Tree Surgeon Hitchin

There is an enormous risk of damage to property, the trees and to life, for people in Hitchin who attempt to do tree work on their own, or by employing a non-qualified individual. However, even for certified tree surgeons who are aware of all the risks, tree work is not entirely safe. In actual fact tree surgery is one of the most dangerous jobs in the United Kingdom, with an average of 3 deaths and 140 major injuries a year within the profession, consequently it is certainly not safe work for amateurs to do.

With around five people a year being killed by falling branches or trees in the UK, even a poorly maintained or damaged tree can also present a danger to life. If you employ somebody to carry out tree work and an injury, or damage to property occurs, you may well be liable to third-party compensation claims. This is why using an accredited Hitchin tree surgeon to do the work on your trees is vitally important. (Figures sourced from HSE).

There are 2 major professional trade bodies, at least one of which an experienced Hitchin tree surgeon should be a signed up member of. Both the International Society of Arboriculture and the Arboricultural Association offers a website where you can view the professional status and membership of any tree surgeon in Hitchin. This website enables you to check out if any specific tree surgeon has recognised ARB Approved Contractor status, and has membership of either of these 2 associations.

For mediation and for help and guidance at any stage during or after the work has been concluded, you are able to contact either one of these industry bodies.

If a tree surgeon who you cannot find on this directory offers to give you an estimate, you should continue your search for a fully qualified and approved contractor, and tactfully decline their offer. It is wise to get at least 3 different price quotes from various companies in and around Hitchin, as soon as you have thoroughly checked their professional qualifications and associations. There are various vital questions that you should ask whilst you are in the process of obtaining these quotations, and due to the risks involved in the work, you should make it abundantly clear that you really need the answers. You should for instance ask:

• Could I contact some past customers so that I can inspect the standard of your tree work? Doing an independent check on any recent work is always recommended.
• Can you offer me a written quotation? Always try to get a written quote, and NEVER accept a quote that is only given verbally.
• Can you show a NPTC certificate for chainsaw use, and documentary proof of your qualifications and professional memberships? Any tree surgeon/worker who uses a chainsaw, must by law have gained NPTC/LANTRA certification. Qualifications might include City & Guilds Certificates and Diplomas in Arboriculture.
• Precisely what is your level of insurance cover? As stated by the AA and ISA, your tree surgeon should be able to produce a certificate covering a minimum of £5 Million public liability insurance.

On the written quote that you receive, you will need there to be easy to understand information on all the tree work that's to be undertaken. It should include information on any trees which could be protected, and the steps necessary to obtain permission to work on them, and also state whose responsibility it is to remove waste, tree branches and stumps. You should also make sure that VAT has been included on the quotation. You've got a responsibility to hire only qualified people to work on your property and trees, and it is very important to understand that fact. This is outlined by the "Common law duty of care responsibilities and sometimes liabilities under the Occupier's Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984."

PRIOR TO WORK COMMENCING - Making enquiries into the possibility of any trees being protected, your selected Hitchin tree surgeon should ensure that any tree work gets the green light from the appropriate local authority. Even protected trees need to be maintained so as to cut back dead or dying wood and ensure the safety of the public, so finding a tree has protected status doesn't mean that work cannot be carried out.

If your property in Hitchin is situated inside a designated conservation area, the Local Planning Authority (LPA) will need at least 6 weeks written notice of any intended tree work. This written notice isn't required if the tree stem is less than seventy five millimetres in diameter when measured at 1.5m from the ground. It is also not necessary to give notice if a protected tree's branches need thinning or pruning simply to encourage and sustain growth.

Your Hitchin tree surgeon will determine the remedial treatment required and how best to achieve the required outcome in a safe manner after carrying out a complete assessment of your trees health. Where there is any possibility of falling debris, a full risk assessment will need to be completed on public spaces, your property, and sections of neighbouring properties that may be affected. At this stage, the amount of operatives needed and the level of protection required will also be determined. To keep property and the general public safe from damage or harm, this will include both personal protective equipment (PPE) and other safety precautions.

