Arborist consultation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering arborist consultation

A consultation is a professional assessment, and the value you sell is an honest, written opinion that the customer can act on. Your job is to inspect the tree thoroughly, explain the findings plainly and recommend options without a bias toward the most expensive work.

What customers ask

  • Is this tree dangerous, and how do you know?
  • Can the tree be saved, and what would it take?
  • What will the report say, and can I share it with my insurance company?
  • Do you do the work yourself if I hire you for the report?
  • How long will the tree last if I do nothing?
  • Will you tell me if the tree is fine?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask what prompted the request, such as a limb drop, a change in the canopy or a planned construction project, and ask for the tree's location and access.
  • Walk the full root zone and canopy with the customer, and point out the defects, targets and symptoms in plain language as you go.
  • Put the trees covered, the inspection type, the report format and the timeline in the written quote, and separate the consultation fee from any work you might recommend.
  • Deliver a written report with photos, a risk rating for each tree and the options with their tradeoffs, so the customer can compare them.
  • Tell the customer when a tree is fine, and say so in the report. Customers trust an assessor who is willing to clear a tree.
  • Offer a follow-up inspection date for trees that need monitoring, and note what to look for before then.

What to put on your profile

  • Sample report pages showing the format and the level of detail you provide
  • Your certification and the continuing education you keep up, shown where your area requires it
  • The inspection types you offer, such as visual assessment, climbing inspection or site walk
  • The kinds of projects you have consulted on, such as construction, disputes or hazard reviews

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a recheck of trees that need monitoring, with the date and the signs to watch for
  • Share a list of qualified contractors if the customer asks for one, and let the customer choose
  • Suggest a protection plan for trees near a construction project, such as root zone fencing and grade limits

Licenses and permits

Arborist consultation is commonly not licensed in the same way as tree removal, but tree work and the people who perform it may be licensed or registered in many areas. Check with your state or local licensing agency about the rules that apply to your consultation and any related work you offer.

Questions

Do I need a license to give a tree assessment?

Assessment alone is commonly not licensed the same way tree removal is, but some areas register or license tree professionals. Check with your state or local licensing agency before you offer assessments for pay.

How do I keep my assessments credible?

Write the report from what you observed, separate what you saw from what you suspect, and state the limits of a visual inspection. Do not recommend work you would not do yourself, and disclose any work you could also perform.

What if the customer disagrees with my report?

Walk them through the evidence again, with photos and the defects you found. Explain the risk rating and the options. If they want another opinion, support it, since a second look helps the customer and reflects well on you.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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