Tree Service Estimate Checklist
A practical checklist for comparing tree-service estimates, scope, credentials, cleanup and property protection in Vermont.
This checklist exists to make an estimate checkable, because most tree-work disputes are scope disputes and they happen when the written estimate named a price and a tree but not the nine things that decide what actually happens. The most common omission is the stump: it is usually a different machine and often a separate visit, so it is frequently excluded by default, which makes a quote look cheaper than one that includes it. The second is what happens to the material, which is often the largest single lever on the total — logs left in rounds where they fall is the cheapest outcome and hauling them away the dearest, because that is weight, truck time and a tip fee. The third is the finished condition. 'Full cleanup' cannot be checked when the crew leaves; a written finished condition can.
Company and coverage
- Legal company name and current contact details
- Proof of liability insurance for the performing company
- Workers’ compensation coverage where required
- Relevant arborist or pesticide credentials for the proposed work
- References or verifiable work history when appropriate
Exact work scope
- Each tree identified by location or marking
- Removal, pruning or treatment objective stated
- Branches, crown areas or clearance objective named
- Equipment and access route discussed
- Utility, public-tree or boundary responsibility resolved
Property and cleanup
- Lawn, driveway, structure and planting protection discussed
- Logs, chips, brush and firewood disposition stated
- Stump height or grinding depth stated
- Backfill, cleanup and restoration limits stated
- Changes and additional work require approval
Timing and contract
- Price and payment schedule are written
- Start timing is an estimate, not an unsupported promise
- Weather and site-condition delays are addressed
- Cancellation, warranty and damage terms are understandable
- The performing company is named before authorization
This is a planning tool, not a contract. Only the performing company's written estimate defines what will actually be done on your property.
Scope items, cheapest option to dearest
Four of the nine scope items have a price range built into them. Knowing which end you are asking for is what makes two quotes comparable.
| Item | Cheapest | Middle | Dearest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trunk wood | Left in rounds where it falls | Cut to stove length | Cut, split, stacked or hauled |
| Brush | Chipped into your beds | Chipped and piled | Chipped and hauled away |
| Stump | Not included | Ground, chips raked back | Ground deep, chips out, loam in, seeded |
| Ground protection | None — drives on the lawn | Route chosen, frozen ground | Mats or plywood, ruts repaired |
A quote that is cheaper on the total is often only cheaper because it sits in a different column.
The items that turn a price into a scope.
What is this checklist for?+
Making an estimate checkable. Most tree-work disputes are scope disputes, and they happen because the written estimate named a price and a tree but not the nine things that decide what actually happens. Working through this before you sign means the finished job can be compared against something.
What is the single most common omission?+
The stump. It is usually a different machine and often a separate visit, so it is frequently excluded by default — and a quote that excludes it looks cheaper than one that does not. Get it named explicitly, with a depth, and with what the ground will be used for afterwards.
Why does the material outcome matter so much?+
Because it is often the largest single lever on the price. Logs left in rounds where they fall is the cheapest outcome; cut to stove length is more; hauled away is the most, because it is weight, truck time and a tip fee. The same applies to chips. Two quotes that differ wildly frequently differ here and nowhere else.
What should the estimate say about my lawn?+
What drives on it, what protection goes underneath, and who repairs ruts if they appear. Heavy tyres and outrigger pads concentrate a great deal of weight on small footprints, and wet ground makes it much worse. If the lawn matters and the job is not urgent, ask what a frozen-ground date would change.
How specific does 'which trees' need to be?+
Specific enough that nobody could mistake it — species, approximate size and a location description like 'the large maple at the north-east corner of the garage'. On a property with several similar trees this is where scope disputes begin, and it costs one sentence to prevent.
Should the estimate mention insurance?+
It should, and you should verify it separately. Ask for the certificate direct from the insurer or broker rather than a copy the contractor forwards, check the dates cover your work date, and check the named insured matches the entity on your contract. Workers' compensation is the one people forget and the one that matters most.
What should happen if the crew finds something unexpected?+
Work stops, you are told, and any additional cost is agreed before it is incurred — and that process belongs in the written scope. The common surprises are internal decay worse than it appeared, embedded metal in an old fence-line tree, and unmarked buried services. A verbal 'we'll sort it out' mid-job is where disputes start.
How long should a quote be valid?+
It should say, and thirty days is common. Prices move with fuel, disposal fees and crew availability, so a quote from last autumn is not a commitment this spring. A stated validity period is a small sign of a company that writes things down, which is usually the same company that writes a proper scope.
What payment terms are normal?+
A deposit for a large job or where equipment has to be booked, with the balance on completion after you have checked the finished condition against the scope. Full payment before any work begins is not normal, and a demand for cash in full up front is one of the more reliable warning signs in this trade.
Should I photograph anything beforehand?+
Yes — the lawn, the driveway surface, beds and hardscape near the work area, and any existing damage. It takes five minutes and it converts a later disagreement about what was there before into a comparison. It protects the contractor as much as it protects you.
What does 'finished condition' mean in practice?+
What the ground looks like when they leave, written down. 'Work area raked, chips removed, logs stacked by the shed, stump ground to eight inches with chips left in the hole' is a finished condition. 'Full cleanup' is not, and it is the phrase behind most of the disappointment in this trade.
Can I use this checklist to compare two quotes?+
That is its best use. Fill the same rows in for each quote before looking at the totals — most large gaps close once the scopes are aligned, and the ones that survive become a specific question you can put to the outlier rather than a general suspicion.
Let's take care of the tree.
Tell us what you see, where the tree is and when you need help. We’ll contact you to discuss the work and confirm the next step.
- Greater Burlington and nearby communities
- Residential and commercial tree service
- Clear scope, cleanup and scheduling