ON THE DAY OF WORK - Cones, barriers and safety measures will be put in place before any climbing, cutting of branches or tree felling begins, to keep unauthorised persons and passers-by away from the work area. Traffic may have to be temporarily halted if there is any danger of falling debris onto a public road.

Different types of tree work will demand that the tree surgeon has varying levels of protection. When carrying out basic tree work with a chainsaw, to prevent serious cutting injuries to the torso, hands and legs, they will at a bare minimum be wearing protective clothing. At all times, every operative involved in the work should wear hi-vis clothing, and eye and head protection.

Climbing equipment and ladders will need to be deployed if any working at height is involved, and to help in the safe removal of high branches and heavy pieces of tree trunk, extra operatives will be needed. It's a good idea to inform your neighbours of the need for access, as a skip or other means of transporting the waste materials away will be parked as close as possible to the work area.

UPON COMPLETION OF WORK - As soon as the tree work has been concluded all of the waste materials will be hauled away and the area cleared of all debris. Particularly when the trees are protected, a certificate of work done will then be prepared by your tree surgeon, which will be signed off and a copy given to you. If there were any public areas that needed safety measures, this can be taken away and highways and paths will be re-opened.

Issues or problems should be put right straight away by approaching the tree surgeon directly. If any further arbitration is required, and your tree surgeon is a signed up member of a professional trade body, you can obtain help and advice from the International Society of Arboriculture or the Arboricultural Association in order to arrive at an acceptable solution.

Local Hitchin tree surgery services will probably have the telephone dialling code 01462 and the postcode SG4. They'll work in Hitchin itself, as well as nearby areas such as St Ippolyts, Ashbrook, Walsworth, Pegsdon, Kings Walden, Little Wymondley, Pirton, Offley, Holwell, Lilley, Ickleford, Weston, Gosmore, Letchworth Garden City, Lower Stondon, Preston, and these postcodes: SG4 0DS, SG4 0BF, SG4 0JU, SG4 0PT, SG4 0ES, SG4 0AZ, SG4 0SL, SG4 0DL, SG4 0PH, SG4 0DP.

For this type of assistance it is unquestionably advisable to bring in a trusted local tree surgeon. Hitchin householders can substantially benefit from the skills and dexterity that are the trademark of a seasoned professional.

Skills Required by a Tree Surgeon in Hitchin

• Be alert to the complexities and dangers involved in all areas of work.
• To be meticulous and pay attention to detail.
• Have the ability to repair, use and maintain equipment and tools.
• Have the ability to work well with your hands.
• Physical skills such as co-ordination and movement.
• Be professional and capable of completing tasks within a given period.
• The cabability to work successfully others.
• Have essential computer skills and know how to carry out basic tasks on handheld devices.
• Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful circumstances.
• Good knowledge of public safety measures.
• Decent customer skills.

Hedge Trimming Hitchin

While focusing mostly on specialist tree surgery work, Hitchin tree surgeons are often involved in the maintenance and routine trimming of hedges. Householders will find Leylandii and other conifer hedges hard to deal with, as they can grow tall very quickly - hence a professional tree surgeon may be required for the work.

A hedge can pretty quickly get out of control and overgrown when it is poorly maintained or uncared for. If you allow a hedge to run riot in large sections of your garden, it can be hard to fix down the road, therefore regular clipping is advisable for both the health and aesthetic appeal of your hedge.

Neat hedges help make your garden and property tidier and more appealing, which can be a massive advantage if you are planning to sell your home in Hitchin sometime soon. (Tags: Hedge Cutting Hitchin, Hedge Maintenance Hitchin, Hedge Trimming Hitchin, Hedge Clipping Hitchin).

A Tree Surgeons's Everyday Tasks

• Assess tree health and treatments.
• Be competent using power tools and machinery.
• Produce tree survey reports for both commercial and domestic clients.
• Fell and remove trees and grind stumps.
• Deal with customers and complete administration duties.
• Climb trees to prune or remove branches.
• Prepare telephone or on-site quotes with the clients.
• Maintain and service equipment like chainsaws and wood chippers.
• Identify hazards presented by trees.
• Chip and cut branches and logs.
• Tidy up site upon completion and remove waste products from client's site.
• Plant trees and vegetation.

