A free, no obligation tree health check

Risk mitigation is what good arboriculture is about. Small remedial work to keep a tree healthy is always far more cost effective than the tree failing and the clean up afterwards, for you and for us. Most of the emergency work we did last winter was on trees whose problems had been visible for years. A half hour walk round your garden or land costs you nothing and often saves a great deal.

There is no catch. If the trees are fine we will tell you so and leave. If something needs doing we will explain what and why, and quote for it if you want us to, and you are free to get other quotes.

Dead wood in the crown and how much of it there is. Fungal brackets on the stem or at the base, and the species of fungus, because some are far more serious than others. Cavities, cracks, included bark in the forks of main limbs, and old pruning wounds that have not sealed. The lean of the tree and whether the ground on the opposite side is lifting. Root damage from building work, trenches or compaction. Ivy that is hiding the stem. Signs of pests and of the diseases that are moving through Cornwall's trees, ash dieback in particular.

We also look at what the tree is near: the house, the drive, the road, the neighbour's greenhouse. A dead branch over a lawn is a job for next winter; the same branch over a bedroom is a job for now.

The health check serves as an overview to point out irregularities that can be put right if you want. It in no way replaces the in depth quality of a full survey by a qualified tree inspector. If you need a formal report, for a mortgage, a planning application, an insurance dispute or a large estate, we will say so and can point you towards a consultant arboriculturist who does that work.

You get a plain description of what we found and what, if anything, we suggest, with the urgent items separated from the ones that can wait for the dormant season. If work is needed the quote follows, and any protected tree checks are done before it starts.