Getting a quote you can actually hold someone to

Have this ready before you call

The address and the tree's position on it. "Large gum in the back left corner, over the neighbour's shed" is worth more than a paragraph of description.

Photos. One from far enough back to show the whole tree and what surrounds it, one of the base and root collar, and one of the access route from the street to the tree. Those three photos answer most of what a contractor needs to know before they arrive.

The access facts. Driveway width and grade. Side gate width. Steps. Overhead wires across the frontage. Whether the street will take a truck and where it can park.

What you actually want. Removal, reduction, deadwooding, clearance off the roof, or "I do not know, tell me what it needs." All four are valid answers and the last one is honest.

Insist on a site visit

Nothing that matters can be assessed from a phone call. The condition of the stem and unions, the state of the root collar, what is under the tree, how far material has to be carried, whether the tree is protected — all of it needs someone standing there.

Site visits and written quotes are free. A contractor who wants to price from a description is either inexperienced or is planning to revise the number on the day.

What the written quote must contain

• Which trees, identified unambiguously.
• The method — fell, sectional dismantle, or crane — and why.
• The stump: included or not, ground or excavated, and to what depth.
• Waste: removed, or mulch left on site, or rounds stacked.
• Permits: whether the tree is protected, who lodges the application, who pays the fee, and what happens if it is refused.
• Reinstatement: what happens to turf, paving or garden damaged by access.
• Insurance: a current certificate of currency for public liability, in the name of the entity quoting.
• Price and variations: the total, and what would change it.

Comparing quotes properly

Lay them side by side on scope, not on total. The most common differences are the stump, waste removal, permit responsibility, and the method assumed.

A quote that is dramatically cheaper is usually cheaper because something is missing, because the operator has assumed a straight fell on a block that cannot take one, or because they are not carrying insurance. All three of those become your problem, not theirs.

Ask each contractor to explain why their method is what it is. The explanations will tell you which of them has actually looked at the site.

Warning signs

Door-knocking with "we were working nearby and have leftover material". Pressure to decide on the spot. Cash-only, full payment up front. No written quote. No insurance certificate. An unwillingness to discuss whether the tree is protected — the approval guide explains why that question matters and who wears the penalty.

And a proposal to "top" a healthy eucalypt, which is bad practice regardless of price — see when to trim versus when to remove.

Then check the extras

The hidden costs guide lists the line items that most commonly appear after the quote is accepted, and the pricing guide explains what is driving the number in the first place.