You have a tree problem in your yard. Maybe it looks sick. Maybe a limb is hanging over your roof. Maybe you just need a big tree taken down. You start searching for help and immediately hit two different types of professionals: arborists and tree service companies. Are they the same thing? Do you need one or the other? Both?
The short answer is that they do different things, though there is some overlap. Understanding the difference between an arborist and a tree service company will help you hire the right person for your specific situation and avoid paying for services you do not need. Here is how it breaks down for Charlotte-area homeowners.
What an Arborist Does
An arborist is a tree specialist. Think of them as the doctor for your trees. Their primary job is diagnosis, assessment, and planning rather than the physical labor of cutting and removing trees.
Arborists are trained in:
- Tree biology and health: They can identify diseases, pest infestations, and nutritional deficiencies that affect trees in the Charlotte area, from bacterial leaf scorch on oaks to scale insects on crepe myrtles.
- Risk assessment: They evaluate whether a tree is structurally sound or at risk of failure. This includes checking for internal decay, weak branch attachments, root problems, and lean.
- Tree species identification: They know the hundreds of tree species growing in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area and understand each one's particular needs, vulnerabilities, and lifespan.
- Care recommendations: Based on their assessment, they create plans for pruning, treatment, soil management, or removal.
- Written reports: For insurance claims, legal disputes, construction projects, and real estate transactions, arborists provide formal written assessments that carry professional weight.
Arborists typically do not show up with a crew, chainsaws, and a chipper. Their work is knowledge-based. They inspect, diagnose, and recommend. Some arborists also do hands-on pruning and care, particularly for high-value specimen trees, but the core of what they offer is expertise, not labor.
ISA Certification Explained
When people refer to a "certified arborist," they usually mean someone who holds certification from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). To earn this credential, an arborist must pass an exam covering tree biology, diagnosis, pruning, soil science, safety, and tree risk assessment. They also need at least three years of experience working with trees and must keep their certification current through continuing education.
ISA certification is not a state license. North Carolina does not require a license to call yourself an arborist. However, ISA certification is the industry standard, and in practice it is the dividing line between someone with verified knowledge and someone who just says they know about trees. There are about 38,000 ISA Certified Arborists worldwide, and Charlotte has a reasonable number of them given the city's size and tree coverage.
What a Tree Service Company Does
A tree service company is the crew that does the physical work. They are the ones who show up with trucks, chainsaws, rope systems, cranes, stump grinders, and wood chippers. Their primary services include:
- Tree removal: Taking down trees of all sizes, from small ornamentals to 100-foot oaks, including technical removals near houses, fences, and power lines.
- Tree trimming and pruning: Cutting branches for safety, clearance, shape, and tree health.
- Stump grinding: Grinding stumps below ground level after a tree is removed.
- Emergency tree service: 24/7 response for storm damage, fallen trees, and hazardous situations.
- Land clearing: Removing multiple trees and brush to prepare land for construction or other uses.
- Hauling and cleanup: Removing all wood, chips, and debris from the job site.
Tree service companies are labor-intensive operations. A typical crew includes a climber (or bucket truck operator), a ground crew of two to four people, and a foreman. The equipment alone, including truck, chipper, stump grinder, rigging gear, and chainsaws, represents hundreds of thousands of dollars in investment.
When You Need an Arborist
There are specific situations where hiring an arborist is the right move, either instead of or before hiring a tree service company.
Your Tree Looks Sick and You Do Not Know Why
If a tree is dropping leaves early, developing unusual spots, losing bark, or declining and you cannot figure out why, an arborist can diagnose the problem. Charlotte's climate creates conditions for a range of tree diseases, including hypoxylon canker on oaks (common after drought stress), anthracnose on dogwoods, and fire blight on ornamental pears. An arborist can tell you what is wrong and whether the tree can be saved.
You Are Dealing with an Insurance Claim
If a tree damaged your property or your neighbor's property, or if a tree is at risk of causing damage, an arborist's written report can be valuable for insurance claims. Insurance adjusters in Mecklenburg County regularly request professional tree assessments to determine whether a tree was healthy or already in decline before a storm event.
You Have a Legal or Neighbor Dispute
Tree disputes between neighbors are a constant source of legal headaches in Charlotte. Who is responsible when a tree falls across the property line? Is a tree on the neighbor's property hazardous? An arborist's assessment can serve as expert evidence in legal proceedings or help settle a dispute before it reaches that point.
You Are Planning Construction Near Trees
If you are building an addition, putting in a driveway, or doing any construction near existing trees, an arborist can create a tree preservation plan. They will tell you which trees can survive the construction process, what protective measures are needed, and which trees should be removed. Charlotte's tree ordinance often requires this for commercial development and larger projects.
You Want a Long-Term Care Plan
If you have valuable trees on your property and want to maintain them properly over the years, an arborist can create a care plan that includes pruning schedules, soil treatment, pest management, and monitoring. This is most common for homeowners in Charlotte neighborhoods with large, mature tree canopy like Myers Park, Eastover, and Foxcroft, where individual trees can represent significant property value.
When You Just Need a Tree Service Company
For many situations, you do not need an arborist at all. You just need a crew to get the job done.