Removal of Tree Stumps Hitchin

If you are in a position where you've got to have a big tree removed from your garden in Hitchin, you are likely to be left with a stump, which also needs to be dealt with. In some situations it may be acceptable for you to leave the stump in position until it decays and rots away by itself. However, tree stumps left in your garden can be trip hazards, can attract harmful pests, and can even produce "suckers" in an attempt to regrow.

Stump grinding and stump removal are the two key choices, if you do elect to do away with the tree stump entirely. In the next few lines, we will be looking at the option of removal.

In relation to getting rid of a tree stump, the three primary techniques are digging out by hand, chemical treatments and burning. If you are intending to remove a tree stump yourself, the use of any of these tactics might be feasible. If you are planning to get a tree surgeon to undertake the job, they will typically favour the previously mentioned stump grinding method, although a chemical stump removal treatment such as eco-plugging might be suggested.

Chemical Stump Killers: A strong chemical compound like Vitax SBK Stump Killer, Roundup Tree Stump Remover or Resolva Xtra Tough Tree Stump Killer, will be needed if you decide to go with the chemical treatment option. It's essential that you follow the manufacturer's instructions to the letter when applying any of these chemical solutions, because they can be dangerous and toxic. Your tree stump will take quite a few weeks to rot and can then be chopped up and removed with an axe and a spade.

Digging Out a Stump by Hand: Digging by hand is quite straightforward and involves digging down, sawing through all the roots, and releasing the stump. The use of a winch may be required for the final lifting and removal of the stump. This can be laborious and tiring work, and should never be attempted unless you are fit for the job.

Stump Burning Methods: Since it can be dangerous and may be at variance with local laws, stump burning is not really recommended, so if you use this technique, be careful. The technique comprises drilling some 25mm holes into the stump and constantly filling and topping up the holes with vegetable oil for a few days. You should then stack charcoal around the stump and set fire to it. This should never then be left to its own devices, and be monitored constantly. Once it's finished burning, make certain the fire is fully extinguished, leave it to cool off and then dig out the roots and remnants of stump.

Other techniques include digging out and clearing all the soil away from under the tree stump, and setting a fire in the excavated cavity that has been established. None of these stump burning techniques should should be considered appropriate if the stump is close to buildings, other trees or fences.

Tree Surveys Hitchin

There are a number of reasons why you could need a tree survey, and the most common is for property extension or development. If you're clearing a piece of land in Hitchin that has trees on it, to prepare for the building of an extension to an existing property or a brand new house, you will need to carry out a tree survey as required by the British Standards BS5837. Hitchin tree surveys on both public and private property, must be undertaken by a qualified arborist or tree surgeon.

A correctly done tree survey will glean a wide range of information about the trees within the area in question. For example:

• The health of the trees.
• The species of trees on the site (either scientific or common).
• The allocation of a tree reference number for each of the trees.
• Tree management advice.
• The height of each tree in metres.
• The life expectancy of the trees.
• The number of trees.
• The existence of any Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs).
• The diameter of each tree (taken 1.5m above ground level).
• The spread of the branches to the North, East, West and South.
• The age of the trees.

If you are doing work on an existing property in Hitchin but you aren't increasing the footprint of the property and aren't modifying the access points or service lines, a tree survey will most likely not be required. (Tags: Tree Surveyors Hitchin, Tree Surveys Hitchin, Hitchin Tree Surveys, Tree Survey Hitchin).

Tree Emergencies Hitchin

Although emergencies are infrequent regarding trees in your garden, accidents can happen, therefore it might be a good idea to have an emergency contact number where you can reach a tree surgeon in Hitchin. When there are gales and high winds, Hitchin tree surgeons receive a surge in emergency call-outs, and many provide a 24 hour service. The chances of injury or damage is greater during windy weather, with branches breaking off and falling to the ground below, and occasionally even entire trees collapsing. Avoidance is definitely better than having to tackle the aftermath, and typical issues that can be caused by plummeting tree limbs and branches include broken garden furniture, smashed greenhouses, damaged fences and splintered sheds.

