Before anyone climbs
How to hire residential tree work here
This directory lists crews. It does not employ, bond, or guarantee them. You call them. Ask these yourself.
ISA or not?
An ISA chip here only means a public page named ISA. Ask who holds the credential and whether that person is on your job.
Removal, prune, or storm?
Those are different jobs and different prices. Get the scope in writing.
Emergency hours?
Ask if they take storm calls after hours. Get the number they actually answer.
Where does the wood go?
Haul, chip, or leave rounds. Get it written.
Neighbors and power lines?
Ask who talks to the neighbor. Ask if they work near lines or call the utility.
Written price?
Get the number in writing before anyone climbs. Include stump and haul-away.
Watch-outs
- No written price.
- They will not say where the wood goes.
- They will not name emergency hours or who is in the tree.
Why Google ratings matter
Neighbors open Google before they call. They scan stars and recent notes, then decide if a tree crew looks real and reachable. A thin or silent profile loses that job. SteadyRank keeps the follow-up loop after a closed job ($297/mo). No rank promise. No lead cut.
Before anyone climbs
- State business license
- Search the business name on the Washington Department of Revenue — Business Lookup. It shows whether the business holds an active Washington business license. No match is not proof of a problem (the license may be under an owner’s name), but it is a fair question to ask.
- Contractor registration and insurance
- Look the company up on Washington L&I — Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business to see its contractor registration, bond and insurance status. Ask for a certificate of liability insurance naming your address.
- Stump grinding means 811 first
- Grinding a stump or digging out roots is excavation. Washington law requires a locate request through 811 at least two full business days before digging, and it is free (Washington UTC — Call 811 before you dig (RCW 19.122)).
Links checked on 2026-10-08. This is general guidance, not legal advice.