Why Hiring a Company with a Certified Arborist Matters
Protect your trees, your property, and your budget with standards-based care—not guesswork.
By: David Grantz
September 7, 2025
Why Hiring a Company with a Certified Arborist Matters (And Why It Protects Your Trees & Property)
Kevin’s Tree Service staffs multiple ISA Certified Arborists, including one who is on-site daily—actively performing trims/removals and directing the crew. Your project gets real-time expert oversight from start to finish.
From the first walkthrough to final cleanup, our ISA-supervised crews follow ANSI A300 pruning and Z133 safety with turf protection and tidy finishes.
What Is an ISA Certified Arborist?
An ISA Certified Arborist is a tree care professional with verified field experience who passed a comprehensive exam, commits to continuing education, and follows standards like ANSI A300 (pruning) and ANSI Z133 (safety). In short: decisions are based on evidence and best practices—not hunches.
Why You Want a Certified Arborist On Your Job
- Healthier trees: Structural, clearance, and health pruning per ANSI A300—no topping or lion-tailing. See our tree trimming.
- Safer work: Planned rigging, protection mats, and jobsite controls that follow ANSI Z133. Learn about tree removal.
- Clear answers: Diagnoses rooted in biology and risk assessment, not guesswork.
- HOA & permit readiness: Letters/reports and guidance when documentation is required.
- Long-term value: Good care now prevents expensive problems later; finish with stump grinding when needed.
Why You Shouldn’t Hire a Company Without a Certified Arborist
- Improper pruning = permanent damage: Topping and flush cuts invite decay and failure.
- Inconsistent safety: Without standards-based oversight, shortcuts put people and property at risk.
- Weak recommendations: “Cut it back” isn’t a plan—risk and health should be assessed and documented.
- Documentation gaps: HOAs, permits, and insurers often require written justification.
- Short-term savings, long-term costs: Poor work leads to more breakage or removals you could have avoided.
Red flags: door-to-door “storm chasers,” pressure for same-day decisions, verbal-only pricing, willingness to spike live trees, or anyone who can’t explain their pruning cuts.
How Kevin’s Tree Service Works (Certified Oversight, Every Step)
- On-site arborist assessment: Structure, species, targets, and site conditions reviewed.
- Clear recommendations: Pruning specs (ANSI A300), risk mitigation, or removal only when warranted.
- Professional execution: A Certified Arborist is on-site, performing trims/removals and directing rigging and protection.
- Tidy wrap-up: Debris removal, raked areas, and blown hardscapes; optional stump grinding and chip haul-away.
- Documentation: Letters or reports for HOAs, permits, or insurance on request.
FAQs
What does “ISA-Certified” actually mean?
It means the arborist passed the International Society of Arboriculture exam, maintains continuing education, and follows industry standards. You get current, standards-based guidance instead of guesswork.
How is an arborist consultation different from a free estimate?
An estimate prices work you already know you want. A consultation evaluates tree health, structure, and risk, then recommends pruning, removal, or monitoring—often preventing unnecessary work.
Do you follow ANSI A300 pruning standards?
Yes. We use ANSI A300—no topping or lion-tailing. Cuts are selected and placed to protect structure, reduce risk, and promote long-term health.
Can you provide a written report for an HOA, permit, or insurance claim?
Yes. We prepare letters or formal arborist reports with species ID, condition, risk factors, and recommended action—suited for HOAs, permitting, or claims.
Ready for Expert, On-Site Arborist Care?
Choose the team that brings certified expertise to the jobsite—not just the brochure. Kevin’s Tree Service has multiple ISA Certified Arborists on staff, including one who works on site daily with the crew.