So you’re looking to hire a professional tree service near Buffalo, NY to do some work around the yard. Maybe you have some broken limbs, an overgrown tree, or you need a tree removed. You’ve never hired a tree service before and you dont know anyone personally that can help you decide which tree service would be the best one for the job. How do you choose? Here are some important points when it comes to finding the right tree service.
Make Sure The Tree Service Is A Legitimate Company
Does the tree service have a business license, and are they insured? Anyone can buy a chainsaw and put an ad in the paper calling themselves a tree service. It’s a nice way to make money on the side. But tree work is very dangerous and requires trained, skilled professionals with the proper safety gear, rigging gear, license, and insurance.
Tree Service Liability Insurance
Make sure the companies you are considering have current liability insurance and tell them you want to see a copy of it. Some companies will tell you they are insured when they really aren’t. If you had work done by a company without insurance and there was an accident causing damage or injuries, you as the homeowner could be facing a long uphill battle. The property damage may not be covered and anyone getting injured on your property could possibly sue.
Tree Service Business License
You can not get business insurance without a business license in the first place. Request a copy of the company’s business license.
The Proper Safety Gear Is Critical
The tree service’s ground personnel should at least be using helmets with face shields or protective glasses and steel toe boots. The climber should have the latest in safety and climbing gear including the proper saddle, helmet, glasses, steel toe boots, and arborist climbing ropes. And no ladders! If someone shows up with a ladder you should politely ask them to leave immediately. Tell them you don’t have the money right now. Tell them anything you want. Just don’t let them do your tree work.
Tree services never use ladders and always use safety and rigging gear specially designed and manufactured with the rigors of tree work in mind. Lowering heavy pieces of wood causes a tremendous amount of friction and shock-loads the ropes and pulleys. Falling limbs will almost certainly take out any ladders being used. Specially designed gear will keep the workers safe, your home safe, and the job running smoothly.
Get The Estimate In Writing
In order to protect yourself, make sure the estimate is in writing. Don’t take someone’s word for anything. A legitimate business will always put their offer in writing, no questions asked.
Do Not Put Any Money Down
A tree service should never ask for any money up front. There are no materials furnished for doing tree work – just manpower. A home improvement contractor may ask for money up front so that materials for the job may be purchased, but there is no reason for a tree service to ask for money down. There are numerous horror stories out there that begin with customers paying money up front to someone for doing tree work and it goes downhill from there. You shouldn’t have to pay anything until the job is complete and you are completely satisfied with the work.
Compare The Details Between Different Estimates
Make sure that when you are getting estimates, the details match up. If the company you are considering meets all of the criteria above, make sure the work they will be doing is clearly understood. Will they be hauling away the brush, or leaving it? What about the larger pieces? Will they be trimming only the dead branches or will the entire tree be shaped? Will the stump be ground? Will the leaves and twigs be raked up at the end of the job or will it look like a tornado came through when they are finished? Ask questions and make sure your expectations are clearly understood. Once again, dont forget to get everything in writing.
Be Patient Before Committing To Any Tree Service
As a former tree service owner, our company had been awarded jobs by setting our price $25 lower than a competitor, and we had lost jobs because of a $25 difference. We had also missed out on jobs because another tree service showed up one day before we did and were given the job on the spot. Often times we were never given the opportunity to meet with the homeowner or beat a competitor’s price. We have also been awarded jobs numerous times for that same reason. We have performed jobs that we had priced at half of what a competitor had priced it, and we’ve lost jobs the same way.
Pricing can vary drastically from company to company. Some companies are better equipped for certain jobs and will try to compensate for tougher jobs by bidding them high. Sometimes a company is busy, sometimes they’re slow. That also affects pricing. There are many factors that will affect pricing. Be patient, shop around, and negotiate. But please remember – tree work is not a commodity where only price matters. Tree work is risky and there is a dollar value worth paying to know it is being done by a company that is experienced, well-equipped, and properly insured.
Bucket Truck or No Bucket Truck?
Often times it doesn’t matter. At Aquila’s Tree Service, we were climbers. Admittedly certain jobs will be a little bit faster with a bucket truck, but that is one of the only advantages to having one. The great disadvantage is cost. Having a bucket truck increases your overhead significantly. Not only the cost of buying the truck, but also the hefty insurance fees, fuel, and maintenance all contribute to a much higher overhead which needs to be passed on to the customer. We saved our customers a ton of money by climbing instead. It’s just as safe, gets the job done just as well, saves money, and kept us one step ahead of the competition. So don’t pick one tree service over another simply because they have a bucket truck unless the work can not be done safely be climbing – like in the case of a rotted out tree trunk.
Do They Belong To The Better Business Bureau?
Companies that belongs to the BBB have always been held in higher regard. The BBB will keep track of any complaints against a company and hold them responsible for rectifying the situation. Any companies that do not take excellent care of their customers will quickly gather complaints on their record and if not resolved, they will be expelled from the BBB. If you are considering any companies that do not belong to the BBB, you should at least find out why they are not members. You should also check with a consumer protection agency to find out if there have been any complaints against the company. Why would a company choose not to belong to the BBB? Well, the fees are quite hefty – about $350 per year last I checked. But most legitimate companies find membership to be worth the price.
Keep In Mind The Risk
Although it is tempting to consider hiring a friend or a relative with a ladder and chainsaw to save a bit of money on your tree work, it is incredibly risky to do so. The health and welfare of your family, and friends, as well as the financial well-being of the homeowner in case of property damage or injury, and of course the health and welfare of your trees, are all at stake here.
We are asking that you please consider the risks carefully before deciding who will be doing your tree work. Please hire trained, equipped professionals to do the work. It is far more difficult and dangerous work than most people realize. Go to Google News or YouTube and search for “tree work accident” and see what you find there. That will make a believer out of you. But tree work can be done safely, efficiently, and at a reasonable price if done by well-equiped, experienced professionals. You can take a chance on having your brother-in-law helping out with new drywall in the garage, but please don’t risk someone getting injured or property being damaged because you think you can save a buck and have some fun by having a buddy do your tree work.
Tags: Choosing The Right Contractor, Choosing the right tree service, Insured Contractors, Licensed Contractors, tree service Buffalo NY, tree service safety gear