Choosing a tree surgeon

When you are looking for a tree surgeon, it can be quite a difficult job – especially if it is the first time you’ve used one. Depending on the job you wish them to undertake, there are many different aspects to consider when felling a tree, and this is something that only someone with experience will know.

To help to make this process a little easier for you, our experts provide the questions you should be asking before you decide on the right tree surgeon for you.

There is a governing body for tree surgeons, as with most other occupations within the UK. The tree surgeon governing body is called the NPTC (National Proficiency Tests Council) and contractors who have passed NPTC assessments carry an ID card.

There are three different types of NPTC test: felling only, felling trees in sections (dismantling), and pruning (tree surgery).

Here at Bark and Branch all our tree surgeons is NPTC qualified (part of the City and Guilds) and our certifications include CS39 (chainsaw use), CS31 (felling and processing of small trees) and CS38 (climbing a tree and performing an aerial rescue).

Any legitimate tree surgery business will have insurance, and be able to show you proof of that. At Bark and Branch, we have public liability insurance, up to £5 million, to not only protect our business but our employees as well.

Whenever you take someone on to do a job for you it is always a good idea to ask for references from past clients and pictures of jobs that they have undertaken.

You can also look online to see if there are any reviews, on independent review platforms like Google, and to find out what other people have said about them.

When you are thinking about tree surgery it is a good idea to get a quote first, as no tree surgeon will be able to give you an exact price before they have seen the tree in situ. Getting a written quote first means you shouldn’t get any nasty surprises further down the line.