December 13, 2018
We’ve all seen the fail army videos of people trying to buck or clear trees. If you have, you know it’s critical that you hire an expert Alberta or Saskatchewan Arborist experienced at tree care and management.
While many people believe that they can take care of trees themselves, proper tree care requires the specialized knowledge and experience of a trained arborist who can take care of your tree problems safely and efficiently — and to make sure you don’t end up on the internet!
However, before you hire an arborist to work on your property, it’s essential to research arborists in your area. Doing a little research will help you to find a qualified professional who will best meet your unique needs. To help get you started, here are a few things you should look for in an arborist company.
Look For Experience
As you begin researching an Alberta or Saskatchewan Arborist in your area, it is crucial to look for professionals with a history of providing quality tree services. Maintaining, pruning, moving, and removing trees can be delicate, and even dangerous, work, which is why you will want to find an experienced arborist to work with to meet your needs without any difficulty.
Talk to arborist companies in your area and ask them about their experience. This includes how long they have been providing tree services to your community and if they have any experience working on similar projects. Considering the delicate nature of arboriculture, you don’t want to leave your project in anything less than the most capable hands.
As you talk to local arborists about their experience you should also try to get a sense of how knowledgeable they are on working on cases similar to yours. This is particularly critical if your project requires tree removal. You will want to ask what experience they have working on the tree species on your property, and what their plans are for cleaning up your property at the end.
An experienced arborist will be able to provide you with a detailed account of what your trees need and what they plan to do during and after a job.
Ask About Insurance
Any arborist company you plan on working with should be properly insured. Anytime someone works on your property you want to make sure they carry liability and worker’s compensation insurance, particularly if they are working with heavy or potentially dangerous equipment. Without insurance, if something goes wrong on the job like damage from a falling tree limb, you could be liable for damages
It because of this that it’s important to make sure that an Alberta or Saskatchewan arborist company is insured before you begin working with them. Ask for proof of insurance, and verify that they are carrying a healthy amount of commercial liability insurance. Most arborists will be willing to show you their proof of insurance coverage.
Check for ISA Certification
When trying to determine an arborist’s qualifications and experience you should consider looking for arborists who are certified by, and current members of, the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), as only the best arborists receive certification by the ISA. To earn this certification, an arborist must pass a series of tests proving their knowledge of arboriculture. Plus, they’ll need to commit to continually researching and implementing the latest techniques and practices.
For those who are searching for an arborist in Alberta, Manitoba, or Saskatchewan, you can search for a list of local certified arborists on the website of the Prairie Chapter of the ISA.
Request a Written Quote
The next step you will need to take when searching for an arborist is to request a quote in writing from a company you are considering. An arborist company should be willing to provide you with a free quote for the completion of your job without pressuring you. If an arborist expects you to pay for a quote, or if they will not give you a written estimate, these are red flags.
When getting quotes from arborists, you should also be leery of arborists who try to pressure you into making a decision, as most arborists will understand that property owners need time to consider their options before making big decisions.
The fact is that if a company is difficult to work with during the estimate, they may be even more challenging to work with during your project.
Choosing Your Alberta or Saskatchewan Arborist: Ask for References & Read Reviews
Once you have narrowed down your search to one or two arborists your final step will be to ask these arborists to provide you with references. Check with previous clients, or even go online to check them out on Facebook or Google.
Talking to, or reading reviews from, former clients and customers can help give you a better understanding of the quality of their work and their service. Most arborists will be more than willing to provide you with references. Those who are not willing likely don’t have the qualifications you are looking for in an arborist.
When choosing an arborist to work on your property, it is critical that you take your time and thoroughly research your options. Contact us to learn more about what you should look for in an arborist as well as to learn about the arborist services we provide in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
