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7 factors to consider when hiring a Tree Services company

If the trees in your front or backyard are overgrown, it’s time to call in professional tree services. As tree trimming and removal is a dangerous and complicated job, you shouldn’t just hire anyone. When hiring, ensure they meet the following criteria:

  1. Check their licenses.

Hiring a service that works with unlicensed employees can cause a lot of damage to your property. Note that when hiring people who are not qualified, you do so at your own risk. It’s also important to remember that it’s illegal for anyone to do any tree removal without a license.

  1. Make sure they have a valid insurance cover.

Any damage done to your house by uninsured workers will have to be replaced by your own insurer. Note that your insurer might also refuse to cover damage done by an unlicensed company. A good tree removal service should have worker’s compensation insurance and liability insurance.

  1. Check referrals to confirm their previous work history.

Checking referrals will allow you to know the quality of work you should expect. Only previous customers can give you an accurate picture of what it’s like to work with a tree service.

If the company has a website, also check, ensuring to read through all the reviews. If you notice any negative reviews, follow the communication trail to see how the company handles disgruntled customers.

  1. Ask the company to give you official cost estimates.

You should let the company know that a cost estimate does not bind you to use their services, but is just a part of your due diligence process.

You should compare estimates from a few companies. Note however that cost should be the last thing you consider. First, think of the kind of service you’ll get. Cheap is not always good.

  1. Ask the tree service what equipment they’ll use.

You should not hire an under-equipped company, especially if the trees in your yard are too tall or too large. Confirm that the kind of equipment the company uses will be sufficient for handling the job without endangering you, your house or your neighbors.

  1. Find out what type of service you’ll get for the cost quoted.

Some companies will offer some extra services such as stump grinding. While with other companies, you might have to pay for additional services.  The more services you get within your budget, the better. Therefore, when interviewing the tree services company, find out what to expect for what you are paying.

  1. Confirm how much experience the employees have.

This can be either in terms of individual experience or combined years of experience within varied skill groups. Note that sometimes, though a company might not have that many years in tree services, their employees might be very good at working together and have a good record of successful service even within a short time. Therefore, when looking at experience, don’t forget to look at how well the teams work together and how varied their skills are.