Our client’s often send us a word of thanks and gratitude in the mail. We are hoping to share their words with you through our blog. We encourage our client’s past and present to share feedback on the service we have provided. Did we do a good job, were there areas in which you feel we could have improved and how did you hear about our company? Having customer feedback is not only important for other potential clients, but as a growing company we strive to meet and exceed our client’s expectations.

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Hazardous Tree Assessment

The most useful way to analyze the health of trees is to have experienced personnel do a visual inspection where sick trees can be easily inspected. In some cases, a sick or damaged tree may not need to be removed. Brents Tree Service has the technology and skilled personnel to determine is your tree can be saved. Special equipment can measure factors that impact survival rates including the hollowness of a tree.

Tree Removal

If a tree is dead, dying and dangerous or is in the way of new construction, then tree removal may be necessary. We offer a custom approach to tree removal guaranteed to match your needs and budget. Regardless of the service level you select, our skilled, insured professionals guarantee your job will be done safely and expertly.

Tree Pruning

Pruning is the process of removing select branches from a tree. Pruning is done for a number of reasons including to make the tree safer, healthier and more attractive or to improve your view. Pruning improves the health and appearance of trees, prolonging their useful life by removing undesirable branches, whether they are dead, weakened, diseased or insect-infested.

Depending on your goals, a number of pruning options are available:

Thinning

Maintains the tree's natural shape but removes foliage throughout. A good option for improving your view without sacrificing your trees.

Skirting

Removes the lower limbs of the tree. Also a good choice for enhancing views.

Windowing

Removes branches to form a window, thus improving the view.

Crown Reduction

A specialized pruning technique frequently performed on large trees, especially dense pine trees, located near buildings. Generally not more than a third of the total area is removed in a single operation. The process allows wind to move through the tree, which reduces the chance of tree failure. In addition, more light and air can reach the inner portion of the tree, which reduces needle drop. Overall, crown reduction can make for a healthier, safer, more attractive tree.

Crown Cleaning

The removal of problematic branches from the tree's crown including dead, dying, diseased, crowded or dangerous branches. Very little of the live crown is removed.

Stump Grinding

A quick, clean and efficient way to remove stumps from your landscaping. First the stump is ground down 6 to 8 inches below ground level. Stumps in many instances will last for decades and become very unsightly as they age. Suckers and shoots can continuously become a problem until the stump dies. Grinding the stump allows immediate use of the area where a stump used to be.

Chipping

Chipping is an excellent option for debris removal— more economical than hauling and safer than burning. An added bonus is that our customers can use the resulting chips for mulch, landscape bark or even for dust and erosion control.

Insect and Disease Control

Damage and destruction caused by insects and diseases can severely limit a tree or shrub’s ability to manufacture the sugars and substances needed to remain healthy. As a tree’s health suffers and declines, the odds for defoliation and death sharply increase. A specialized program for trees and shrubs is the most logical step toward managing the spread of harmful insects and devastating diseases.

Shrub Pruning

Proper pruning improves the health and appearance of shrubs. It prolongs their useful life by removing undesirable branches, such as dead, weakened, diseased or insect-infested. We know the proper pruning procedures to help promote healthy growth.

Storm Damage

Storms can rip through an area and leave major damage in their path. Our qualified technicians provide the expertise needed to carefully clear trees, branches and debris to help alleviate further damage to life and property.

Tree Trimming Austin | Tree Service Austin

Unfortunately for you, and unfortunately for those of us at Brents, trying to run a legitimate tree service company, our industry is full of con artists and companies that produce unwanted results. So what can you do to protect yourself when hiring a tree service? How do you choose the right company? What are the necessary steps to avoiding tree service scams? We would like to offer you a few of our insights based on our years of experience. You can use this as a rule of thumb for Tree Services in Austin as well as other industries. These should help point you in the right direction:

1. Reputation: Do some research to find out what kind of reputation the tree service has with its local community. Read reviews on sites like Yelp. The right tree service should have positive online reviews in a variety of places. Check to see whether the company in question is a member of any reputable trade association, such as the Tree Care Industry Association or International Society of Arboriculture. How long has the company been in business? Do they have any complaints on local forums, discussion groups, etc? Ask the company for references, if you need the extra assurance. Especially for expensive projects, doing a bit of research is always worth the time.

2. Too Cheap?: If a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. During these tough economic times we are all looking for bargains. But if a tree service is giving you a very low price, it may be because they a) have no experience, b) do not have the proper insurances and certifications, or c) they only intend to complete part of the project.

3. Too Expensive?: Similarly, if a price seems too high, say no thanks. Do not let a smooth-talking salesman convince you that $9000 is a reasonable price for removing an easily accessible oak tree in your front yard.           

4. Insurance: Make sure each tree service you are considering has appropriate liability insurance. All certificates of insurance should be sent from the tree service's insurance agency directly to you. Otherwise, it could be a fraudulent certificate. If a company has an accident, and does not have the proper insurance, then you are liable. You will have to pay for repairs to your property and any injuries that may have occurred as a result of the accident.

