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Free Tree Service Estimate vs. Professional Tree Assessment -
Which One Do You Need?
Free Tree Service Estimate vs. Professional Tree Assessment -
Which One Do You Need?
When you contact a tree service, you’re usually looking for one of two things:
A price for a specific, clearly defined job.
Expert advice to help you figure out what’s needed.
Sometimes you already know exactly what work you want done or goal achieved, and our role is to give you a fair, accurate price to make it happen. Other times, the path forward isn’t as clear, and you need a trained, objective assessment to understand your options. Here’s what you should know before booking:
Free Tree Service Estimates
Free Tree Service Estimates
A free estimate is for clients who already know what they want done. You give us the “what” and the “why,” and we create a proposal with pricing to achieve it.
Example:
“There are branches from my neighbor’s tree hanging over my fence where I mow.”
We inspect, recommend a pruning approach to elevate the canopy, and provide a price.
What You Can Expect:
A site visit focused only on the specific areas or trees you point out
A recommendation tailored to your stated objective
Pricing for the proposed work
Optional suggestions for alternative or additional services if they fit your goals (eg. stump grinding following removal of a tree)
When to Skip the Free Estimate
When to Skip the Free Estimate
If you’re unsure what work is needed, want a thorough evaluation of your trees, or need advice about long-term care and safety, you’ll benefit more from a professional assessment.
Remember: Clearly stating your needs in advance allows us to prepare and schedule so there is adequate time for your site visit!
Professional Tree Assessments
Professional Tree Assessments
A professional assessment is a paid service for clients who want expert insight, not just a number on a page although an estimate is usually included with the service when its appropriate. This is the choice when you:
Don’t have a clear objective yet
Want to understand the health, structure, or safety of your trees
Need help prioritizing work across a large property
Are making long-term landscaping or safety decisions
These sessions are conducted by our ISA Certified Arborist, who will walk your property, discuss your goals, and provide tailored recommendations. Assessments may cover plant health, aesthetics, structural risk, or a mix. Crown Down Tree Service LLC offers 3 different assessment types depending on the client's needs:
Routine Site Assessment
Routine Site Assessment
Best for: Homeowners who aren’t sure what work is needed but want expert guidance on the overall health, appearance, and care of their trees.
How it works:
When a client contacts and a determination is made for an assessment, the scheduling coordinator will collect information about your areas of concern and do some preliminary property research for the arborist's review ahead of their arrival
Day-of assessment, a walk-through of your property will be conducted with the arborist
Discussion of your concerns and goals
On-the-spot professional observations and advice
What you get:
Verbal recommendations during the visit
Optional digital written summary available upon request (small additional cost)
In some cases, clients will prefer to simply have the arborist do a walkthrough independently and report back with their findings. Accommodations may only be made for such clients who have retained the arborist and prepaid for their assessment services.
Typical cost: Billed at our hourly administrative rate (1-hour minimum, and to the nearest quarter hour thereafter). Assessments times will vary depending on client concerns, questions and how many trees need to be considered.
OR
TRAQ (Tree Risk Assessment Qualification)
TRAQ (Tree Risk Assessment Qualification)
Best for: Evaluating the safety and structural stability of a specific tree or group of trees. Follows the ISA TRAQ industry standard and is only performed by certified professional arborists who have completed the TRAQ qualification training.
Levels of TRAQ Assessments:
Level 1 – Limited Visual: Quick look from a single perspective to decide if further evaluation is needed. This closely mirrors the "Routine Assessment" above but focuses on predetermined risk.
Level 2 – Basic: A ground‑based, 360° visual inspection that evaluates a single tree’s crown, trunk, root flare, and surrounding site context using simple tools like a probe, mallet, or binoculars. This level is designed to assess each tree individually—letting the arborist tailor observations, risks, and recommendations specifically to that tree
Level 3 – Advanced: Includes Level 2 plus specialized tools or techniques such as climbing inspections, drone surveys, lab testing, or root zone excavation.
More information about the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification can be found at the ISA website: https://www.isa-arbor.com/Credentials/ISA-Tree-Risk-Assessment-Qualification
What you get:
A standardized qualitative evaluation of a tree or trees' risk at the time of inspection by an ISA certified arborist.
Written risk report that explains:
Likelihood of failure
Potential consequences
Risk ratings
Recommended actions for treatment/care or further inspection and timelines for each.
Typical cost: Varies based on the scope and any specialized diagnostics that are recommended.
Full Site Assessment
Full Site Assessment
Best for: Large properties, small construction projects, intensively curated landscapes, or sites requiring detailed management plans. This is our most comprehensive assessment package—ideal for clients who are deeply invested in the long-term success of their landscape. It provides in-depth, site-specific documentation that not only helps identify current concerns, but also equips property owners and tree managers with a professional baseline for monitoring how the landscape changes over time. These insights support proactive care, early detection of issues, and informed decision-making as trees and site conditions evolve.
