Questions to ask a tree company in Oklahoma City

Nobody on this site has checked any company. We do not look at licenses, insurance or reviews, and that includes a company that takes a job through us. So these checks fall to you. Ask them before you pay anything and get the answers on paper.

1. Will you give me insurance papers I can phone in to check?

The claims guide on the Oklahoma Insurance Department site says to get a copy of the contractor's proof of worker's compensation insurance and proof of liability insurance, showing the insurer's name, phone and policy number, and to call to verify it. The Arbor Day Foundation's hiring bulletin explains why: under some circumstances you can be held financially responsible if an uninsured worker is hurt on your property, or if a neighbor's property is damaged. If a company has no workers' comp, ask how an injury in your yard would be handled.

2. What does the written quote name?

The Attorney General's April 2026 warning says to get several written estimates that show the scope of work, materials and total costs. The FTC adds the contractor's name, address and phone, start and completion dates, and all blanks filled in. On a tree job, make sure it lists every tree by location, the method, and who covers a broken fence or a cracked driveway. ISA's advice is "Don't always accept the lowest bid." A much lower number may be leaving something out.

3. Do you haul everything off?

In Oklahoma City the answer should be yes. The city's bulky waste page says contractor landscape waste "must be hauled off by the landscaper", and in the 2024 tornado cleanup it said debris put at the curb by private contractors would not be collected. Be wary of a plan that ends with a pile out front. Ask about chips, logs and sawdust by name, and who keeps any firewood. If a pine or oak died of disease, ask where the wood goes, for the reasons on the dying trees page.

4. Is the stump included, and who calls OKIE811?

The Arbor Day bulletin says to spell out whether removal includes grinding the stump and surface roots to one foot below grade, filling with topsoil and planting grass. OKIE811 says it is the contractor's responsibility to contact 811 at least three business days before digging. Private lines, like sprinklers and yard lighting, may not get marked, so point yours out.

5. Is any part of this within 10 feet of a power line?

If so, ask who contacts OG&E, and when. OG&E says it only allows approved Line Clearance contractors near its lines, asks for a safety inspection on work within 10 feet, and warns that many trimmers claim certification that does not carry over. If the answer is "we just work around it", get another estimate. The power lines page sorts out which wire is which.

6. Is topping any part of this plan?

It should not be. The city's tree guide says "Never top a tree", and ISA's brochure on topping explains how it weakens the tree and raises the risk of limbs failing. The Arbor Day bulletin says to avoid arborists who routinely top trees.

7. Why does it need to come out?

If it is alive, make them say why. The bulletin says to be wary of anyone eager to remove a living tree. It also says a conscientious arborist will not use climbing spikes on a tree that is staying, so ask how they will climb if you are keeping it.

8. Who here holds an ISA credential?

The credential is voluntary, and ISA says it takes an exam and continuing study. Get a name and run it through the "Verify a Credential" tool at TreesAreGood.org. Then find out if that name will be in your yard on the day, or only on the paperwork. Oklahoma Forestry Services' arborist page sends people to the same site's Find an Arborist search.

9. How do I pay, and when?

The insurance department says "Do not pay a contractor the full amount up front." The FTC's advice is a reasonable down payment, the last payment held back until you are happy with the job, and a check or credit card for the money. Its line on cash: "If they want cash up front, walk away." A contract signed in your home gets a cancellation window of three business days, and the FTC wants that right stated in writing.

10. Are you asking me to sign anything over my insurance?

The claims guide warns about an assignment of benefits, which moves your rights under the policy to someone else, most often the contractor. It says you may give up some or all of your rights, and to take your time and talk to your adjuster or a lawyer. And wait for the adjuster: the department's claim steps say to hold permanent repairs until the insurer reviews the damage.

Door-knockers after a storm

The bulletin says door-knockers are especially common after storms, when non-professionals see a chance at quick money. OSU's pruning fact sheet is blunter: "Never hire someone who stops and tells you that your plants need pruning and that he or she will do it right away." The state's 2020 ice storm update passed on the Attorney General's caution about door-to-door solicitation and advised using companies established in the community. The Attorney General says legitimate professionals understand you need time to decide.

Prices during a declared emergency

Oklahoma's price law, Title 15, Section 777.4, limits how far a seller may raise the price of goods or services in the emergency area above what it charged just before a declaration by the Governor or President. It runs through the declaration and for 30 days after, with some exceptions. It is worth knowing, and a question for the Attorney General if you think it has been broken. Whether an emergency is in force on a given day is something to confirm.

Where to complain

The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit takes complaints and answers whether others have complained about a contractor at 1-833-681-1895. Insurance problems go to the Oklahoma Insurance Department at 800.522.0071. The FTC takes scam reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.