Introduction
Take a good look at that old tree in your yard. Parts of it are dying and becoming a safety hazard that can come back to bite you in the form of property damage or an expensive lawsuit. In this situation, it’s best to hire a professional to cut down the tree. To do that, you can search for “tree service near me”. But before that, it’s best to check out the right time to cut down the tree.
The Details
- The winter season – If your tree is in dire condition with hollow limbs and seems like it’s barely hanging by the few fibers on the bark, it’s best to cut down the tree as soon as possible. Otherwise, it can fall down at any moment and injure you or your family members or damage your car, fence, roof, or other parts of your property. If the tree is close to the sidewalk and falls on a stranger, you’re in for even more trouble.
However, if the tree isn’t in dire conditions and looks like it can survive a year or two it’s best to wait for the winter season. That allows you to take advantage of the basic principle of economics – supply and demand. Few people opt for tree services during the winter season and that means you get that service for a cheaper price. The contractors are willing to offer low prices to get all the business they can attract during this low season. On the contrary, summer is the worst time for cutting down your tree since they can charge as much as 25 percent more for the same service.
- Pricing for cutting down a tree – The price of the service depends on numerous factors, from the season to the health of the tree and accessibility to the tree. If the tree is overhanging onto public space or your neighbor’s property or uncomfortably close to power and utility lines, it’s going to interfere with the process of cutting down the tree. It’s also going to create more debris and additional precautions need to be taken to prevent accidents and property damage.
This will inevitably hike up the price. When you opt for tree cutting services be prepared to spend at least $250. If the tree is bigger and the situation is complicated, then you may need to spend thousands of dollars. There is no fixed formula to predict the price. Usually, you need to hire an arborist, or a tree cutting service professional to inspect the tree and look at all the factors before they can quote a price. They usually have a flat rate for a particular job and the rest of the service is billed by the hour. That’s why it’s best to get multiple quotes.
- Understanding the quotes – When you hire professional tree cutting services, it’s important to understand the complex quote and all the details in it. Check for stump removal and ask the tree service provider if the quote includes the cost of removing debris after cutting down the tree. Does the service professional have insurance to assume responsibility for damage to your property, your neighbor’s property, or the adjoining public space?
Shady tree service professionals are able to quote you a drastically low price since they don’t have such insurance. It’s also important to check out if the tree service company hires professionals who have been in the business for quite a few years and have been background-checked. Dishonest companies would employ third-party labor for pennies and can quote you a very low price. That’s why it’s important to scrutinize the quote and figure out the details.
- Arborist fee – If you get your tree inspected for cutting it down, he or she may just offer the inspection service and charge you just for that or may have a partnership with a tree service company and offer you the full service. That’s why their charges would vary depending on the scope of the trees, the number of trees that need to be cut down, and the size of those trees. However, you get to choose the scope of the service and have some level of control over the final price.
If you’re hiring an arborist for comprehensive service, you may be billed anywhere from $100 to $2500. The service price may be influenced by the size and count of branches, their spread, and the surrounding elements around them. Some large trees grow to have fewer branches while small trees may have a larger spread. So, prices may vary a lot.
- Limitations to tree removal – Sometimes tree removal isn’t as easy as it may seem. Certain states and counties have local laws and regulations for tree removal. That’s why sometimes you may need a permit from your local authorities for removing a tree. On the other hand, if a large tree is severely diseased, has been planted in a risky location, or poses safety risks to property and human life you’ll have an easier time getting approval for cutting it down.
- You may not have the full authority – Just because a tree is planted in your property doesn’t mean you have the full authority to cut it down. As mentioned above, cutting down a tree may require you to get a permit from the local authorities. While some of them are antiquated laws that make no sense others aren’t. For instance, if you have a native tree that’s a protected species, you’ll have to go through a lot of bureaucracy to cut it down.
Conclusion
As you can see, the winter season can be a great time for cutting down a tree since it may fetch you a better price. It’s also important to take other factors like the cost of an arborist into consideration and make yourself aware of tree-cutting limitations. To hire a professional and bring down the old tree in your yard safely you can search for “tree service near me”.
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