How to choose the right Brisbane arborist for your job
Whether you’re a residential or commercial property owner, there comes a time when you might need the help of a Brisbane arborist. For example, a large branch might have broken in a storm and looks like it might become dangerous or one of your trees appears to be diseased. You’ll also need the help of an arborist if you need to remove a large tree on your property because you want to build or clear an area.
Arborists are professionals and they know how to treat diseased trees and remove dead, damaged or dangerous trees. It’s not a good idea to try and cut down a large branch or tree yourself without the right knowledge. That’s because you can injure people, damage your property or even harm trees that you want to keep, and they might never recover. So how do you find the best Brisbane arborist for your job?
A Brisbane arborist is qualified
Since anyone can call themselves an arborist, you need to make sure that they have the right qualifications. In Australia, an arborist has usually completed a traineeship in Horticulture (Arboriculture) or a degree in forestry or urban forestry. Qualified arborists will also work to the Australian Standard AS 4373.
They can also be certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA; even though this is voluntary) and obtain other certification to enable them to climb high trees safely, use chainsaws and work around power lines. If someone tells you they are a tree lopper, it doesn’t mean that they are an arborist and have the right qualifications, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry and check their qualifications.
Arborists are insured
If a company is invited onto your property to cut down trees, they need to have public liability and worker’s compensation. Otherwise, any injuries or property damage that may occur during the job won’t be covered due to a lack of insurance; you can be sued for medical bills, property damage and so on. So if one of the tree workers is injured on your property and their employer doesn’t have worker’s compensation, you might have to pay all their medical bills and compensation for years. Without public liability insurance, your neighbour can also sue you if their house or vehicles are damaged when branches are cut and fall in the wrong direction. Always ask the Brisbane arborist you hire about their insurance and make sure it’s current.
Arborists provide written quotes
If a tree lopper knocks on your door and offers to trim or cut down your trees for a very cheap price, it’s likely they won’t offer you a written quote. Always ask for a written quote because you can then compare prices between different companies to ensure that the quote is reasonable. Of course, price does make a difference, but you need to prioritise qualifications and insurance before price or you might end up paying a lot more than you anticipated!
At Kiwi Tree Lopping, Don is our Cert III qualified Brisbane arborist and has more than 25 years’ experience in the industry. Call us on 0422 218 153 and we will visit your site and give you a written quote for the work.
