Determining the Price of Tree Work
Have you ever requested a quote for tree service with no idea about how much the work might cost? Maybe the estimate you receive seemed really high or you felt the price simply didn’t make sense for the work you were requesting. But do you know what goes into the work of trimming and removing trees?
There is so much more behind the process of working on trees than just a few quick cuts with a chainsaw. Every week, we hear about reports of job-related injury and across the country, the average fatality rate in the tree care industry is 6 individuals per month. We know that working on trees is complex and requires specialized equipment, knowledge and time. Being in the tree care industry demands attentiveness, hours of training, certification, and safety knowledge before a job can even begin. Due to the hazardous nature of the industry, it is expensive, placing us in the highest bracket for liability insurance.
Taking down a tree isn’t as simple as cutting it at the base and watching it fall. Trees in suburban areas are often near structures such as offices, homes, cars or fences, and need to be cut down in small sections at a time to prevent damage to the objects around them as well as to workers. In order to reach the higher points of a tree, specialized equipment is necessary, like a crane or bucket truck. These vehicles are expensive to purchase and costly to maintain.
Tree removal and cutting is a serious task. Often trees we are asked to take down have been dead for a long time, making them dangerous to climb because they are brittle, as well as likely to shatter and drop heavy branches during the process of removal. Taking on this type of tree work requires hours of training and experience in order to do the job safely.
At Donegan’s we provide more than 50 hours of TCIA certified training each year to all of our employees. We also work with individuals who are ISA-Certified arborists and CTSP certified Tree Care Safety Specialists, and hold 150 years of collective experience in tree care among nine of our employees! When hiring a tree service company, make sure you are aware of the company’s credentials and employee certifications, in order to put you at ease knowing the company has the expertise to do your tree work right the first time.
As mentioned, certified tree service companies spend a lot of money on liability insurance because of the inherent risks that are part of the job. This insurance protects you, your property, and our employees. If something goes wrong during a job, we have you covered! You will not be held financially responsible for any damage or injuries. Unfortunately, a company providing you with a cheaper estimate may be operating without insurance, which can mean that any damage to your property or to employees working on it would become your responsibility. As tree care professionals, we are not here to offer you legal advice, but we can say that it is in your best interest to be sure the company you are hiring is insured!
All of these legal obligations, as well as the time and labor-intensive costs factor into providing high-quality tree care from a team who can make the vision you have for your yard and property come to life! Need an estimate for tree work? Reach out today!
At Donegan’s Tree Service we know trees!!
Bibliography:
Purcell, Lindsey. “Why Is Tree Work Expensive?” Purdue Landscape Report, Purdue University, 3 Dec. 2019, www.purduelandscapereport.org/article/why-is-tree-work-expensive/.
n.a. “Tree care-related worker fatalities down in 2017: Report” Safety and Health Magazine, National Safety Counsel, 2 Mar. 2018, https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/16753-tree-care-related-worker-fatalities-down-in-2017-report