May include:
Complete tree inventory with measurements and condition notes
Mapping of tree locations, root zones, and canopy coverage
Vegetation management plans with recommendations for monitoring, removal, or preservation
Preservation schedules for construction projects
Site history analysis as it relates to tree health and rendered services
Ongoing tree condition monitoring
Many of these services may be recommended as stand-alone if the arborist or client deems them appropriate or necessary.
What you get:
A tailored written report designed to meet your specific project or management goals
Typical cost: Project-based, varying with tree quantities, site size, and complexity.
At-a-Glance Comparison
At-a-Glance Comparison
Free Estimate
Best Fit If…
You know exactly what you need done and why (eg. dead tree that needs to be removed, or a tree branch on a house that needs to be pruned away)
You just need a price for a defined scope of work
You have a clear goal for tree work but may not completely understand what services are available to address the problem. (eg. garden that is being stunted by a tree branch that has grown to a point where the light is being shaded out).
Professional Assessment
Best Fit If…
You are not sure if work is even needed (eg. a valuable tree you want assessed for health and condition)
You need an understanding of tree health, safety/risk, how your trees fit (or how they don't) in your landscape.
You are required by local regulations to have an arborist assess your tree care needs.
You need help identifying or prioritizing care for large populations of trees.
You plan to make significant changes to specific areas near your trees (eg. building a shed, installing a french drain, patios, sidewalks, etc.)
TRAQ Assessment
Best Fit If…
You’re concerned a tree might fail and cause damage to people, structures, other property, or utilities.
You’ve noticed signs of decay, cracks, leaning, or large dead branches in a tree.
A recent storm or construction project may have compromised a tree’s stability.
You need documented evidence of a tree’s risk level for insurance, legal, or municipal purposes.
You’re deciding between removal and retention but want expert risk-based guidance first.
You’re managing a site with high public use (schools, parks, common areas) and need to prioritize risk mitigation.
Full Site Assessment
Best Fit If…
You’re planning extensive construction or landscaping and need to protect existing trees.
You’re a property owner or manager responsible for many trees and want a comprehensive care plan.
You need tree inventories, preservation mapping, or canopy coverage data for regulatory compliance.
You want a long-term vegetation management plan that balances aesthetics, safety, and sustainability.
You’re preparing for a major project and need a phased schedule for tree protection measures.
You need to coordinate multiple contractors around tree preservation during work.
Why an Assessment Can Be Worth It
Why an Assessment Can Be Worth It
Free estimates work well for straightforward jobs, but assessments can uncover risks and prevent costly mistakes by effecting services on trees that ultimately may end up needing to be removed or are unfit for treatment. Assessments can also:
Avoid unnecessary removals by exploring alternatives such as pruning, plant health care, or area avoidance.
Spot hidden risks early before they become emergencies.
Plan proactively for long-term tree health and property value
Prioritize your trees' care needs by identifying issues before they develop in to more costly services that require attention on their time instead of your own
Help you stay compliant with your HOA, co-op, or locality if permission for tree work is required before you begin.
A Skipped Assessment Case Study
A Skipped Assessment Case Study
Initial Estimate
Initial Estimate
The pin oak pictured above was initially visited in the summer of 2024 and requested to have dead wood pruning along with some other work that would be scheduled for the winter of the same year. Minor plant health care interventions were also offered as options to increase the likelihood of the tree's recovery.
Discovery at Time of Service
Discovery at Time of Service
During the date of service for the plant health care application, extensive clusters of jack-o’-lantern mushrooms were observed around the base of the tree that were found to be attached to roots on all sides that were declining. Additional seasonal indicators present at the time suggested the tree was in a more advanced state of decline than could reasonably have been determined during the initial estimate without additional assessment services (eg. root exposure and root drilling to test for decay)
Results of Findings After Discovery
Results of Findings After Discovery
The client was ultimately advised of the increased potential for progressive decline and elected to proceed with removal. In this case, early identification of decline indicators allowed the client to avoid the costs associated with retention services; however, the change in scope required postponing removal to a later date and nominal expense for the deployment of plant health care services.
Whether you're preserving legacy trees, managing risk on a growing property, or simply trying to stay ahead of potential issues, the right assessment delivers clarity and control. With detailed insights tailored to your site, you're not just reacting—you're making informed, proactive choices that protect your landscape for years to come.
Ready to see how Crown Down can help with your tree care needs?
About the Author:
Nate Hardy
Founder & Sole Member, Crown Down Tree Service LLC
ISA Certified Arborist - MA-7004A
With over a decade in the green industry, Nate is passionate about sharing the extensive knowledge he has accrued in tree care and the tools he uses daily. As the owner of Crown Down Tree Service LLC, he champions innovative practices and technologies that advance tree care sustainability and the broader arboriculture industry.
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