If you have little or no experience with tree care, we WILL take the time to answer your questions.  Our educated professionals will demonstrate why we feel our service is the best in the Triangle!

What are the top 10 things you should know before hiring an arborist or tree care company?

1.  Only use companies with ISA Certified Arborists that will BID and SUPERVISE your job on site.   Often companies will incorrectly claim or mislead you to think they are a certified arborist.  An INDIVIDUAL is certified, NOT the company.  You can verify their credentials yourself through the International Society of Arboriculture web site.  CLICK HERE now to verify an arborist certification. 

2.  Also, some companies will have a certified arborist that will BID your project, but there will NOT be one on site to ensure that the work is completed properly.  We always bid AND supervise our tree care needs with certified arborists on site.  You will experience a different level of service and care.  It's worth the additional money!

3.  Only hire companies that are insured with General Liability and Workers Compensation to protect the property owner as well as the company employees from the unexpected.  A company should ALWAYS be willing and eager to provide this information to potential customers.  If they act too busy or inconvenienced, that should be a warning sign.  Certificates should be made available within 2 business days or less.  We recommend limits of no less than $1 million.  At LTS, we exceed that minimum limit!

4.  It is recommended to get 2-3 estimates from a pool of qualified individuals if you do not have a company you are already comfortable with.  There is no need for more.  Keep in mind that companies expend monitary resouces to provide you with a FREE estimate.  Do your research first rather than opening the phone book and simply calling numbers until someone calls you back. 

5.  Some companies will only return calls when they have a need for work.  When you call LTS, your call will be returned within 1 business day if not sooner.  Also, utilize the "arborist" section of your phone book over the "tree service" section.  This will assist you in narrowing your search.

6.  When you are getting estimates, be clear with the company of what your expectations are so they can meet your needs for the best possible cost.  Keep in mind the following:
*  Is price your top concern?
*  Would you be willing to sustain more yard damage to get the job done faster...thus for less money?

6.  When getting multiple bids, be sure you are comparing "apples to apples".  Ask your arborist:
*  How will the company take down my trees?  
*  Will you use a crane?  Is that more expensive?
*  How much/ if any impact will my landscape sustain?
*  Is there a less expensive option?
*  How long will it take to complete my work?
*  When do you expect to start the work?

7.  Will the climbers be using tree spikes for pruning?  This may not pertain to you if you are only removing trees.  However it is a question that should be addressed if you are prunig live ones.  This is a NO-NO in the industry and should not be allowed on your project for any reason.  Would you allow a doctor to take blood from you using a dirty needle?  Tree spikes can transmit disease and introduce unneccessary wounds that stress the plant.  This practice is a sign of a lazy climber or uneducated service. 

8.  Different arborist may see different ways to complete your work.  Understand that price can very drastically by technique/time spent.  Quick-and-dirty can be cheaper but may not be what you are looking for.  Our first choice/method when giving you a bid at LTS is NOT quick-and-dirty.  But we will be willing to make cost saving adjustments to provide you with the best service possible, based upon your goals.  
 
9.  Be willing to PAY a professional for consultation services.  This is different than a free estimate.  You will gain a great deal of education from a certified arborist towards the long-term care of your entire landscape.  But, if you are willing to compensate them for their time, you can feel more comfortable knowing you are getting an unbiased/objective opinion....not someone trying to generate work for themselves!  Often arborists will offer a site visit fee that can be applied to any services that might be necessary from the visit.  Simply put, don't expect FREE consultation from some of the most educated professionals in the industry. 

10.  Last, but certainly not least, select a company with a long history of customer satisfaction that values your property and landscape.  Don't be afraid to ask for referrals.  A good company should want you as a customer for life as well as your word of mouth advertising! 

If you think we could be the company for you, take a moment to email us the necessary information so we can assist you further.