If you are looking for some tips to find a good tree care service for your backyard, you have come to the right page. This Buzzle article pinpoints the factors that should be taken into consideration while finding a tree care service.

No Advance Payment

Never pay for a tree removal or trimming project until you are 100% satisfied with the work done. Remember, no tree care service, under any circumstances, requires an advance payment to be made.Gardening experts and enthusiasts have fair knowledge about how to maintain their garden. They know exactly what is required for proper growth, whether it is the use of fertilizers, watering, mulching, pruning, removal of weeds and deadwood, etc.

However, not all are experts, and there are others who want to develop their backyard into a beautiful garden but do not possess the advanced skills essential for that. They can, at the most, plant the desired trees at the desired location, and water them regularly. But, having a healthy, beautiful garden is more than just watering plants. They need to be monitored regularly to see if they are growing properly, have contracted any disease, or are old enough and need to be removed. This is where a professional tree care service comes into the picture. These people are trained individuals who can perform all the gardening tasks that you can't (due to the lack of equipment and proper knowledge).

It is important to hire a good tree care service because there are a lot of people out there with a pick-up truck and a chainsaw, who call themselves tree experts. While an experienced tree care professional can yield satisfactory results, an inexperienced person can create more problems for you. To avoid those problems, consider the following tips before choosing your tree care service.

Have Multiple Options
Get in touch with your friends and family for references. Ask them about their experience with tree care services, and note down the contact number if they say it's good. You can also check your local government department that handles the licenses of the tree care services of your area, for a complete list of tree care service companies. There is no harm in asking for multiple references before choosing one company, In fact, a good research will widen the scope for the selection of the best tree care service for your yard.
Look for Qualified Staff
For a good tree care service, a well-qualified arborist is a must. A certified and trained arborist can take care of your trees in the best possible way, and help you maintain your yard for years to come. He is one person who knows what special care is required to deal with old, diseased, and damaged trees, and keep the yard in good shape. Although the services provided by arborists vary, depending on their personal skills, every ISA certified arborist may generally provide the following tree services:

» Planting
» Pruning
» Emergency care
» Fertilization
» Pest control
» Tree removal

Apart from the arborist, other tree care personnel should be equally qualified in their work. For instance, if there is a need to remove a giant dead tree from the yard, check if the staff is experienced in stump grinding and other specific aspects of the job. Also, make sure that the company has the necessary equipment required for the task, in place.
Compare Services
Don't be in a hurry to hire a tree care service just because they are offering a good discount on the deal. Take your time and research well before finalizing a tree care service. After collecting references from several sources, you must have a good list of various companies with contact numbers of the contractors. Call these contractors and note down every bit of information given by them, right from their certification to an estimate of their work. Once you have collected information from all the contractors, compare the prices and services provided by them, and shortlist the most suitable ones. Then meet the contractors personally, and negotiate the terms of the contract and what you expect from the company.
Consider the Cost
It is definitely important to negotiate on the prices quoted by the service provider to prevent over-expenditure. However, keep in mind that cheap is not always better, because it can make you spend even more money in the long run as a result of a badly performed task.

Moreover, a good professional is the one who pays for several specialized equipment pieces, and carries several insurances, which demands a considerable amount of payment. If you find that the estimate provided is well below average, then there are two possibilities―either there are certain hidden costs, which might show up after the work is done, or the contractor may not be fully insured or trained.
Inspect the Yard with the Contractor
It is important for you as well as the contractor to have an idea about which trees in the yard need to be worked upon. Once that is decided, you can plan how the workers will be accessing the area for their task. Furthermore, you will have to vacate the area of cars or any other gardening or household items to prevent any damage caused by falling branches. Inspecting the entire yard will also help the contractor arrive at an estimate of the total cost.
Sign a Written Contract
It is extremely important to have a written copy of the contract before any work starts. Read through the documents carefully, to avoid further problems.

Also, check if the contractor has sent all the insurance and workers' compensation related documents directly to you. If the company fails to produce these certificates, then treat it as a warning sign, and avoid availing services of such a company.
Lastly, never trust door-to-door contractors, as they might be con artists who travel from one place to another preying on homeowners.