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Debunking the Myth That Hiring a Certified Arborist is More Expensive

Dec 16, 2024

Many believe that hiring a certified arborist is a luxury only for the wealthy with sprawling estates. We’ll tackle the myth head-on and show you why a certified arborist saves you money in the long run.

What Does a Certified Arborist Do?

Let’s start with the basics. A certified arborist is like a tree doctor (or surgeon) with a really impressive resume. They know their trees like the back of their hand, from species knowledge to disease diagnosis. Tree health care and science is often compared to human health care and medicine, because the complexities are similar.

Certified arborists are experts trained under the rigorous standards of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). They have undergone extensive training to care for urban and forested environments, ensuring trees are capable of thriving and adding value to your property.

From proper pruning techniques to pest and disease management, certified arborists hold the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure that each cut and treatment contributes positively to a tree’s health. This means following best practices for trimming to avoid issues like over-pruning, which can lead to expensive long-term damage.

Over pruned tree with several improper stubbed cuts

Hidden Costs of Not Hiring a Certified Arborist

Sure, your cousin’s neighbor might offer to prune your tree for a six-pack, but what happens if they accidentally chop off a crucial limb? Incorrect care can lead to trees falling and causing damage, which results in hefty repair bills.

Cost savings are often short-lived when improper practices lead to damages. Think of it this way: an incorrect cut or ‘lion-tailing’ can severely weaken a tree, making it susceptible to storms and disease. In North Texas, untrained pruning has led to significant storm damages, adding an unforeseen burden to property owners.

Value vs. Cost: The Long-Term Benefits

A certified arborist doesn’t just prune your trees; they provide comprehensive care. This care extends the life of your trees, enhances property value, and saves you from future expenses. Think of it like preventive health care—less dramatic, but your wallet will thank you.

One of the benefits of hiring a certified arborist is their expertise in identifying issues before they become costly problems. Their ongoing maintenance can mitigate risks of falling branches or diseases spreading in your yard, and making sure you only prune your specific trees in the optimal season, potentially saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars in repairs.

Foremen and arborist reviewing plans for emergency tree work on a red oak whose limb fell onto a carport.
Our arborist and foremen work together to ensure work done on your trees is done correctly and safely. Our entire team; arborists, foremen , and groundsmen strictly follow TCIA and ISA guidelines.

How to Find a Reputable Arborist Without Breaking the Bank

Not all arborists charge a fortune. Shop around, ask for quotes, and look for those with strong community reviews. Many offer free consultations too, so take advantage of these resources.

Choosing a certified arborist ensures that your trees receive proper care, and gives you peace of mind knowing you are working with someone who has pledged to hold their work to high ethical and professional standards.

We recommend finding a certified arborist through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) website, treesaregood.com. There you can verify credentials and find a certified arborist near you. 

Making the Smart Choice for Your Trees and Wallet

Hiring a certified arborist is a wise financial decision. Not only do they ensure the health and beauty of your trees, but they also can potentially save you money by preventing costly damages. Investing in professional care today can lead to fewer expenses tomorrow.

We currently have Seven ISA Certified Arborists on staff:

Local Plano ISA Certified Arborist measuring DBH of a split red oak tree
Lindsey Brammer
TX-3729A
ISA Certified Arborist measuring the DBH of a tree
Andy Ferguson
TX-4060A
Murphy Texas Tree Surgeons Arborist Services Icon
Kelly Test
TX-4439A
ISA Certified Arborist conducting a Tree Risk Assessment (TRAQ) and finding rot at the tree flare.
Russell Wilson
TX-4598A
Director of Tree Health Care Development pointing out a tree section
Steve Barrett
TX-4680A
Will King
TX-3795A
Paul ISA Certified Arborist at Texas Tree Surgeons
Paul Douglass
TX-5109A

Additionally, we have Four ISA Board Certified Master Arborists on staff:

