Whether the trees on your property just need a bit of pruning or you have a larger job to do, it's vital you track down a qualified engineer, expert and professional arborist for assistance. If you've never hired an arborist before, you're probably scratching your head about what to look for. To help you choose the best possible tree service company, we have seven helpful tips you should keep in mind. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Tips and Advice for Hiring an Arborist Certifications – When it comes to hiring a tree work professional, you should always look for one that has a decent number of verifiable certifications. Certified/qualified arborists are the ones you want to focus on; these certifications can be obtained through the Australian AQF system. Insurance: To protect yourself and your property from expensive damage and other problems, be sure to request that the tree service company you choose to go with has all relevant types of insurance. At a minimum, they should have liability insurance. Professional indemnity insurance and employment cover are also ideal. If the candidate you are considering does not have this type of insurance, go ahead. Avoid scams: When a company randomly knocks on your door, offering you a take-it-or-leave-it deal, you should reject it. This is known as "door knocking" and is almost always a scam. Stick with reputable arborists that you research yourself. Gather references: The tree service companies you consider should be more than willing to provide references when asked. Make an effort to collect a fair number of references from each candidate. If a company is evasive or doesn't provide references, cross them off your list. Collect Quotes – To increase your chances of finding an excellent arborist, you should collect quotes from several of them. Make sure the quotes you receive are detailed and specific, and that they break down expenses in an easy-to-understand way.6. Protect your trees – Do your homework and ask all potential arborists if they use tips or spurs at any time during their work. Such tools can cause serious damage to your trees and reputable arborists will not use them. Ideally, spikes and spurs should only be used in exceptionally rare and unusual cases. Avoid topping – Topping – an ineffective and harmful pruning technique – should not be used by the arborist or tree service company you ultimately hire. Top-notch arborists refuse to engage in topping and consider it harmful to trees. If you want the trees on your property to remain lush, healthy, and attractive, you should hire a company that does not use this practice. By keeping the above points in mind, you can rest assured that both your property and trees will receive the highest level of care from industry specialists. Not only will this give you peace of mind and ensure the job gets done correctly and efficiently, it will also save you time and effort by letting the experts do it right, the first time.