Our website blog has covered many topics related to tree service, with a recurring theme: when it comes to tree service, saving money should probably not be your #1 priority. By way of review, the main reasons for this are:
Beware of the cheapest bid. If you hire the company with the cheapest bid, you may get exactly what you pay for. Check the online reviews of the tree company and make sure they have a good reputation.

1. Trying to do it yourself could be a disaster. DIYers beware. We recently covered some data related to the healthcare costs of common tree service injuries that could be sustained while performing the work. Unless you truly know what you are doing, bring in the pros.
2. What if there is a problem? Again, beware of hiring fly by night tree service crews, especially those from another state. They may be uninsured, underinsured, inexperienced, or lack property safety protocols and equipment. Check out our article on how to hire a tree service.
3. It’s all about safety. The work performed by tree service professionals is extremely hazardous. Of course, this adds to the cost. It is expensive to have and maintain the latest PPE (personal protective equipment), to maintain our gear and equipment to be in top-notch, safe working order, and to hire a crew that is knowledgeable, experienced, and willing to perform the work to our very high standards.

So, does this mean there are no ways to save money or be frugal when it comes to caring for your tree service needs? Of course not! Like most things in life, if you do some diligence, do some research, and are willing to even roll up your sleeves and do some hard work, you can likely save money.

Here are 5 ideas to help you save money on tree service.

1. Start with the debris. In our line of work, debris comes with the territory. Cleaning up that debris can be a real chore. Usually, our preference is to handle the debris at the time of doing the job. We know what we are doing, and by cleaning as we go, we keep our systemized process in place. It also tends to be a much safer working environment when we manage the debris. Of course, there is a cost associated with our management, cleanup, and haul off of the debris, because we have the tools to do the job properly. If you want to handle this yourself, we can likely lower our quote in some cases. But beware: it can be a BIG job with a lot of sweat and labor!
2. Need firewood? Consider your firewood needs. Many of our customers have wood burning fireplaces inside or outside the home, or they may love to have a large bonfire and invite friends and family. Another great use for the wood could be using it in your smoker to smoke meat. Of course, depending on what you are looking for it may or may not actually save money. For instance, neatly cut and stacked firewood will probably cost more than us hauling it off. Similarly if you want us to create a neat, safe bonfire stack, it will not be free. But if you want us to leave some large trunks and limbs for you to cut yourself, this may work out to save you money on labor, as well as save the money you might have spent to buy the firewood from a seller
3. Get multiple bids. Like with anything else, comparing prices can help you get an overall lay of the pricing landscape and make sure you are getting a price within the range of what is fair and reasonable. Please remember to factor in insurance, reputation, safety, and professionalism when comparing bids
4. Ask about bulk discounts. Have a family member that needs tree service as well? Own multiple lots? Will your neighbor(s) use our service while we are there? Consider factors such as these. If we can knock out two or three jobs from one site, that saves us the time, fuel, and energy of transportation. We may negotiate a better price based on factors such as these, or if you are referring us to additional jobs.
5. Do you need to remove the stumps? In some cases, leaving the stumps is completely reasonable. Other times, it would make no sense to do so. Factor it in and consider that stump grinding or removal will add cost to the job. If you don’t mind the stumps, save the money!

We hope that by carefully considering these 5 tips it will help you to make an informed decision and potentially save some money.

And of course, remember that you will always save money by getting the job done right the first time. Trust Live Oak’s premiere professional tree service: Precision Tree Care and Removal. Give us a call today: (386) 688-5173 or fill out our service contact form.