Sometimes it can seem as if it is impossible to hire a professional tree service! You ring around from company to company, often just getting answer machine messages. You go online and websites are advising waiting times stretching into the weeks.

Just what the heck is going on?

Storm Damage

If you’ve recently had storm conditions in your city or area then this will definitely be contributing to the difficulties you are facing. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy for example, one professional tree company based in Florida reported handling over 200 calls for assistance per day.

Another company in the beautiful North Carolina had their staff working 12-hour shifts – and they still had a backlog of work that stretched for weeks.

After a storm is far and away the busiest time of year for these types of companies as they help with the cleanup operation. All good companies will prioritize the work of course, making getting roads open and removing fallen trees that have come down directly onto property a number one priority.

Storm Related

It’s not just the clean up operations that can take a lot of time however! Just as with any other company or service, post storm conditions can take a serious toll on how the tree company can operate.

For example, their employees may struggle to get to work – ironically enough, probably because the roads are blocked with, you guessed it, fallen trees!

They can also struggle to get gas or supplies that are important to their business. After all, the tree companies don’t have a hidden surplus of gas they can fall back on to fuel their trucks – if your local gas station is running low for you its running low for them too.

Here’s an example of real storm damage:

Popularity

Finally, the wait times from these companies can seem longer than they used to be because more people are using their services.

I’ve got an old friend who owns a tree service Wilmington NC based of course who says the following “Yards are becoming more and more of a designed element of a home. Homeowners are waking up to the fact that trees are not just things that grow in a yard. Rather, they can be the cornerstone of a beautiful yard. People want – and are willing to pay for – professionals who can design and maintain beautiful trees.” And I totally agree, don’t you? Especially when it comes to being popular.

They are also realizing that regular care from a professional can lead to trees with longer life spans, healthier growth and which are less likely to fall in storms.

No matter how long the wait time may be, it is always advisable to wait until you can hire the services of a fully licensed and insured company. The best tree companies are busy for a reason – they are good at what they do and lots of people want to hire them.

The people who can get to you at short notice in a busy stretch however they deserve to be looked at again – and a third time! They may be amateurs looking to make a quick buck, or professional companies taking advantage of a temporary boom and taking on more work then they can handle safely.

Either way, when it comes to dealing with tree services, patience is a virtue!