How do I choose a tree surgeon?

Tree work is unregulated in the sense that anyone can buy a chainsaw and print a leaflet, and it is simultaneously one of the highest-risk trades in the country. The gap between a properly trained arboriculturist and a cold-caller with a pickup is enormous, and it shows in the tree afterwards, in what happens if something goes wrong, and in whether you end up prosecuted for unauthorised work on a protected tree.

Safety

Step by step

1. Decide first whether you need an arboriculturist or a tree surgeon.A consulting arboriculturist assesses trees and writes reports — for a mortgage, an insurance claim, a planning application or a safety question. A tree surgeon or arborist does the physical work. Many firms do both, but for a diagnosis you want the former.
2. Check insurance, and see the document.Public liability insurance for a substantial sum is standard in the trade, and employer's liability if they have staff. Ask for the certificate and check the dates. If a branch goes through your conservatory or a neighbour's car, this is the only thing that matters.
3. Check chainsaw and climbing certification.Operators should hold current certificates of competence for chainsaw use, and anyone working aloft needs climbing and aerial rescue certification. Aerial rescue matters because a climber who is injured in a tree has to be brought down by a competent second person on site.
4. Look for professional body membership.The Arboricultural Association's Approved Contractor scheme involves an on-site assessment and is a meaningful signal. Membership of a professional arboricultural body, or a relevant qualification such as an arboriculture diploma or degree, is worth asking about.
5. Ask who checks the TPO and Conservation Area position.A good firm will check, will tell you if consent is needed, and will often handle the application. A firm that says it does not matter is telling you they will happily involve you in a criminal offence.
6. Get three written quotes specifying the work properly.The quote should say what will be done to which tree in recognised terms — 'crown reduction by 2m', 'crown lift to 4m over the drive' — not 'cut back tree'. Vague quotes produce vague work and disputes.
7. Ask what happens to the arisings.Chipping and removal, chipping and leaving the chip for you as mulch, or logs cut and stacked. Confirm it in the quote — removal of waste is a significant part of the cost and a common source of argument at the end.
8. Check they will work to recognised standards.British Standard 3998 covers tree work. A contractor who talks in those terms is one who has been trained rather than one who has watched other people.
9. Refuse cold callers, without exception.Doorstep tree work is a classic vector for rogue trading, particularly targeting older people. Anyone who knocks to say your tree is dangerous and they can do it today for cash is not the person to trust with your tree.
10. Never pay the full amount in advance.A deposit for materials is not normal in tree work. Pay on satisfactory completion, and get a receipt. Beware of pressure to pay in cash on the day.
11. Ask about ecology.A competent contractor will check for bats and nesting birds before work and will know to stop and take advice if roost features are found. Ask the question; the answer tells you a lot.

Tips

• Get quotes in winter if the work is not urgent. Tree work is seasonal and prices soften when the diary is empty.
• The cheapest quote for crown work is often cheap because it is topping, which is quick, unskilled and bad for the tree.
• Ask to see photographs of similar jobs, and if a firm has done work nearby, go and look at the tree a year on. It is the best possible reference.

Common mistakes

• Not asking for the insurance certificate — Tree work causes serious property damage when it goes wrong. Without cover, your recourse is against a person, not an insurer, and you may find your own insurer takes a dim view.
• Hiring someone who says the TPO does not matter — The offence is committed by the owner as well as the operator. Their casual attitude becomes your criminal record and your fine.
• Accepting a verbal quote — Tree work disputes are almost always about scope — what was to be removed and who takes the waste. Written and specific prevents nearly all of them.
• Doing it yourself with a hired chainsaw — Chainsaws cause severe injuries in seconds and require formal training, correct PPE including cut-resistant trousers, and never to be used above shoulder height or from a ladder. This is not a job to learn on your own tree.

Questions people ask