Hiring the wrong tree service can cost you a lot more than a bad haircut on your maple. We're talking damaged roofs, torn-up lawns, injured workers, and in the worst cases, a lawsuit landing on your doorstep. The good news is that a handful of straight questions will tell you almost everything you need to know before you sign anything.
Why this matters more than most home projects
Tree work is dangerous. Crews are running chainsaws sixty feet in the air, dropping heavy wood near your house and power lines. When it's done right, you barely notice. When it's done wrong, you notice for years. That's why picking the right company deserves more than a glance at the lowest price.
Here are the ten questions we'd ask if it were our own home.
The 10 questions to ask
1. Are you licensed and insured?
Start here. A real tree service carries both liability insurance and workers' compensation. Liability covers damage to your property. Workers' comp covers the crew if someone gets hurt on your land. Skip this and you could be on the hook for both.
2. Can I see proof of insurance in writing?
Anyone can say they're insured. Ask for the certificate. A legitimate company hands it over without hesitation, or has their agent send it straight to you. Hemming and hawing is your answer.
3. Do you have local reviews and references?
Look for real, recent, local reviews from folks in your area. Neighbors don't leave glowing reviews for sloppy work. A company that's been serving the same Mid-Michigan communities for years has a reputation to protect, and it shows in how they treat your property.
4. Is the estimate free and in writing?
A written estimate protects both of you. It spells out exactly what's included, the tree, the cleanup, the stump, the hauling, so there are no surprises on the invoice. We give free, written, no-obligation estimates, and you should expect the same from anyone you hire.
5. Who actually does the work?
Some outfits book the job, then hand it to a subcontractor you've never met. Ask who's showing up. With a family-owned crew, you know the same people who quoted the job are the ones climbing your tree. That continuity matters when the work is this risky.
6. How do you handle cleanup and hauling?
This is where a lot of cheap jobs fall apart. Ask flat out: when you leave, what does my yard look like? Will the wood and brush be gone? Is the stump ground down? Are the ruts filled? Cleanup is half the job, and our customers tell us it's a big reason they call us back.
7. What's your plan for my specific tree?
A good crew walks the job with you and explains the approach, especially near power lines, the roof, or the neighbor's fence. If they can't tell you how they'll get that leaning silver maple down without hitting the garage, keep looking. You can even bring in an arborist for a formal look through our tree risk assessment and consulting service.
8. Do you understand Michigan trees and pests?
This one separates the pros from the guys with a truck and a saw. Ask about oak wilt. The right answer is that oaks should only be pruned November through March, when the beetles that spread the disease aren't active. Ask about emerald ash borer and whether that ash is worth saving or already too far gone. Local knowledge protects your trees.
9. Do you know the local permit and township rules?
Rules vary from one township to the next around here, and some cities regulate street trees or trees in the right-of-way. A seasoned local company knows when you can just get the work done and when a call to the township is smart. That saves you a headache down the road.
10. What happens if something goes wrong?
Ask directly. If a limb clips the gutter, who fixes it? A confident, insured company has a clear answer because they've thought about it and they stand behind their work. Vague answers are a red flag.
Red flags to walk away from
Some warning signs are worth trusting your gut on:
- Storm chasers knocking on your door. After a big ice or wind storm, out-of-town crews swarm neighborhoods asking for cash. Be careful. Lean on a local company you can find again next week.
- Demands for full payment upfront, in cash. A reasonable deposit on a big job can be normal. Full cash before a single cut isn't.
- No written estimate, no insurance, no address. If you can't pin down the basics, don't hand them a chainsaw near your house.
- "Topping" your trees. Any company that offers to top a healthy tree, cutting the whole crown back to stubs, doesn't understand tree health. It's bad for the tree and creates weak, hazardous regrowth.
Where local really pays off
When a storm rolls through the Capital region, the phone starts ringing. Homeowners from Lansing to Grand Ledge want someone who answers, shows up when they say they will, and cleans up before they leave. That's the reputation we've built one job at a time. Fast response matters most in an emergency, and our emergency tree service is built for exactly those calls. For everything else, from a routine removal to a full assessment, our tree removal team walks every job with you first.
The bottom line
You don't need to be a tree expert to hire a good one. Ask about insurance, ask for it in writing, check the reviews, and pay attention to how they answer. A real professional welcomes every one of these questions.
Got a tree you're not sure about? Call us at (208) 635-2100 for a free estimate, and we'll give you honest answers before you ever commit.
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Hayworth Tree Service
