You may need tree service if you live in Maine or another place with many trees. It’s a good idea to have a reliable service provider on board to get the best tree service. It’s wise to start looking for a provider now, even if you don’t intend to start your project right away.
You must research and investigate to get the most reliable providers. Then, you’ll need to ask many questions during your consultation to get a full picture. Please ask the following questions during your first meeting. If you ask all these questions, you’ll get the kind of service you want and deserve.
1. Do You Offer Tree Removal?
The first question to ask the best tree service provider is if they offer tree removal. Tree removal is the most crucial service you can get. If the provider says yes, you’ll know that you can count on them to remove any trees that might be diseased or in danger of falling and causing serious damage to your property.
A good tree removal company will come to your home and cut down a tree for any reason. For example, you can ask them to remove a tree so that you can have other contractors come and do landscaping work for you. You may want them to remove a tree for fence placement or to make room for a children’s playground as well. These companies will offer the service to you and will usually have several other service offerings on their menu.
Ask the tree removal contractor this question before you get into anything else. You’ll want to know the answer to plan your project appropriately. The goal is to find the most versatile tree removal service so that you don’t have to hire multiple providers to care for the outside of your home. Thus, you’ll want a provider that offers tree removals, tree care, and regular inspections and checkups. You might even want your provider to offer a few additional services.
2. Do You Offer Planting?
Another good question for the best tree service provider is whether or not they plant flowers and do other planting work. For example, they can assist you with your garden if they offer planting services. There’s nothing wrong with that, as it’s often included in a provider’s list of services.
Maybe you want your tree service provider to lay down some landscape plants and create a gorgeous yard your neighbors will envy. Some providers offer additional services like that.
The best way to know which questions to ask is to write down the list of services you seek. Once you know what you want, you can ask these providers the questions that will help you choose one. You’ll be way ahead of the game if you do that.
3. Are You Experienced With Tree Health?
Tree health is vital to receiving the best service. It involves checking the trees for signs of disease and aging and then taking steps to rectify those problems for the customers. Providers typically offer chemical treatments, cutting, and other tactics.
However, not all service providers concern themselves with health. So, you might schedule a consultation and then discover that health treatment is unavailable. Then, you’ll need to keep looking for a company that offers your desired services. If you’re okay with not keeping your trees healthy, then it’s fine. You can hire someone who only offers to cut them down.
Ask questions about pest control options, too. Sometimes, pets get into trees and set up nests there. In that case, you might want to look into some service to get rid of pests so that your tree can live a long life. You might also want to get rid of pests if you’re allergic to the ones that hang out in the trees. Some providers offer rodent removal options that help their clients eliminate wood destroying insects.
Other companies have pest control sprays and chemicals that can have the same effect of driving the annoying little bugs away.
4. Are You Insured?
One more good question to ask the best tree service provider is whether they carry any type of insurance. Anything could happen while getting services from them. A tree could accidentally fall on your car or knock a power line down. The branches can also fall and do damage to your house or car.
So there’s a chance you could experience property damage or a medical injury due to the services rendered. The good news is a reliable company will have business insurance available. This special commercial insurance covers property damage and medical bills for customers who experience a loss through no fault of their own.
Any drivers operating a commercial vehicle should also have adequate vehicle insurance. That type of insurance can help you if a company driver hits your parked or moving vehicle and causes damage to it.
You should always ask this question of any tree service provider you talk to. They should give you a clear answer and be willing to show proof of coverage if you ask for it. Feel free to look at other providers if this one doesn’t give you the answer you want. You are well within your rights to shop around with as many providers as you see fit before making a decision.
5. What Types of Payments Do You Accept?
Ultimately, you’ll want to hire the company that offers you the most reasonable rates. So be it if you have to compare more than three providers. You’ll also want the provider to offer options that make sense and are flexible. Companies with more payment methods are the easiest to work with because you can use various resources. Many contractors take credit cards and debit cards now. They use tablets or mobile devices to process the payments through their merchant accounts.
You will need to know whether the establishment takes cash, credit cards, money orders, personal checks, etc. You’ll also need to know about their pay structure and how they do business. Some companies have flat rates they charge their clients based on the type of work they do. Others charge an hourly rate. Choose the most suitable option for you, and select the one that leaves you with the largest discount.
