Tree Service Hiring Checklist
The useful estimate is the one you can understand and compare. This checklist turns “remove tree” into a defined scope before anyone brings equipment onto the property.
Before the visit
- Photograph the whole tree and nearby targets from a safe location.
- Find property lines, gates, septic areas, irrigation, and recorded easements.
- Write down what outcome matters: safety, clearance, removal, cleanup, or site restoration.
During the estimate
- Ask what condition or conflict the proposed work addresses.
- Ask which access route, removal method, and ground protection are planned.
- Confirm how roofs, fences, utilities, planting beds, and neighboring property affect the scope.
Compare written scopes
- Separate removal, hauling, log cutting, stump grinding, backfill, seed, and restoration.
- Request current insurance documentation directly from the relevant provider when appropriate.
- Do not rely on vague language such as “trim as needed” or “complete cleanup.”
Before work starts
- Confirm utility locating and identify private lines or systems.
- Mark what stays, where equipment can travel, and where debris can be staged.
- Keep people, pets, and vehicles outside the agreed work zone.