How to Choose a Tree Removal Company in St. Tammany Parish: 7 Questions to Ask

Taking down a large tree next to a house is one of the few home jobs where a mistake lands on your roof. The price matters, but the first thing to settle is whether the crew in your driveway is licensed, insured and planning the job before they cut. These seven questions sort that out in one phone call, and you can check most of the answers yourself.

1. “What is your Louisiana arborist license number?”

Louisiana licenses tree work. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry says “arborist licenses are required if you work on trees for a fee,” and the license covers anyone who makes recommendations on or carries out “tree removal, pruning, trimming, cabling, fertilization, and cavity work.”

How to check it: LDAF publishes a list of licensed arborists in Louisiana on its arborist licensing page. Look the company up before the crew arrives.

A good answer: a number, given without hesitation. Ours is LDAF License #2168, current through January 2027.

2. “Can I see your certificate of insurance before you start?”

If a limb goes through your neighbor’s fence or a crew member is hurt on your property, you want the company’s insurance to answer for it, not yours.

How to check it: ask for the certificate itself, in your hand, before the first cut, and confirm the dates cover your job.

A good answer: “Yes, we’ll bring it.” Zeigler is fully insured and hands over a certificate of insurance on request before work begins.

3. “Will you give me the scope and price in writing?”

A verbal number leaves the hard parts open: which trees, whether the stump is included, and where the debris goes.

A good answer: a written quote that lists what comes down, what stays, where the debris goes and whether the stump is included. Zeigler’s quotes are free and written before any work begins, with no surprise line items.

4. “Is cleanup included, or is it extra?”

The cheapest quote is not the cheapest job if the logs stay in your yard.

A good answer: cleanup is in the price. At Zeigler, complete cleanup is included in every quote, and the site is raked and clear when the crew leaves.

5. “How will you protect my house, driveway and lawn?”

Large removals near structures are planned around where each piece will land. Ask how the company will do it: rigging, a crane or a bucket truck, and mats or pads for the lawn and driveway.

A good answer: a specific plan for your lot. Zeigler works with crane and bucket equipment and damage-controlled rigging, and the crew mats, pads and plans the drop before cutting.

6. “Does this tree actually need to come down?”

A company that only sells removals will always say yes.

A good answer: an honest look at the tree. Zeigler’s risk assessment gives you a written, prioritized list: what to remove now, what to monitor and what to leave alone. Sometimes the answer is that the tree is fine.

7. “Where are you based, and how long have you worked here?”

After a big storm, crews arrive from out of state and leave when the work dries up. If something goes wrong a month later, you want a company you can still reach.

How to check it: look for a local street address, not only a phone number.

A good answer: a local yard and a track record. Zeigler has been a Louisiana company since 2001, working from yards in Madisonville and Covington.

Red flags

• No license number, or a promise to “get it to you later.”
• No certificate of insurance before the job starts.
• A price with no written scope.
• Pressure to decide on the spot, especially right after a storm.

If a company cannot answer all seven questions, that is your answer.

Get a written quote

Call or text a photo to 985-893-0991. We serve all of St. Tammany Parish, the Northshore, the Southshore and Baton Rouge from our yards in Madisonville and Covington.