Things to Ask a Tree Service Before You Hire Them

Tree work can involve heavy limbs, chainsaws, climbing, bucket trucks, cranes, power lines, neighboring property, roofs, fences, underground utilities, and large amounts of debris. Before hiring a tree service, understand exactly what will be cut, who performs the work, what equipment is used, how property is protected, what happens to the wood, and whether permits or utility coordination are needed.

Licensing, arborist credentials, permits, protected-tree rules, utility-clearance requirements, insurance, and occupational requirements vary by location. Verify whatever applies locally, especially for large trees, trees near power lines, or work that could affect neighboring property.

Things to Ask About Insurance

Tree work has meaningful injury and property-damage risk.

Ask for current insurance information and verify it when the job is significant.

Do you carry general liability insurance?
Do you carry workers' compensation where required?
Can I receive current certificates?
Does coverage apply to tree work specifically?
Are subcontractors separately insured?
What happens if a limb damages my house or a neighbor's property?
Who is responsible for damage caused during access?

Things to Ask About Credentials and Experience

Some jobs are straightforward removals; others require diagnosis, preservation, pruning strategy, or risk assessment.

If tree health matters, ask who has arboricultural expertise.

How long have you been doing tree work?
Who evaluates the tree?
Is a certified arborist involved where appropriate?
Who will supervise the crew?
How experienced is the climber?
Have you handled trees this size?
Have you worked this close to a house or power line?
Can you provide recent references for similar work?

Things to Ask About Whether the Tree Needs to Come Down

A recommendation to remove a tree should have a reason.

If the tree is valuable and the decision is uncertain, consider an independent qualified arborist assessment.

Why are you recommending removal?
Is the tree dead, diseased, structurally unsound, or simply inconvenient?
Could pruning address the problem?
Could cabling, bracing, or another treatment be appropriate?
What signs indicate elevated risk?
How urgent is the work?
What happens if I wait a year?
Would an independent arborist likely evaluate this differently?

Things to Ask About Pruning

Good pruning has a specific objective: clearance, structural improvement, deadwood removal, size management, or risk reduction.

Avoid vague proposals to 'trim it back' without understanding what will actually be cut.

What is the objective of the pruning?
Which limbs will be removed?
How much canopy will be removed?
Will topping be avoided?
How will cuts be made?
Will clearance from the roof improve?
Will clearance from wires improve?
Could pruning harm the tree?
How often should the tree be pruned?

Things to Ask About Power Lines

Trees near energized lines require special precautions and may involve the utility rather than an ordinary tree crew.

Do not assume a general tree service is qualified to work near electrical conductors.

Are any limbs within the utility-clearance area?
Does the utility need to be contacted?
Who contacts the utility?
Is this crew qualified for line-clearance work where required?
Will power need to be disconnected?
What part of the work can the utility perform?
Should I delay hiring until the utility evaluates the situation?

Things to Ask About Equipment and Access

Large equipment can damage lawns, driveways, septic systems, irrigation, landscaping, and underground utilities.

Ask what equipment enters the property and where it travels.

Will you use a bucket truck?
Will you use a crane?
Will a chipper enter the driveway?
Will heavy equipment cross the lawn?
How much clearance is required?
Can the driveway support the equipment?
Are there septic tanks or drain fields to avoid?
How are irrigation lines protected?
How are underground utilities located?
What ground protection will be used?

Things to Ask About Rigging and Property Protection

Branches over roofs, fences, sheds, pools, landscaping, and neighboring property may need to be lowered rather than dropped.

Ask how the crew plans to control material.

Will limbs be lowered with ropes?
What can be safely dropped?
How will the roof be protected?
How will fences be protected?
How will landscaping be protected?
Will vehicles need to be moved?
Will neighboring property need to be accessed?
What happens if something is damaged?

Things to Ask About the Stump

Tree removal and stump removal are often separate services.

Clarify depth, cleanup, roots, and what remains afterward.

Is stump grinding included?
How deep will you grind?
Will surface roots be ground?
What happens to the grindings?
Will the hole be filled?
Can grass be planted afterward?
Will large roots remain underground?
What additional charge applies to stump work?

Things to Ask About Wood and Debris

A large tree can produce a surprising amount of logs, chips, twigs, and sawdust.

Decide what leaves and what stays.

Is all debris removal included?
Will branches be chipped?
Will logs be hauled away?
Can I keep firewood?
Will logs be cut to usable length?
Can I keep wood chips?
Who cleans sawdust from the yard or driveway?
Will the crew rake the work area?
What cleanup is excluded?

Things to Ask About Permits and Protected Trees

Some municipalities regulate removal based on species, trunk diameter, location, zoning, heritage status, or environmental conditions.

Do not assume a tree on private property can always be removed without approval.

Does this tree require a removal permit?
Who obtains it?
Are replacement trees required?
Is the species protected?
Is the property in a regulated district?
Could an association approval be required?
What documentation should I keep?

Things to Ask About Neighboring Property

Trees near property lines can create disputes about ownership, access, branches, roots, fences, and cleanup.

If ownership or rights are unclear, obtain appropriate legal or survey guidance rather than relying on a contractor to decide.