5. Read Reviews: You may be asking yourself, "how will I know if a price is too high or too low?" We recommend that you read reviews from at least three different companies. From the three reviews you should get some sense of what price is normal. This will give you a chance to judge the company's expertise and professionalism. It will also enable you to ask questions, learn about more about what is involved, and so on. 

6. Compare Companies: When you consider different companies you should compare what is actually being offered. If one tree service is offering extra services or some extra benefit then you should take this into account. For example, perhaps one tree service plans on felling the tree whereas another tree service will remove it in small sections? Felling a tree is easier and requires less time, but it will cause more damage to your property. Piecing a tree down in small sections will cause minimal damage to your yard, but it requires more time and effort and thus it will generally be the more expensive option. This is also a good point at which to compare the service, professionalism, knowledge, presentation, etc of each different company. Remember that price is not everything – you should listen to your instincts about which company is most trustworthy.

7. Avoid Door-to-Door Contractors:  Do not ever do business with door-to-door contractors, particularly for large projects such as tree removal. The BBB and a number of district attorneys offices across the country regularly warn against this. Door to door contractors are often con artists that travel from town to town, preying on homeowners, particularly seniors. If you simply make it a policy not to do business with them, you will not have to worry about being caught in a scam. Besides, deciding to complete tree work on the spur of the moment is not a good idea – there are too many variables that must be carefully considered first.

8. Use Caution After a Disaster: Natural disasters (or whatever sort of disaster it may be) usually bring the con artists out in droves. Unfortunately, this may be the one instance where hiring a door-to-door contractor is necessary. If, for example, you have a tree lying on your house and there is no electricity, you may have to hire a tree service that passes by. But even in this situation, make sure you are being charged a reasonable price. There are many examples of companies charging exorbitant rates for simple tree removal projects after a hurricane, ice storm, etc. You should also ensure that the company has the necessary insurances and certifications.

9. Always seek out local, reputable companies that have been in business for several years (Brents Tree Service 1991.)

10. Pay When Satisfied: Once you have picked a tree service you feel comfortable with, the most important rule to follow is never NEVER pay for a tree removal or tree trimming project of any kind until you are 100% satisfied with the work. There are countless instances of homeowners paying for a tree service project up front, only to never hear from the company again. The tree service industry is not like the building industry – we never under any circumstance need to be paid in advance for our work. One popular trick among disreputable tree services is to begin a project, collect money (for any number of reasons – "I have to pay my staff", "we need money for fuel", "we need payment to finish the job", etc), and then never return. This is especially true with stump removal. In this scenario the company has completely removed the tree and then asks for payment, promising to return later to remove the stump. Upon receiving payment, the company never returns. Remember: do not pay a dime until your job is completely finished and you are happy with the service. So long as you make contact with several companies, do your homework, make sure your company of choice is properly insured, and exert common sense, you are sure to choose the right tree service. Add to that never paying for a job until it is properly completed, and it is almost certain that you will avoid any sort of tree service scam altogether

Tree Trimming Austin | Tree Service Austin

 Pruning Young Trees (Part  I)  Austin Tree Service

Proper pruning is essential in developing a tree with a strong structure and desirable form. Trees that receive the appropriate pruning measures while they are young will require little corrective pruning when they mature.

Keep these few simple principles in mind before pruning a tree:

• Each cut has the potential to change the growth of the tree. Always have a purpose in mind before making a cut.
• Proper technique is essential. Poor pruning can cause damage that lasts for the life of the tree. Learn where and how to make the cuts before picking up the pruning shears.
• Trees do not heal the way people do. When a tree is wounded, it must grow over and compartmentalize the wound. As a result, the wound is contained within the tree forever.
• Small cuts do less damage to the tree than large cuts. For that reason, proper pruning (training) of young trees is critical. Waiting to prune a tree until it is mature can create the need for large cuts that the tree cannot easily close.

Tree Trimming Austin | Tree Service Austin

Trimming trees at the right time in Austin

 You may have heard the old saying about tree trimming that goes something like this "Trim trees anytime your saw is sharp."  This may be true when it comes to removing broken and dead branches, but in many cases timing is very important.

 Trimming flowering trees: "Timing, timing, timing!"

 Most flowering trees set their blossoms the year before they bloom. Therefore, they won't bloom if these flower buds are trimmed off the tree. The best rule is to always trim flowering trees within 3 weeks of when they finish blooming. That should prevent you from inadvertently removing buds containing next year's flower show.

Removing this Weeping Cherry branch in the Fall of the year removes the branch AND the 'flower show' for next Spring. A few other trees that shouldn't be pruned at certain times of the year are listed below:

MAPLES – Maples trimmed at certain times of the year will "bleed" or drip from the pruning cuts. Bleeding is most likely to occur when Maples are prunied in the seasons just before and right after winter. Studies indicate that "bleeding" doesn't hurt the tree, so it becomes more of a cosmetic issue. If you want to prune Maples without bleeding, it must be pruned when it is fully dormant in the middle of wwinter, or during late spring or summer when it's in full leaf.

DOGWOODS – If you trim Dogwoods in April or May, it will make them more susceptible to the dogwood borer. This insect severely damages the vascular system of the tree after boring into the trunk.

OAKS – Oaks should be not be trimmed from April thru October, due to the prevalence of Oak Wilt disease pathogens during that time frame.