Tips and for hiring a reputable Tree Service Company
Many people here ask questions about hiring a tree service and what they need to know to protect themselves so we at Acorn Tree Service put together a "Tips for hiring reputable a Tree Service" guide to help.
The first question is "Do I need an Arborist or not?"
The true answer is that it depends on the scope of work. For instance, if you want to remove a tree on residential property, state law has removed the power to determine if a tree is hazardous from local jurisdictions and given it to the arborist (more on this later in the permitting section). If you want to prune a tree properly and care about its health, you probably want a certified Arborist. If none of these things apply and you are just cutting some nuisance shrubs or you don't mind improper pruning practices on your tree, then any company with the "Proper Insurance" (more on this later in the insurance section) should do just fine.
"Are they licensed?"
There are NO LISCENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR TREE WORK IN PINELLAS COUNTY. If you are looking for a certified arborist, that's fine, but it is not required for tree work. The only "license" would be that certain cities require a ridiculous, unnecessary permit to work in their towns (this requirement is also very inconsistent in Pinellas County). However, if your tree company doesn't have this permit, it has no bearing on you and you don't get in trouble, so I would not worry about this meaningless detail (I know, we all write "licensed" on our business cards but it truly is meaningless).
Timing is another important issue.
Here in Central Florida, tree work inexplicably slows down from November until March or so for some reason. If you need any tree work done, now might be the time to get it done. If you wait until after the first storm of the year, every tree company in town will be busy and your prices will be considerably higher.
The next thing you need is to find a reputable company and you aren't sure where to start.
Well go next door and ask your neighbors and friends about their good and bad experiences. Now, if that doesn't yield any results, search online, but make sure you check their reviews. Never rely on promises people make in response to a Facebook post asking for tree service.
Now, you've found a few companies and want to verify their legitimacy.
In Pinellas County, there are more non-legitimate companies than legitimate ones so do your research. Go to the following link and search the Secretary of State database to find out if they are registered with the state. You can also dig deeper. If the company appears to have been in business for a short time or is inactive, search the owner's name to see if they have had multiple companies in the last few years (a bad sign). Some owners run a company until they get in trouble or sued, then they just form a new corporation and start again.
https://dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/search/
Once you confirm they are active, the next step is to call for a quote.
When the rep arrives, feel free to ask any questions you have. Hopefully, they will also ask you about your goals and explain the end result. Too often, tree companies fail to communicate details such as possible damage to the surrounding landscape. Homeowners then return to a torn up yard they were unprepared for. Now there is no need to waste everyone's time getting 12 bids on most jobs. Usually, if you get a few bids that are somewhat close, choose the one you feel most comfortable with and move on. If you have that one guy who comes in at half of everyone else's rate, you should probably worry. Also if you play along with that guy who says "I will match your other bids if you tell me what they are," you are just helping to undermine the bidding process (so why bother? Just make up a number and give it to the first guy to match and stop wasting everyone else's time). Something else to consider in the bidding process is comparing "apples to apples." Every bidder may have a different vision, so their bids may vary slightly based on their scope of work (mainly with pruning)." A common problem is when one company promises something extra and the client has talked to so many companies that they can't remember who promised what. GET IT IN WRITING.
Make sure the price includes taking all debris away.
Unless it is a post hurricane "state of emergency" and they are leaving it at the curb it is actually illegal for contractors of any sort to leave their debris at the curb for your local trash pick-up. I once had a client for whom I quoted $2,200 for a tree removal, including disposal. The next contractor quoted them $1,750, saying it was acceptable to leave the debris by the curb for the city to pick up. The city supervisor came by and nicely told the client that a tree contractor had obviously cut the tree down and the client needed to deal with the mess themselves. Needless to say, the tree contractor would never answer this client's calls again. When they called me expecting me to haul it away for the price difference ($450), I told them to pound sand (they eventually found someone to haul it for $800) so it cost them more in the long run (they were very apologetic that they didn't hire me but by that point it was too late).
The trickiest part about hiring a tree contractor is the insurance.
I will try to simplify it, but here in Pinellas County, illegitimate tree services have figured out how to lie and falsify documents to bypass this requirement, making due diligence very difficult in this area. Not all liability insurance is created equal and many companies won't tell you that. First of all, basic landscaper insurance does not cover work performed over 10 feet off the ground. Therefore, if the landscaper lacks separate "tree trimming" coverage (which costs significantly more), any damage they cause to your property or your neighbor's property will not be covered. Worse yet, your neighbor can sue your homeowners insurance if you hired the contractor who crushed their house. and he was not properly insured. It is virtually impossible to verify this every time but here is a good rule of thumb to use. Most insurance companies check your website when you apply for insurance. If they see pictures of cranes and equipment on your site or if you mention Tree Services, they will require you to carry the proper coverage or they will refuse to cover you. Another red flag is when the name does not include the word "Tree", like "property services, landscaper, land services, etc." Now some of these companies are completely on the up and up but most of them purposely named it this way to avoid paying for the right coverage. If "Tree Trimming" is on their truck but not on their website or social media, they are probably hiding something.
OK, so now you've gotten past the hard part.
You can thank all the Attorney billboards around for this being so complicated but you've found the contractor you want to hire and they ask for a 50% deposit to get you on the schedule. This situation is tricky; you must decide whether to give this to them or not. Most credible companies in this town, will not ask for a deposit unless the job is unusually large or requires significant advance work (such as permitting). Many of us will ask this of HOAs because their management companies are horrid at paying their bills in a timely manner. This way, we can at least cover our expenses while waiting four to eight weeks for them to pay the rest.
Now, last but still very important is the age-old question: "Do I need a Permit?"
This can vary significantly by jurisdiction in Pinellas County, but the State Law has stripped some power (and revenue) from local jurisdictions. They are not happy about it so they are not always forthcoming when you ask them. A certified arborist or a licensed landscape architect now has the ability to determine whether a tree is hazardous to persons or property and once they make that determination, local jurisdictions have no further say. Now many localities here in Pinellas have made their rules challenging just to keep "control," but that is where an Arborist can help.
Not all arborists are created equal, either. Some will tell you it is ok to cut down the tree even if it is not (they just want your money for the job). The problem here is that YOU, the homeowner, are the one on the hook if you get caught and the tree contractor will just disappear and leave you with the fallout. I recommend that you go to the link below to read the state law for yourself as well as visit your local jurisdiction's website for any other requirements.
Above all, find a trusted arborist who has been established for a while and they can help guide you. It really is a simple process if you meet the criteria.
The last thing to know about permitting is that all of the above only applies to residential properties.
This does not apply to commercial properties, condo complexes or any other non single family properties your local jurisdiction tries to include. The localities lost significant control and revenue from this state law change and they dislike it. Be careful, as they tend to interpret things in a way that suits them. For example, Pinellas County charged a $50 inspection fee when you applied for a permit just four years ago; now, it is $280 (this is just for the inspection, not a guarantee of approval).
Hopefully this helps clarify some things and makes your Tree Contractor search easier. Just remember, Tree work can be extremely dangerous. Pinellas County is full of illegitimate tree services and weekend warriors with a pick-up and a chainsaw who are too willing to take your money and risk your property and people's lives without the proper equipment or insurance. So, due diligence is required. Let's keep Pinellas County safe from the hacks and thieves who are risking lives and stealing business from legitimate companies that invest heavily in their equipment, training, employees and "Proper insurance" to cover you in the event of a catastrophe.