Hiring a Tree Service on Long Island: License, Insurance & Contract

1. Check the county license

Suffolk County's code defines home improvement contracting to include "landscaping and arboriculture," spelled out as tree sprayers, tree pruners, tree stump removers and all other tree services. Doing that work in Suffolk takes a county home improvement license. In Nassau, the Office of Consumer Affairs licenses home improvement contractors, and villages such as Valley Stream require tree removal companies to show proof of that license before they'll issue a permit.

Make sure the business name and number on the quote match the record, and ask whether there are open complaints against the company. Some towns license contractors too, so ask your town clerk if yours does.

2. Get the insurance certificate from the agent, not the crew

Tree work is among the most dangerous jobs around a house. You want two policies in force on the day of the work:

• General liability, which pays if they drop a limb on your roof, your car or your neighbor's fence.
• Workers' compensation, which covers their crew. If an uninsured worker is hurt on your property, you could be pulled into the claim, and your own policy may end up paying.

Ask the company to have its insurance agent send a certificate of insurance (COI) directly to you, with you as the certificate holder. Check the policy dates and that the named insured matches the company on your contract. A photocopy handed over in the driveway proves little.

3. Look for real tree credentials

An ISA Certified Arborist has passed the International Society of Arboriculture's exam and keeps up continuing education. You can verify the number on the ISA website. It isn't legally required for removals, but it matters for pruning and for deciding whether a tree can be saved. Some towns ask for it: Huntington's tree permit application asks for both the arborist's ISA number and the Suffolk home improvement license number.

4. Get an itemized quote

Two quotes for "remove the oak" can describe very different jobs. Make sure yours spells out:

• Which trees, by location and rough size, and whether a crane is included.
• Stump grinding: included or not, and how deep (6–8 inches below grade is typical).
• Cleanup: are the logs, brush and wood chips hauled away, or left?
• Who gets the town permit, if your town needs one (check yours).
• Who calls 811 (Dig Safely New York) before stump or root work.
• Who is responsible for damage to lawns, driveways, fences and sprinkler lines.

Compare the numbers against typical Long Island prices in the cost guide or the cost estimator. A quote far below the range usually leaves something out.

5. Know what New York requires in the contract

Under General Business Law § 771, a home improvement contract must be in writing and signed by both of you, and it must include:

• The contractor's name, address, phone number and license number.
• Approximate start and completion dates.
• A description of the work and the agreed price.
• Notice of your right to cancel within three business days.
• A notice about mechanic's liens, in bold type.
• Payments received before the job is finished must be deposited in escrow, or the contractor can post a bond instead.

Red flags, especially after a storm

Storms bring out door-knockers. The three-day cancellation right can be waived only in a real emergency you started, and only if you write and sign your own statement describing the emergency. A crew that hands you a printed waiver to sign is a crew to walk away from. Other warning signs:

• No license number on the quote, or a number that doesn't match the name.
• Cash only, or most of the price up front.
• "Topping" a healthy tree, cutting the whole crown back to stubs. It weakens trees and invites decay.
• Climbing spikes on a tree that's being pruned and kept, which wounds it.
• Pressure to decide on the spot.

For storm work, see emergency tree removal and who pays when a tree falls.