Trimming, pruning, or removing
large trees in your yard is an enormous task that can only
be safely and adequately handled by a professional. Hiring
an experienced tree service company will minimize the risk
of injury and property damage.
How do you hire the right company for the job?
 Before making any calls, examine the trees in your
yard to determine the type of job you need carried out. Do
you need tree trimming services only, or are there some dead
trees that need to be removed for safety reasons?
 Research more than one tree service company in
your general vicinity. Also, don't hesitate to ask anyone
you know for recommendations. Pay attention to the names of
companies you see on trucks working in your neighborhood, or
search online or in the Yellow Pages.
 Ask for quotes from each contractor according to
the work you need done. For each contractor, provide the
same details of the project and make sure you haven't left
anything out.
 Find out whether or not the companies on the
shortlist have insurance coverage. Their policy needs to
adequately cover property damage and injuries that could
happen on your property.
 Obtain references from the contractors and check
up on them. Ask the references about their level of
satisfaction and if anything occurred during the project.
 Clarify how debris will be handled after the job
is complete. Who will remove it and how will it be removed?
Is the company experienced in stump grinding and other
necessary aspects of the job?
 Make a final choice taking into account price,
experience, and your overall sense of the contractor.
 Create a contract of work before proceeding with
anything. It should lay out all important points, including
work to be done, cost, payment schedule, start date, and
estimated time of completion. The contract should also
specify how debris will be removed from your property.
 Ask the contractor to tag the trees that require
work, so there are no misunderstandings along the way.
Some tips
Once you remove a tree, there's no going back, so
make sure you really want to go through with the project.
If you're trying to save a diseased tree, this may
require special expertise. Ask ahead of time if your
contractor can handle this type of situation.
Clear the work area ahead of time by removing cars
and other expensive items out of the way, a safe distance
from falling branches.
Don't pay too much up front. Instead, create a
payment schedule that matches up with the amount of work
completed. |