Emergency tree surgeons will also often be required by the local council in Hitchin, because substantial tree branches sometimes snap off and fall onto public paths, railway lines and roads, calling for rapid attention.

Even when the emergency tree work has been completed, a tree that has lost some large branches might have to be "re-balanced", and this could be done for merely aesthetic reasons or because the tree now appears lopsided, with more weight on one side than the other, quite possibly resulting in additional concerns. For all of these issues, you should call up a local Hitchin tree surgeon who provides emergency tree surgery services, and they'll handle all of this for you.

Tree Surgery Tasks Hitchin

Hitchin tree surgeons will likely help you with tree replanting, tree work, crown raising, safety inspections in Hitchin, stump removal, tree maintenance, woodchipping in Hitchin, dead wooding Hitchin, tree topping Hitchin, tree reshaping, cut sealing, damaged tree removal, landscaping, hedge lowering, airspading Hitchin, tree staking in Hitchin, crown removal, tree bracing in Hitchin, damage restoration, eco-plugging Hitchin, root flare exposure Hitchin, root decompaction, drop crotching, tree planning, tree felling in Hitchin, landscape clearance, tree pollarding in Hitchin, tree fertilising, forestry management in Hitchin, root removal and other tree surgeon services in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Listed are just some of the tasks that are carried out by a local tree surgeon. Hitchin specialists will be happy to tell you about their full range of services.

Tree Surgeons Nearby

Also find: Pegsdon tree surgeon, Offley tree surgeon, Kings Walden tree surgeon, Pirton tree surgeon, Lilley tree surgeon, Ashbrook tree surgeon, Ickleford tree surgeon, Holwell tree surgeon, Little Wymondley tree surgeon, Weston tree surgeon, Gosmore tree surgeon, Walsworth tree surgeon, Lower Stondon tree surgeon, St Ippolyts tree surgeon and more. Pretty much all of these places are catered for by tree care companies. Home and property owners in these places can acquire tree surgery quotations by clicking here.

Tree Care Services Hitchin

Find a Tree Surgeon in Hitchin Here

• Hitchin Stump Treatment
• Hitchin Tree Transplanting
• Hitchin Dead Wooding
• Hitchin Tree Removal
• Hitchin Tree Topping
• Hitchin Crown Removal
• Hitchin Crown Reduction
• Hitchin Woodland Clearance
• Hitchin Tree Replanting
• Hitchin Arboriculture
• Hitchin Tree Pollarding
• Hitchin Root Decompaction
• Hitchin Tree Reduction
• Hitchin Cable Bracing

More Hitchin Trades: Not surprisingly, whenever you are having tree surgery done in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, you will probably need other garden related services, and as well as a tree surgeon in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, you could additionally need soil drainage services in Hitchin, garden pond builders in Hitchin, landscape gardeners in Hitchin, decking fitters in Hitchin, patio layers in Hitchin, fence installers in Hitchin, garden clearances in Hitchin, garden shed installation in Hitchin, hedge clipping in Hitchin, weeding in Hitchin, artificial grass installation in Hitchin, garden designers in Hitchin, block pavers in Hitchin, grass cutting in Hitchin, garden rubbish removal in Hitchin, SKIP HIRE in Hitchin, and other different Hitchin tradespeople.

Tree Surgeon Jobs Hitchin: Find Hitchin tree surgeon jobs here: Hitchin Tree Surgeon Jobs

If you would like to get local information on Hitchin, Hertfordshire check here

Tree Surgery SG4 area, and dialling code 01462.

SG4 - Stump Grinding Hitchin - Tree Removal Hitchin - Vegetation Management Hitchin - Arboriculturalist Hitchin - 01462 - Tree Surgery Hitchin - Tree Surgeons Hitchin - Woodland Management Hitchin