Free Estimates: What Does That Mean?

​“Free estimate” can mean a lot of different things, and as you might expect, every company has its own standards on what a free estimate entails. Generally speaking, free estimates include a company representative coming out to your property, assessing the work you’d like done, and offering an estimated cost for that work.

Sometimes, that free estimate includes anything and everything you’d like evaluated, and sometimes it can only include one evaluation of one tree. Sometimes it can be twenty minutes long, and other times, it might take over an hour. And sometimes, “free” doesn’t really mean “free,” and you might end up paying for extra time, extra assessments, or other hidden costs.

So what do our free estimates include?

At Classic City Arborists, when we say “free estimate,” we mean a completely free estimate. No time limit, no maximum number of trees we’ll look at, and no hidden costs.

To schedule an estimate, you’ll first reach out via email or phone. For both of these, you’ll probably communicate with Rebekah Rushing (co-owner, business manager, and supermom). She’ll get all the information we need, including your phone number and the address of the property where you need work done, and then she’ll ask about what times work best for you.

​​Estimate lengths are hard to pin down, because each and every one is different. When you schedule, your appointment will likely be scheduled for a range of time (like between 2pm and 4pm, or from 10am to 12pm).

On the day of your appointment, you can expect to hear from Scott Rushing (co-owner, certified arborist, and the “best daddy ever”). He may have estimates or work scheduled before yours, but in most cases he will call when he is on the way so you know when to expect him.

Inclement weather, extra time on a job, and sometimes, sick kids, can all impact our planned work load. We strive to keep our customers as up-to-date as possible, and if something happens to delay your appointment, we’ll contact you as soon as we can to reschedule.​

Once Scott gets there, it becomes your show! Since you’re the one who knows what kind of work you’re looking to have done, which trees you’re concerned about, what foliage you’d like removed, etc, Scott will look to you to show him around. He’ll follow you from tree to tree on your property and listen to your thoughts, asking a lot of questions and taking detailed notes as you go. He’ll give you rough estimates of how much what you’re wanting will cost, and offer his expert advice.

​Some examples of work you might ask about includes things like “I need this tree removed so I can put a pool here,” or “this tree is too close to our house, and it drops nuts and twigs on our roof,” or “I think this tree is dead, and I don’t want it to fall on my fence.” The length of time your estimate takes depends on how many issues you want addressed, and how much discussion each one takes.

Here at Classic City Arborists, we pride ourselves on our informative, honest treatment of our customers. Scott isn’t there to try and sell you extra work, or scam you into giving us more money; we believe in explaining to our customers exactly how much a job will cost them, if that job is necessary, or if there’s other work that needs to be done for safety or to accomplish what the customer is looking for.

​So, for example, if there’s a tree you’re worried is dead and want cut down, but Scott notices that it isn’t dead at all, he’ll tell you. He’ll give you an estimate for cutting it down, since you asked, but he’ll make sure you understand that the tree is fine, and doesn’t need to be removed unless you just want it to be.

If you show him a tree that you want thinned out so the grass beneath it will grow, Scott will give you an estimate for that, but he’ll also point out that the tree behind the one you asked about is the one stealing all the sunlight, and if you want the grass to grow, that’s the one you need removed or thinned.

​This is one of the reasons we believe it’s extremely important that Scott is ISA-certified; not only can he do the work you want done, but he can tell you if it’s necessary or if there’s more work that needs to be done for you, your home, and your family to be safe.

All throughout your appointment, Scott will be taking notes and creating your estimate as you go. By the time you’re done, he’ll have a rough cost for all the work you discussed.

​After Scott leaves, he’ll compile all the information into an itemized list of everything you asked to be done, with its associated cost, and email it to you; this allows you to look through your finished estimate and pick and choose what you’d like done out of everything the two of you discussed. 

Estimate Example

Keeping in line with our policy of honesty and transparency, we always encourage customers to get more than one estimate on the work they want done. This helps you to get a real feel for the market cost of this kind of work, and allows you to meet other professionals in this field that might have different opinions, suggestions, and/or recommendations. We want you to get the work you need done, at the price you can afford – even if that’s not with us.

If you do choose to move forward with us, yay! We will get your work scheduled and be in touch with you on a weekly basis until the work is completed. If you choose to work with a different company, however, then kudos for doing your research and making an informed decision.

We do, however, recommend that no matter what company you choose to work with, you find someone that is insured, preferably with automobile insurance, general liability insurance, and worker’s compensation coverage. These things will add some cost to your work, but they protect you from liability in the event of an accident.
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Whatever your decision, we’re honored that you chose us for an estimate, and appreciate your business no matter its capacity. 


Click Here to schedule your  free estimate today!

Author

Emily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.