The Tree Needs to Come Down
If you already know a tree needs to be removed, whether it is dead, hazardous, in the way, or you just want it gone, you need a tree service company. You do not need an arborist to tell you a dead tree should be removed. Call a tree service company, get quotes, and schedule the work.
Routine Trimming and Pruning
Regular trimming for shape, clearance, and dead branch removal is standard tree service work. A good tree service crew knows how to make proper pruning cuts, maintain branch structure, and thin a canopy without damaging the tree. You do not need a separate arborist consultation for routine maintenance on healthy trees.
Storm Damage Cleanup
After one of Charlotte's summer thunderstorms drops a tree across your driveway or snaps a major limb onto your fence, you need a tree service company with emergency response capability. The priority is getting the hazard cleared safely and quickly. An arborist assessment of remaining trees can wait until after the immediate crisis is handled.
Stump Grinding
Grinding a stump is a simple mechanical task. A tree service company handles this with a stump grinder. No arborist consultation is needed.
Land Clearing
If you are clearing a lot for new construction in one of Charlotte's developing areas, you need a tree service company with land clearing equipment. An arborist may be involved in the permitting process, but the actual clearing work is a tree service job.
Companies That Have Both
Here is where the lines blur: many tree service companies in the Charlotte area employ ISA Certified Arborists on staff. These companies can provide both the diagnostic expertise of an arborist and the physical capabilities of a full tree service crew.
This combination is common and often the most convenient option for homeowners. Instead of hiring an arborist separately and then hiring a tree service company to do whatever the arborist recommends, you deal with one company that can assess and execute in one package.
When a tree service company says they have an arborist on staff, ask specifically:
- Is the arborist ISA Certified? (Ask for the credential number to verify.)
- Will the arborist personally inspect my trees, or is it a sales rep using the title loosely?
- Can the arborist provide a written report if I need one for insurance or legal purposes?
Cost Comparison: What to Expect in Charlotte
The costs for arborist and tree service work are structured very differently.
Arborist Costs
- Consultation/site visit: $150 to $300 for a visit to your property to assess one or more trees. Some companies offer free initial assessments, but for formal consultations, expect to pay.
- Written report: $200 to $500 depending on the complexity. A simple health assessment for one tree is on the lower end. A detailed report for an insurance claim or legal dispute covering multiple trees will be higher.
- Tree risk assessment: $250 to $600 per tree, depending on whether it requires advanced testing like a resistograph (a tool that measures internal decay) or aerial inspection.
- Construction protection plan: $500 to $2,000+ for a full tree preservation plan for a development site.
Tree Service Costs
- Tree removal: $500 to $5,000+ depending on tree size, location, and difficulty. Learn more about tree removal costs in Charlotte.
- Tree trimming: $200 to $1,500 depending on tree size and scope of work.
- Stump grinding: $100 to $500 per stump.
- Emergency service: $500 to $3,000+ with after-hours premiums.
How to Find an Arborist in Charlotte
Finding a qualified arborist in the Charlotte area takes a little more effort than finding a tree service company, but it is not difficult.
- ISA's online tool: The International Society of Arboriculture has a "Find an Arborist" tool on their website (treesaregood.org) where you can search by zip code. This only shows ISA Certified Arborists.
- Local tree service companies: Call tree service companies in the Charlotte area and ask if they have a certified arborist on staff. Many do.
- Charlotte's Urban Forestry division: The city's forestry staff can sometimes point you toward consulting arborists in the area, especially if your situation involves the tree ordinance or city trees.
- Real estate agents and home inspectors: If your tree issue is related to buying or selling a home, your real estate agent or home inspector may have arborist referrals they have worked with before.
How to Find a Good Tree Service Company
Finding a tree service company in Charlotte is easier since there are many of them operating across the metro. But quality varies widely. At minimum, verify these things:
- Insurance: General liability and workers' compensation. Ask for a certificate of insurance. If they cannot or will not provide one, walk away.
- Physical business presence: A real business address, not just a phone number and a pickup truck.
- Written estimates: Any reputable company will provide a written quote detailing the scope of work and price before starting.
- No pressure to decide immediately: Be wary of companies that demand a deposit on the spot or say the price is only good today. Reputable tree services will give you time to compare quotes.
- Local reputation: Look for a company that has been operating in the Charlotte area consistently. Local companies have local knowledge about tree species, soil conditions, storm patterns, and city regulations.
For a deeper look at what separates good tree service companies from the rest, read our guide on how to choose a tree service company in Charlotte.
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Get a Free QuoteThe Quick Decision Guide
Here is a simple way to figure out who to call:
- Tree looks sick, and you do not know why? Start with an arborist.
- Tree is dead, and you want it gone? Call a tree service company.
- Need a report for insurance or legal reasons? Hire an arborist.
- Branch hanging over your roof? Call a tree service company.
- Building near existing trees? Consult an arborist first, then hire a tree service company for any work that needs to happen.
- Storm just dropped a tree in your yard? Call a tree service company with emergency capabilities.
- Not sure whether a tree should stay or go? An arborist can help you decide. A tree service company will give you a price to remove it but may not give you the unbiased assessment you need.
Both arborists and tree service companies play important roles in maintaining Charlotte's tree canopy. Knowing which one you need for your specific situation saves you time, money, and the headache of hiring the wrong person for the job.