree cutting company to have their insurance certificates sent to you by the insurance company. If the tree company sends you the certificates directly, do your due diligence and call the insurance company to make sure they are legitimate.

You should make sure that the company is covered by the two types of insurance listed above. If not, you should absolutely not let them work on your property since you will be at financial risk should anything go wrong.

Not having insurance certificates isn’t just a direct problem - it also indicates much more about a company, such as its approach to safety, the law, and the general attention to detail. A reputable tree cutting service should absolutely have a full slate of insurance policies (and be willing to work with you on sharing the information).

COMPANY’S
CREDENTIALS

Once the company has been able to demonstrate to your satisfaction that it carries the right insurance, you’ll need to examine the company’s credentials.
As with insurance, a company that invests in credentials – and qualifications for its employees – is not only demonstrating its mastery of the subject but its investment into professional development. There are certain industry-standard qualifications and credentials that you should look out for.
You can ask to see the credentials directly from the company.
Many companies will display their credentials prominently on their
website or another public place. If you are in any doubt as to the
validity of the credentials, you should contact the credentialing
body and get clarification or confirmation.

The key credential to look out for is from the
Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA).

The TCIA has a well-respected accreditation process that covers the entirety of the
tree cutting industry throughout the United States. If a company has a TCIA accreditation,
it means that the company will use professional and safe standards while on your property.
The TCIA is designed to promote safety within the tree cutting industry, focusing on the
provision of safety training for employees, as well as safe tree climbing practices.
Not all tree-cutting companies will hold a TCIA accreditation, but those that do are well-regarded within the industry.
Such is the rigor of this accreditation process that it may well be the case that companies with TCIA membership charge higher prices than those without.
However, it is strongly recommended that you work with TCIA-accredited companies to ensure that everything runs as safely and as smoothly as possible.

Check the Better Business Bureau

Assuming that your companies have passed the TCIA-test, then the next stage is to see how well the companies are regarded by their previous customers. One way to do this is to look at Google Reviews; however, a better way to check a company’s history is via the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

The BBB works by keeping track of complaints about
a company, as well as the company’s response to the
complaints (i.e. how fast and how adequately they address
these complaints). Since this is an excellent indicator of a
company’s operations, service, and approach, it is a great
way to ascertain how reliable and safe a company will be.

Companies are given a grade rating by the BBB,
with A+ being the highest and F being the lowest.
THE FIRST INDICATOR

is to determine whether a company is a member of the BBB or not. It is voluntary for companies to join, and companies aren’t automatically registered. If a company isn’t a member, it doesn’t necessarily indicate that it is a poor company (particularly if it has passed the above checks). However, you should be sure to question as to why it is not a member.

IF THE COMPANY ISN’T A MEMBER,

you should speak to your local Consumer Protection Agency to determine whether there have been any complaints about the business that you should be aware of.

For the above reasons, you should also never use a company that
does door-to-door sales unless you are able to verify the information
above (i.e. never sign up for a service then and there – take your
time to do your due diligence).

PAY WHEN SATISFIED

If a company has passed all of the above tests, you can feel fairly confident in the safety and reliability of a company.

However, there is always the chance that a company has recently changed ownership or has expanded its number of franchises, and therefore that you are dealing with a different company than a hard-earned reputation may suggest. The key insurance you have against a poor service is to agree to a ‘pay on completion’ plan.

Importantly, this must be when you deem the job to be fully completed. There are a number of stories of companies who ask for payment mid-project and then don’t return. This is particularly true when it comes to stump removal; companies demand payment and then fail to remove the stump.

Instead, you must clearly agree in advance (in writing – via email is fine) what work the company will complete and then provide payment only when all of the tasks have been completed to your satisfaction.

Any reputable company will understand and be happy with this approach. If a company refuses to do this, it is a major red flag and suggests that you are better off finding another service. This should be one of your earliest questions when calling tree-cutting companies.

Searching online...

for any service company is always a daunting prospect, as it’s often difficult to sift between the good and bad information, working out what is true and what is relevant. However, for something as important – and potentially as dangerous – as a tree cutting job, it’s vital that you get a company that is reliable and safe. The above tips will help you sort out the good companies from the bad, and find people who will be able to do a safe and thorough job.

Of course,

once you’ve made a shortlist of the reputable companies in your area, you can call around them and get quotes, since there can be a major price difference in services, and some companies will need to visit your home to view the work before giving a quote.

However, price issues are greatly different from safety and
professionalism issues, so you need to make sure that price isn’t your
primary factor when choosing a tree cutting service – it could end up
being an expensive decision!