Which kind of arborist does your job need?
| Who to look for | What to ask them | |
|---|---|---|
| Pruning, hedges and small removals | A works arborist or tree crew who does this kind of job every week | How they'll prune, and what they'll leave on the tree |
| A big tree close to the house | An arborist with the gear and crew to take it down in sections | How it comes down, and what protects the roof, fences and garden |
| A stump | An arborist or stump grinding operator with a grinder that fits your access | How deep they grind, and who gets the services plans |
| A notable or protected tree | Someone who has worked under your council's rules before | Who applies for consent, and whether the council will want a report |
| A report for council, a sale or a dispute | A technician or consulting arborist | What the report covers, and who it's written for |
| A tree within 4 m of a network power line | An approved utility arborist, arranged through the lines company | Nothing: call the lines company instead |
A tree near power lines isn't a job for just any arborist
If a tree is touching or close to a network power line, an ordinary tree crew can't take it on. Vector and Northpower both say only their approved contractors may work within 4 m of their lines, and Vector says owners may trim only when every part of the tree is at least 4 m away. Never touch the tree or the line. If a line is down, stay at least 10 metres back and call 111; otherwise ring your lines company. Our power lines guide explains trim notices and who pays.
What training and membership tell you
NZ Arb says arboriculture courses run from introductory Level 2 up to diploma Level 6, and NZQA describes the Level 6 New Zealand Diploma in Arboriculture as training technical specialists in tree risk assessment and contract management. Christchurch City Council's benchmark for hands-on work on protected trees is the Level 4 arboriculture standard plus on-the-job experience. Our guide to checking an arborist goes through the qualifications one by one.
NZ Arb also runs a Registered Master Arborist programme with a Find a Master Arborist directory on its site, and says the status is increasingly a prerequisite for some local authorities and commercial organisations. It's a useful shortlist for complex or high-stakes jobs, though plenty of capable arborists work outside it.
How to get quotes you can actually compare
Write the job down first
Note which trees, what you want done, what's underneath (roof, fence, drains, garden) and how a truck gets in. A few photos help. Everyone then quotes on the same job.
Ask for a site visit
Most tree work can't be quoted properly from a photo. On site, an arborist can look for decay, dead branches and hung-up limbs, the hazards WorkSafe's 2012 code says to check for before any tree work.
Get it in writing
The quote should say how the tree comes down or how much is pruned, what happens to the stump, wood and chips, who handles consent, and roughly when. Our guide to reading a tree quote has the full list.
Line them up item by item
If one quote includes grinding the stump and taking the wood away and another doesn't, they aren't quoting the same job. Ask each arborist to fill the gaps before you decide.
Check the person, not just the paperwork
Ask about qualifications and insurance, and who will actually be on site on the day.
Good signs worth noticing
An arborist who asks you questions back (what you want the tree to do afterwards, whether the neighbours know, where the drains run) is thinking about the job properly.
So is one who moves the date for bad weather. WorkSafe's 2012 code says tree work must stop while high winds, wet weather or poor visibility make it dangerous, so a rescheduled day is a sign of care.
And a quote that mentions the council, even just to say they've checked the district plan, tells you they know the rules can catch a job out. Our tree rules by council page shows what the main councils protect.
Warning signs when choosing
- Someone knocking on doors after a storm, offering to take trees down today.
- An offer to top or lop a tree back to stubs to make it smaller (our topping and pruning guide explains why).
- No written quote, or one that just says 'remove tree'.
- Pressure to decide on the spot, or a deal that ends today.
- Vague answers about insurance, training or who does the work.
- Brushing off the council without having looked at your district plan.
- Willingness to work on a tree that's touching a power line.
Your part before anyone arrives
You can
- Describe the job and take photos from the ground.
- Find out whether the tree is listed or protected in your district plan.
- Get the beforeUdig plans if there's grinding or digging.
- Move cars, pots and outdoor furniture out of the work area.
- Tell the neighbours when the work is booked.
Leave to an arborist
- Assessing the tree and saying what's safe.
- The consent application or report, if that's agreed in the quote.
- Taking the tree down or pruning it.
- The clean-up they've quoted for.
How to choose an arborist: what to do next
We'd decide what the job really is first, then get two or three written quotes from people who do that job often. We'd pick the one whose quote answers the most questions without being asked, and we'd be wary of whoever is quickest to say yes to anything.
Want an arborist to look at it?
Tell us the job and your postcode, and a local arborist calls you to talk it through.