Owner of Texas Tree Surgeons and ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, Amy Langbein Heath prepping roots prior to planting a tree.
Amy Langbein Heath
TX-3569B
McKinney Texas Tree Surgeons Arborist Services
Hannah Edinburgh 
TX-3889B
Meaggan Reid 
TX-3913B
Customer and certified arborist reviewing photos of her tree while our crew removed her red oak due to the tree no longer being safe and at risk to fail.
Emily Long 
TX-4149B
We love Trees Texas Tree Surgeons Logo

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! We are dedicated to providing the best in tree care and customer service. We have ISA Certified Arborists on staff, who are ready to answer any question you have about caring for your trees. Just like medical practices, we are a team made up of individuals with different specialties and responsibilities, from the ISA Certified Arborists who evaluate your tree care needs, to the TDA Licensed Applicators who perform our Tree Health Care treatments, to our customer service professionals who ensure that communications among all parties happen seamlessly and efficiently. 


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    Take a Look

    Arborist Services

    View Photos of our Arborists Providing Different Types of Consultation

    Arborist inspecting tree removal
    INSURED AND BONDED

    Our crews work together to come up with the best plan to safely remove trees from a site. All of our employees train under a Certified Arborist to ensure best practices are always followed.

    Inspecting leaf for possible diseases or pests.
    ISA CERTIFIED ARBORIST

    Certified Arborist are tree care professionals who have achieved a high level of professional distinction through their knowledge and experience in the field. This knowledge helps them diagnose any issues your trees might be having.

    Texas Tree Surgeons climber with PPE and chain saw
    BEST TIME TO TRIM

    Best practice is to trim certain trees during dormant periods, making fall and winter generally the best time. To learn more about best practices for when you should trim your tree click here.

    TRAQ Level 2: Basic Assessment. Detailed visual inspection which may include tools like a mallet or probe.
    DIAGNOSING TREE

    Our ISA Certified Arborists use several different types of tools to help them assess a trees health. The arborist is "sounding" the tree. Different sounds can indicate areas of decay or other defects.

    CONSTRUCTION PROTECTION

    Construction is the most common cause of tree death in urban environments. Under the supervision of a Certified Arborist in the planning phase of construction can help assess the potential impact to your trees and suggest modifications in plans when possible. One helpful action is to erect barriers as far from the base of the trunk as possible, or a minimum of the drip line.

    Arborist inspecting the ground to assess a trees health
    DIAGNOSING COMPACTION

    Our ISA Certified Arborists can assess your property for tree care issues including compaction and recommend a course of action to remedy the issues. Diagnosing compaction involves an understanding of local soil types, property information related to activities affecting the soils, as well as a thorough knowledge of tree types and common issues.

    Fertilizing the soil post air spading and root pruning to improve tree health.
    FERTILIZATION

    Our Tree Health Care Programs are designed to deliver the right nutrients at the right times throughout the year. We use the highest quality soil conditioners and fertilizers that are delivered at critical points throughout the seasons to optimize the growth and health of trees.

    Air spading the soil to improve tree heatlh
    AIR SPADING

    Air spading helps improve tree health by increasing the tree root's access to air, water, and nutrients by decompacting the soil. Soil compaction occurs in urban environments during turf installation, construction, improper planting, and mechanical and foot traffic.

    Director of Tree Health Care Development pointing out a tree section
    TREE HEALTH CARE

    Director of Tree Health Care Development, Steve Barrett pointing out sections in the tree that need to be addressed for improved health.

    ISA Certified Arborist conducting a Tree Risk Assessment (TRAQ) and finding rot at the tree flare.
    INSPECTING FOR POSSIBLE DECAY

    Sometimes issues with a tree aren't clearly visible on the outside so an arborist will need to inspect the interior. An arborist does this by probing with a small knife to see how extensive the decay in a region of a tree is. Arborists are able to use this information along with other signs to determine if there are potential structural issues or possible increased chances for failure.

    ISA Certified Arborist measuring the DBH of a tree
    MEASURING DBH

    The best way to approximate the size of a tree is to measure their dbh, (diameter, breast, height). This enables our arborists to estimate the amount needed for Tree Health Care products or pricing for Tree Removal.

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