Greater Austin
Arborist Consulting & Risk Assessment
Written, defensible assessments for permits, construction, disputes and insurance.
- Typical range
- $275 - $1,850
- Single-tree assessment to full multi-tree report with tree protection plan.
- Booking
- 5 to 8 days
- Emergencies same day, 24 hours.
Sometimes the thing you actually need is not a crew, it is an answer in writing. Whether a tree is genuinely hazardous. Whether the builder next door has damaged your oak. What your permit application needs to include. Whether the tree that fell was already failing before the storm.
We provide these assessments independently. When the report is the product, our recommendation is not tied to selling you removal work, and that separation is precisely what makes the document worth anything to a permitting office, an insurer or a court.
The methodology is the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification framework, which evaluates three things: how likely the tree is to fail, how likely it is to hit something if it does, and how bad that would be. Those combine into a defined risk rating with mitigation options, rather than an opinion.
What is included
- Level 2 basic assessment
- A full 360-degree ground inspection covering root flare, trunk, branch unions and crown, which is the standard for most residential questions.
- Advanced diagnostics
- Where decay is suspected, resistance drilling and sounding to establish how much sound wood actually remains in the trunk.
- Written report
- A documented report with photographs, findings, a defined risk rating and prioritised mitigation options, formatted for permitting and claims.
- Construction protection plans
- Critical root zone mapping, protective fencing specification and mitigation measures for trees on active build sites.
- Appraisal and damage valuation
- Trunk Formula Technique valuation for insurance claims, neighbour disputes and construction damage.
- Expert testimony
- Deposition and testimony support where a tree matter reaches litigation.
How we approach it
- 01
Define the question
We establish exactly what the report has to answer and who will read it, because a permit officer and an insurance adjuster need different documents.
- 02
Inspect on site
A systematic ground inspection of every tree in scope, with measurements, photographs and advanced diagnostics where decay is suspected.
- 03
Analyse and rate
Findings assessed against the TRAQ framework to produce a defined risk rating for each tree, with realistic mitigation options.
- 04
Deliver and support
A written report delivered within five business days, with follow-up support if a reviewer or adjuster raises questions.
What drives the price
Nobody can quote this accurately over the phone, and any company that does is guessing. These are the five things an arborist is actually assessing when they walk your property.
- Number of trees
- A single-tree opinion is straightforward. A campus inventory of two hundred trees is a different scale of work entirely.
- Depth of assessment
- A visual Level 2 inspection costs far less than advanced diagnostics involving resistance drilling and decay mapping.
- Report purpose
- A homeowner letter is simple. A report built to survive cross-examination in litigation requires far more documentation.
- Turnaround
- Standard delivery is five business days. Expedited 48-hour turnaround is available for a premium when a permit deadline is looming.
- Site complexity
- Steep terrain, restricted access and trees requiring aerial inspection all add time on site.
Arborist Consulting & Risk Assessment questions
TRAQ is the International Society of Arboriculture Tree Risk Assessment Qualification, the recognised industry framework for evaluating tree risk. It scores three separate factors: the likelihood the tree or part fails, the likelihood it impacts a target if it does, and the consequences of that impact. Those combine into a defined risk rating, which is far more defensible than a subjective opinion.
Frequently, yes. The City of Austin generally requires a certified arborist assessment when you apply to remove a protected tree of 19 inches diameter or more, and always for Heritage trees at 24 inches and above. Reports are also commonly required for development permits where construction will occur inside a tree critical root zone.
A single-tree written assessment starts around $275. A multi-tree property report typically runs $650 to $1,200. Full construction tree protection plans with ongoing site monitoring, or reports prepared for litigation, run to $1,850 and beyond depending on scope and the number of site visits required.
No, and the consulting side of the business exists partly to make that credible. A large share of our assessments conclude that the tree is retainable with pruning, cabling or a change in site management. If we do recommend removal we document precisely why, and you are entirely free to take that report to any contractor you choose.
Standard turnaround is five business days from the site visit. Expedited 48-hour delivery is available for an additional fee where a permit or closing deadline requires it. Site visits can usually be scheduled within a week, and faster outside storm season.
Often needed alongside
Tree Health & Oak Wilt Management
Diagnosis and treatment for oak wilt, decline and pests, from the people who see it every week.
Read moreCabling & Bracing
Hardware support that keeps a structurally weak but otherwise healthy tree standing.
Read moreTree Removal
Technical, piece-by-piece removal of trees that cannot be saved, including work over roofs and pools.
Read moreArborist Consulting & Risk Assessment across Greater Austin
We carry out this work in every city we serve, with no travel surcharge. Local soil, species and permit rules differ, so each city page covers what actually changes.
Ready to book arborist consulting & risk assessment?
Free on-site estimate from an ISA Certified Arborist, a fixed written price before we start, and full cleanup when we finish.