Arboricultural work (tree surgery) is something that is, for the householder undertaken rarely. It goes without saying that work on mature trees should be undertaken by suitably skilled professionals who can demonstrate a sound record of good practice. It's important to choose a qualified, dependable, contractor for this type of work, one who is used to working in relatively small areas such as residential driveways and domestic gardens. Since smaller businesses and private homeowners generally do not have the benefit of strict specifications, trained inspectors, and the technical expertise that government contracting departments have at their disposal to control their projects, these tips may be helpful toward selecting a reliable contractor and obtaining the best possible results.
Select an arboricultural contractor known for high-quality work and that has a well-established reputation in the community.
Verify the contractor's insurance coverage (and qualifications if required for specific tasks)
If you obtain proposals from more than one contractor, ensure that all are quoting for the same job. In order that true and valid comparisons can be made, all proposals should cover and itemise all aspects of the work involved, i.e. stump grinding and making good etc.
When discussing an arboricultural project, be sure that all parties are agreed upon the work required.
Visit past customers of the prospective contractor(s) and talk with the owners of the properties. Prospective contractors should be more than happy to tell you of other work done in the area.
Insist on a written contract or agreement, in addition to any verbal guarantee offered by the contractor.
If you are unable to verify references and reputation, if possible, make provision to retain some portion of the payment due the contractor until there is complete satisfaction with the quality of the finished work. It is customary for payment for smaller projects to be due "upon completion". However retaining a portion of final payment for 15-30 days would not be unheard of if a contractor needs to return to complete the work, say after stump grinding or final removal of arisings etc.