Is the trunk clearly on my property?
Will any work require entering the neighbor's property?
Will limbs be lowered over neighboring property?
Could equipment block a shared drive?
Should the neighbor be notified?
What happens if the tree is actually on the boundary?
Do we need a survey or legal clarification before work?

Things to Ask About Timing and Weather

Weather, nesting wildlife, soil conditions, access, and tree condition can affect timing.

Emergency work and scheduled work may also be priced differently.

When can the work be scheduled?
How long will it take?
What weather stops the job?
Will wet ground delay heavy equipment?
Are there seasonal reasons to prune at a different time?
Does wildlife activity affect timing?
What happens if a storm creates emergency demand before my date?

Things to Ask About Price

A useful estimate states what trees are included, what work happens to each tree, stump treatment, cleanup, equipment, and possible extras.

Compare scope rather than total price alone.

Is the price fixed for the described work?
Which trees are included?
Is stump grinding included?
Is debris hauling included?
Are crane charges included?
Are permit fees included?
What could increase the price?
What deposit is required?
When is payment due?
What happens if hidden decay changes the plan?

How to Compare Tree-Service Estimates

Make sure each company is proposing the same outcome. One may recommend full removal while another recommends pruning; one may include stump grinding and cleanup while another does not.

Credentials, insurance, plan, equipment, and property protection matter more on difficult work than simply choosing the lowest number.

Are they proposing the same work?
Is cleanup comparable?
Is stump work comparable?
Is insurance verified?
Is the crew experience comparable?
Does one plan require less risk to the property?
Which company explained why the work is needed?
Which estimate is clearest about exclusions?

Tree work is not only about where the tree ends up.

The safer proposal explains how limbs are controlled, what equipment enters the property, how structures are protected, who is insured, and what cleanup is included.

Things to Ask About Emergency Tree Work

Storm damage, split trunks, hanging limbs, and trees resting on structures can create different hazards from scheduled work.

If electrical lines are involved, follow utility and emergency guidance rather than approaching damaged trees yourself.

Is the situation safe to wait for normal scheduling?
Should the utility be contacted first?
Can the area be safely isolated?
What emergency surcharge applies?
Will temporary stabilization be needed?
What damage should be documented for insurance?
What work can safely wait until daylight?

How to Use These Questions

Use the sections that match the decision or conversation in front of you rather than treating the page like a form that must be completed.

When an answer affects the decision, verify important facts and ask a specific follow-up. The useful question is often the one that changes what you would do next.

What fact would I want verified?
What answer would change my decision?
What example would make this clearer?
What assumption are we making?
What important question is still unanswered?

Things to Ask About Tree Health After the Work

If the tree is being preserved rather than removed, ask what care may be needed after pruning. Heavy pruning, root disturbance, construction, drought, soil compaction, or disease can affect recovery.

Will the tree need watering afterward?
Should mulch be added?
Should fertilizer be avoided or used?
What signs of stress should I watch for?
When should the tree be inspected again?
Will future pruning be needed?
Could nearby construction or soil compaction affect recovery?

Things to Ask About Roots

Roots can affect driveways, sidewalks, foundations, sewer lines, landscaping, and the stability of the tree itself. Cutting roots to solve one problem can create another.

If root damage, structural stability, or construction conflicts are significant, qualified arboricultural or engineering advice may be appropriate.

Are the visible roots damaging anything?
Can those roots safely be cut?
Would cutting them destabilize the tree?
Could root pruning harm tree health?
Is the tree actually causing the pavement or foundation problem?
Is there a less damaging alternative?
How far from the trunk should excavation be avoided?

Things to Ask About Disease and Pests

Discoloration, dead branches, holes, fungi, bark loss, or thinning can have different causes. Ask whether the company is diagnosing a condition or simply recommending work based on appearance.

What signs of disease or pests do you see?
How confident are you in the diagnosis?
Is treatment available?
Would treatment realistically preserve the tree?
Could the problem spread to nearby trees?
Should removed wood be disposed of in a particular way?
Would a separate arborist diagnosis be useful before treatment?

Things to Ask About the Condition of the Site Afterward

Tree work can leave ruts, compacted soil, stump grindings, bare areas, and damaged turf even when the tree work itself is performed correctly. Clarify what restoration is included.

Will lawn ruts be repaired?
Will topsoil be added where needed?
Is grass seed included?
Who repairs damaged irrigation?
Who repairs a damaged fence or gate?
Will the work area be left level?
What cleanup should I expect to handle myself?

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I ask a tree service before hiring?

Ask about insurance, credentials, why removal or pruning is needed, power lines, equipment, rigging, property protection, stumps, debris, permits, neighboring property, timing, and price.

Should I hire an arborist or a tree removal company?

If tree health, diagnosis, preservation, or complex pruning matters, qualified arboricultural expertise can be valuable. For straightforward removal, the crew's insurance, experience, equipment, and work plan still matter.

Is stump grinding usually included with tree removal?

Not always. Ask whether stump work is included, how deep the stump will be ground, whether surface roots are included, and what happens to the grindings.