Anyone who has ever developed, renovated or expanded a property knows that there is no shortage of potential headaches. That is especially true right now, as every piece of business conducted needs to be done with one eye on the latest COVID protocols (although the fact that the restrictions are finally being lifted may mean that we could be returning to something approaching normality relatively soon). We have postponed every time that social distancing rules would have made things complicated. We have delayed every time that someone has needed to self-isolate (the number of people being pinged by the NHS COVID app is making this scenario more and more likely). We have cancelled at short notice because financing has fallen through, or someone has had a change of heart.
But we can’t blame all of the development and construction stress on Coronavirus. The fact is that every property has its own unique quirks and issues that remind us that it is so important that we have a perfectly clear idea of what we are getting into before we get started. These little problems remind us why hiring a property surveyor is worth the time and the money, because they might tell us about subsidence or water damage that would have made things very complicated indeed. But it is also important to remember that potential issues don’t stop outside of the walls of the property itself. Any major work on UK property will almost certainly need to include a survey of the surrounding area and wildlife. This is especially true if there are trees on the property.
The idea of bringing in a tree surveyor isn’t always what developers get most excited about, to put it bluntly. And it’s easy to understand why. The last thing that anyone wants is a long, costly survey process that could end with them being told that they are not going to be able to proceed. However, there’s no reason why a tree survey needs to be difficult, long or overly expensive. The right consultancy will understand your needs, will break down exactly what they are going to be doing, and will get the results to you as quickly as possible.
So, how do you go about finding the right tree consultancy business? Here are a few things that you need to look out for.
Look For Expertise
This can be easier said than done, but there’s a big difference between a firm that claims to know what they are doing and a consultancy with the professional and academic qualifications to back it up. If you are going to be spending hundreds of pounds on a survey, you are more than entitled to ask about the background of the team that is going to be doing it. Qualifications and accreditations will always go a long way towards giving you peace of mind.
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Look For Excellent Reviews
If you thought customer reviews were important before the pandemic, they are even more so now. We have all been spending a lot more time online since March 2020 and a side effect of that is that we are all much more comfortable giving feedback on businesses. If a consultancy firm is making big promises about how much they care about customer service, but you can’t find any reviews or feedback on their website, then that is a huge red flag. Look for reviews that reference important elements such as the quality of the information, speed of service, and attention to detail.
Look For Specialisation
Speaking of red flags, something that you should look out for is a business promising that they can do everything when it comes to surveys. You may well come across firms promising that they can take care of absolutely everything, from trees to subsidence surveys. What you want to be looking for is a tree survey company that has a clear focus when it comes to their business.
You want to know that they have prioritised the skills that they have to make sure that they do the best job possible. If you are looking for a tree survey and you want to know that the firm you’ll be hiring is dedicated to giving you crystal clear results in a timeframe that works for you, then visit Arbtech. They have a 98% success rate in planning, and they know that you want the results of your survey yesterday. They will deliver results in a timely and clear fashion to help you move forward with as few headaches as possible.
Look For A Company That Can Get To You
It’s not always easy to find the kind of quality that you are looking for in an area as specialised as tree surveys in your location. But don’t just look for a business near you that may not have the high standards that you would like. Look for a business that is flexible enough to reach you no matter where you are. A good tree survey consultancy will have team members in locations across the UK to ensure that you don’t have to settle for second best.
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Look For A Clear Breakdown Of The Process And Costs
It feels like clarity has been in short supply over the last eighteen months or so, doesn’t it? Whether it’s wondering whether we can plan a wedding or wondering what the situation is with whether masks are going to be enforced by the government or not, good old fashioned clear information has been quite difficult to come by. However, your tree survey should not be a process that keeps you in the dark.
Although the survey itself requires specialist skills and knowledge, you should be kept in the loop at every stage of the process and a good company will break down exactly what it entails, how long it should take, and what kind of costs you could be looking at. It is also worth looking for a firm that can offer you a clear quote upfront, and a money-back guarantee if they do not deliver on what was promised.