6. How Long Has Your Business Been Operating?
Experience is always a plus in any profession. It’s natural to assume that the longer a business is open, the more its operations will be refined. That’s not to say a startup can’t be a wonderful company. However, a seasoned business will have many more examples of their work, positive reviews, referrals, and the like.
Such businesses have much more experience dealing with all different types of customers and learning what makes each type of client click. A long-term business is also less likely to shut down and be unavailable for you in the future. That means you could potentially work with a single provider for many years.
Maybe you’re unsure how much experience you should look for in the best tree service provider. Perhaps you feel like too much longevity is overkill. Many people share your sentiments and are just as confused as you are.
We suggest looking for a tree service provider that has been out there for at least five years. That way, they have a large enough database of clients to trust, and you won’t feel like you’re discriminating against younger companies. Start with at least five years and raise your comfort level with each additional year of experience.
7. Can You Provide a Contract?
Asking whether the best tree service company can provide written quotes and contracts is a great way to find a trustworthy provider. A reputable company will not have a problem putting details in a contracted form. The contract should clearly state everything the workers will do and how many hours they will take. It should also outline the pay structure and any actions that might initiate an additional charge. That way, you’ll know what to expect if an unforeseen circumstance arises while the professionals do the job.
The provider should also estimate how long the job will take so that you can schedule time off if you need to be away from your job. Furthermore, the provider should give you information about any continued maintenance plans they might have in mind. For example, you might want them to perform scheduled pruning services or continuous preventative maintenance. Regular inspections are another service they can outline in the contract.
The idea is to get a legal document that states the pricing and everything you’ll receive for what you pay. A professional company won’t have a problem giving that to you.
8. Do You Have References?
One more thing you might want to ask the best tree service provider is if they have references. References are people who can attest to their quality of work. Former customers and clients are the best people to get those references from, and the company should have the number of at least three people you can contact for a professional opinion.
If you can’t get references, you can still dig a little and find out about their quality of work using consumer reviews. Consumer reviews will tell you what kind of service you should expect from this provider.
9. Do You Have Licensing and Certifications?
It is well within your right to ask a potential service provider to show you proof of licensing and certification. It’s one of the few ways to tell if you’ll be doing business with a legitimate company. You’ll want to know whether the people working for you are professional arborists or have any concrete education in the field.
Other documentation you should be looking for is a business or contractor’s license. Again, a reputable company will not have any problem submitting those things to you. Any change in attitude or ambiguity should be considered a huge red flag.
10. Do You Have a Warranty?
Another good question to ask the best tree service provider is whether they have any warranties. Knowing they provide one will ease your mind and make you feel more comfortable spending your money with this provider. There are typically two types of warranties. One is a warranty for any products the service provider gives you. The other warranty is for the work they do. Warranties usually promise a refund for partial reimbursement if something goes terribly wrong, and it’s the company’s fault.
If the provider has a warranty, you should ask them to write it. That way, you can reference it if anything happens in the future. Such a policy should already be located somewhere you can access it quickly.
11. How Do You Handle Cleanups?
It’s essential to find out how the provider handles the cleanup after finishing work. Tree and yard work can leave quite a bit of debris on the ground. Therefore, you’ll want to know if they clean up the mess and how much they charge for the service. It may be included in the overall pricing, but you must find that out before you allow them to work in the yard. It might be that you have to reserve a dumpster. Dumpster rental companies offer dumpsters to homeowners with renovations done on their properties.
They charge a fixed or hourly rate for the use of the dumpsters, and most of them will come and pick them up and dispose of the trash at the end of the rental period. Ask the provider if you need a dumpster and whether you’ll need to absorb the cost, or they can write it into the service contract. That way, you’ll know how to plan all your future expenses and what you’ll need to do to get the funds together.
You have now gone through a list of questions to ask the best tree service provider when you get to the consultative part. Ask all questions that pertain to you, and you’ll probably think of a few new ones in the process. Ensure you get all your questions answered before proceeding with the project. You’ll want to be certain that you get everything you desire and narrow your service providers accordingly. Once you’re done, you can feel comfortable moving forward with your chosen provider.