Charging for estimates?

[YoungBuzzer]

I have a large side job that I am looking at. Its a pretty big White Oak, easily 100' in height that needs lightning protection update, cabling update and some pruning. The tree is about 10' from the foundation of the house and over the house. It is also a really old house that has some history to it. I was planning for another climber and I to climb the tree to do a thorough inspection to decide what needs to be done. Its hard to completely see the tree from the ground because it is healthy with a full canopy. It would also be nice to get measurements for how much LP and cabling supplies will be needed seeing that I don't keep those types of things in stock.

Removing the tree is kind of out of the question, the home owners are very appreciative of their land which includes many of these large trees. We would like to do what we can to save and protect them.

What would you guys do in this instance and do you think its fair to charge to do an estimate like this? Opinions and suggestions would be appreciated.

-Tyler

 

[cerviarborist]

Sounds like you'll be doing an aerial assessment, in order to gather information to make a determination of the current condition of the tree, as well as the current condition of a lightning protection system and a support system, in order to determine whether any updated work is needed, and if so, what work would be appropriate.

I'd charge for the time to do the climbing inspection and the time to write the report/proposal.

I suppose if you already have a fee in mind for the pruning, you could arrange to do that first, and collect the information you need to make a report/proposal on the other work, while you're in the tree. I'd still add in compensation for the additional time to collect data, and the time to produce a report/proposal.

I make a distinction between a free bid to do a specific task (which I may well be able to do without getting out of the truck), and assessing or evaluating a tree, in order to discover and communicate information that will inform and educate a client as to its condition, and their mitigation options. If the client requires information, they ought to be willing pay a fair price to cover the cost of obtaining it.

 

[tomthetreeman]

Hammer. Nail. Bang. I really like the prune and assess portion of this idea.

-Tom

 

[rfwoodvt]

It's the bottom of the 9th, bases loaded with the tying run on first. Cervi is at the plate, the pitcher winds up, it's a hanging curveball...Cervi swings ITS A LONG FLY BALL TO CENTER FIELD.....ITS OUTTA HERE! Home Run for Cervi!

BTW I agree with Rich.

This is not an estimate, it is an observation climb to gather data and that should be billable.

Be careful of using the word evaluation and assessment as they have legal meaning and consequences, especially if your credentials are not strong enough yet in consulting, diagnostics, disease or decay.

This is simply because if your skills in those areas are not at that level yet, by offering an assessment you will be held to a higher standard of competency in those areas. For example a long time arborist skilled in the technical aspects of treework but not having spent a lot of time on trunk analysis could easily miss evidence of hidden extensive butt decay.

If they did an "Assessment" of that tree and missed that symptom and the tree later fails, especially after having done work on it, they may well find themselves on the front end of a legal freight train.

Any RCA for ASCA members able to comment, add to or correct me on this?

 

[cerviarborist]

Good point Rick. I think though, that since the tree is being evaluated for updating a lightning protection system and a cabling/support system, a thorough "roots through crown" assessment of the tree, in order to confirm that it, per ANSI standards and BMP's, continues to be a good candidate for those systems, would be in order anyway.

If you're working on the site as an arborist, I'm pretty sure that you're already being held to a higher standard of liability, regardless of whether you call it a "look-see" or an evaluation or assessment.

Personally, I think we're all basically trading hours for dollars in this business, and it's appropriate to let a client know that your time has value.