Tree Trimming Question - Help!!

Sounds like he has quite the speech planned out. If you liked the guy that gave you the lower quote why not call him and ask him if he can show you exactly which ones he'll be removing or trimming back. Same with the other 2.

You don't have to go with the guy that has the coolest toys.

My advice is to hire a certified arborist. Even then, not all arborists are equal. Check their references to make sure that past customers have been happy with the work (and that the trees haven't died in subsequent years due to poor trimming, insect infestation, etc.). I used to manage a large property (an outdoor shopping mall that encompassed around 65 acres - we had over 1,000 trees), and I used different tree trimming companies for different purposes. For the little parking lot trees, I used the less expensive company (still certified arborists, to be clear) because the trees were small and didn't require quite as much artistry to trim them properly. For the large, old oak trees in the middle of the square, I used a very expensive, very talented arborist with 40 years experience. That oak tree had lived for hundreds of years, and it wasn't going to die on my watch because I wanted to save a few hundred dollars.

So really, your criteria should be:
1) is the guy a certified arborist?
2) do his references check out?
3) how valuable is this tree to you? Would you be sad if it died?

The one that takes the time to explain the process to you is usually the one you can trust. I never hire a service person that talks down to me or won't explain the work that needs to be done. That happens a lot, sadly, especially as a woman hiring a man.

As for branches...sometimes they need to be removed, sometimes they don't. It depends on the tree and the environment.

Check for reviews of the services online and look for references.

An improperly pruned tree can suffer permanent damage. Unfortuantely quality arbor work is expensive or at least more expensive than most of us realize.

My neighbor paid the lowest bidder and watched as they permanently damaged her lovely oak. The next year she learned her lesson, did more research (background checks, Better Business Bureau, called references, etc.) and choose one of the more expensive quotes provided her. Her other oak tree looks amazing because they properly thinned the canopy and pruned the tree. Even to the untrained eye you can tell the difference.

Just remember the lowest bidder is the lowest for a reason - cutting corners, ill qualified, unsafe, lacking in knowledge, etc. In general you get what you pay for. Good luck.

I would also check to make sure they were licensed to do business in your city, how long they had been in business and whether they had worker's compensation on their employees and liability insurance in case they damaged your property or a neighbor's property. Sometimes the lower cost companies do not carry worker's comp on their employees and you (your homeowner's insurance) could have a claim filed against you. If any of these companies cannot provide these documents to you, I would take them out of the running. You might ask both of the $250 companies how they plan to cut the trees. $350 for a tree trimming is not outlandish depending on the size and height and type of tree and location from your house. I usually check references too! Good luck!

I am in Plano/Allen and on a large wooded lot which backs up to huge wooded park area for Allen. It is where the very few basement homes in TX are located. We built this house in 2000. Almost every year, we have Condren Tree Service come out to clear out the dead branches and to raise the canopy so we have a little more sun out back.

When we started building, we knew it was damaging to the trees and one reason we chose this wooded lot was for the acre and trees. So, as soon as we closed on the house, Condren came out and accessed each tree. On many, we got injections in the trees (vitamin boost).

In April, 08 when there was a bad storm, we do feel that we fared better because we do the routine upkeep of the trees. Condren did come out and clean up damage but our damage was minimal compared to some other homes in my neighborhood because we had already cut bad branches out.

They bring their crew with trailer and wood chipper... it gets loud. It is entertaining for children because the men climb the trees to get to the points where they need to cut. At times frightening to watch someone going up a tree (with a safety rope) and a chainsaw!

Our bill is usually $1000 +/- here and there. I have about an acre of heavy trees.

I don't know about your quotes... what I would do, go online, pull these companies up and check them out with BBB and Yelp reviews. We highly recommend Condren and I know for a fact they are not the cheapest but they do a great job. They have been around a long time and they are not a fly by nighter trying to make a buck.

Good luck

For cheap money, I'd go with the $350 guy. He sounds like he knows what he's doing.

FWIW I'd love to pay $350 for tree trimming. We have two huge oak trees in our back yard (combined canopy of almost 100 feet across) that badly need to be trimmed but because they're so high, it has to be done with a truck instead of a climber. The truck can't get into my yard, so we need one that can park on the street ($200 police detail) and extend a boom over my house. Total cost is over $1000 so we just ignore it and hope the dead branches don't break anything or injure anyone when they finally drop.

Ohhhh..... I'm disappointed now. I got quite excited when I thought we had our first Christmas question!

This isn't an area to cheap out on. Not knowing your tree, the type of tree, or the condition/health of the tree, nor your local weather patterns, it's really hard to determine if what your arborist proposes is accurate. You could check with your university's extension services (most universities which offer any sort of agriculture/botany classes will have some online resources).

You also want to ensure you have a crew which will harness up and follow proper safety precautions.

Have you asked any of them for references, background in this trade? You might also want to look at Angie's List and the Better Business Bureau. This is something I do check on before making a decision on who to go with-- sure, good companies may get complaints, but do they make every effort to resolve the complaint? I expect that the person I'm speaking to about a specific job should be able to describe the job they are proposing in detail and should be able to explain the 'why' in their decisions.

I'd go with the $350 guy. There is a right and a wrong way to prune a tree. You don't want to lop off the top. You don't want to trim a tree like a hedge. You don't want to take off branches in the wrong spot or willy-nilly. These all lead to unhealthy trees that are top heavy or have lots of water sprouts. Not to mention, these trees are generally ugly.

You could always call the folks with the cheaper estimates to hear how they plan to go about the pruning process. But, gut feel, is to go with the guy who already seems to know what he's doing.

I've always trimmed my trees myself.
The only time we hired someone was when we had a huge rotted out willow which needed to be chopped from the top down (there was no room between yards to bring it down without it landing on a fence, shed or house).
What type of trees do you have?
Different trees sometimes need different pruning methods.
The only time I've seen trees collapse is during an ice storm or if the trunk was rotted out.
We have a bon fire once a year and burn up any branches I've trimmed.

I'd go with TF's crew. That's a reasonable price she got for around here.

It makes me laugh a little that everyone jumped on the $350.00 trimmer. It really doesn't sound like a bad price, but I don't think you or anyone else has enough information.

You should know the person's experience.

You don't mention how many trees they will be cutting for the quoted price.

Do they haul away the mess...yep, I asked a guy to trim a few branches and he asked for hauling money. Now, I didn't hire him to do the whole yard, but it is something to consider.

I agree, call the others back and ask what they will trim. From what you have said, the $350 trimmer has no knowledge of what the other guy will do. It was pure speculation and sales pitch.

For 17 years, I have trimmed our trees. We can get some pretty strong winds and trees do get up-rooted, but it has never happened in our yard. Yay MOM!

Here is what I do, when you see a branch that is shaped like a pitch fork, trim the middle prong/branch.

I was like CHRISTMAS IN JULY - I LOVE IT!! Oh well..... :(