Do you feel like you’re venturing into an unknown world when it comes to choosing an arborist? You are not alone…
Trees can take decades to grow and be disfigured in minutes if you don’t hire the right person for the job. Like any other contractor, it is recommended that you hire an arborist after careful research and consider everything – from first impressions, experience, insurance, track record and equipment to final cost. Before we look into things to consider when choosing an arborist, let’s understand who they are and what they do?
What is an arborist?
In a nutshell, an arborist is a tree specialist. As a person who has had formal and on-the-job training in the care and maintenance of trees, an arborist knows everything about tree physiology.
Why should you hire an arborist?
Where well-maintained trees can be an asset on your property, trees in poor health can become a liability or worse, a hazard to people and property. An arborist is knowledgeable about the needs of trees and are trained and equipped to provide proper care.
An arborist can take care of a range of services such as tree pruning, tree stump removal, planting, transplanting, hedge trimming and more. While climbing trees may have been your childhood pastime, tending to sick trees and even maintaining the healthy ones is best left to a professional arborist.
How to choose the right arborist for the job?
Before you start finding the right person for the job, know what services you are looking for. Do you have a dead or diseased tree in your midst that poses danger? Are you unsure if trees in your property are dead or diseased? Or are you looking for general maintenance, including maintenance services? Once you’ve identified the need and ready to call in a specialist, consider these few things.
Is the arborist you’re hiring qualified?
Being a member of the New Zealand Arboricultural Association demonstrates a commitment to quality by the arborist as well as a dedication to keeping up-to-date on research related to trees and tree care. Membership to the NZARB indicates the a company’s extensive experience in examination on all aspects of tree care and maintenance.
Ask about their experience.
Arborists offer a vast range of services with experience across many jobs, from smaller residential tasks to larger council projects. You should also query their equipment – do they have specialist equipment to handle specific jobs such as stump removal or the removal of tall trees in confined areas.
Ask for valid references.
It is important to select a company or an individual with a proven track record and good practices. Ask for contacts of past clients and check with them for reference before you hire an arborist. You can also check out online reviews for the arborists you are considering on their social media pages or Google.
Get quotes from multiple arborists.
Get more than one. Cost is always an important consideration, but the low bid is not always the best. Understand how each contractor plans to do the job and make sure he has the right equipment available.
Ask the arborists about their equipment and practices.
Make sure they have the right equipment for the job. What sort of sustainability practices do they adopt? If they are recommending excessive pruning of trees, be wary. A good arborist recommends services based on every tree’s individual requirement. Make sure the arborist you are hiring is not planning on using spikes or spurs to climb trees as these could cause permanent damage.
Check for insurance.
Reputable arborists are licensed, bonded, carry insurance, and maintain expensive, specialised equipment. Beware of exceptionally low estimates, which may have hidden costs and/or indicate an arborist lacking professional credentials or insurance.
Once you are confident of your choice, make sure that to get a confirmation of the job details before commencing work, including a quote, what is included in the job at hand, etc.
If you are looking for a qualified arborist, our friendly and professional team of qualified and experienced arborists are more than happy to discuss your needs and we are happy to provide an obligation free quote for the job.