How to Compare Tree Service Proposals for an HOA or Commercial Property

If you manage an HOA, a condominium, a hotel, or a commercial property, you have probably had this experience: three tree service proposals arrive, the totals are far apart, and each one is written in a different format. One lists every tree. One says "trim all trees on property." One is a single number on letterhead. The board wants a recommendation, and comparing them feels like comparing three different jobs.

That is usually because they are three different jobs. The fix is to normalize the proposals so you are comparing the same scope, the same standards, and the same paperwork. This guide walks through how to do that.

Step 1: Put every proposal on the same scope

Before you look at price, look at what each proposal actually includes. Build a simple comparison table with one row per item and one column per vendor.

The tree list

The strongest proposals name or number the trees: location, species, and what will be done to each. "Prune 14 royal palms along the main entrance, remove dead fronds and seed pods" is a scope. "Trim palms" is not. If a proposal does not list trees, ask the vendor to provide a list or a site map with the work marked.

The cut specification

Two crews can "trim" the same tree very differently. One reduces weight on long limbs and removes dead wood; another tops the tree or strips palms down to a few fronds, which weakens them and invites storm damage. Ask each vendor to state the standard they work to. Pruning in the United States and Puerto Rico is commonly specified under ANSI A300, and crew safety under ANSI Z133. A proposal that references these standards and describes the type of cut (cleaning, thinning, reduction, structural pruning) is easier to hold a vendor to.

Debris and cleanup

Does the price include chipping and hauling, or only cutting? Will debris be left for your landscaper? This line alone can explain a large part of the difference between bids.

Stumps

If removals are included, check whether stump grinding is in the price. Grinding typically runs $100 to $400 per stump as a planning range, so a proposal that leaves it out can look cheaper than it is.

Exclusions

Read what is excluded. Common exclusions are work near power lines (which is coordinated with the utility), permit fees, and repairs to irrigation or hardscape.

Step 2: Sanity-check the prices

Once the scopes match, the prices often move much closer together. For individual items, these planning ranges for Puerto Rico can help you spot outliers (they are ranges, not quotes):

• Tree removal: $300 to $2,500 per tree
• Palm removal: $300 to $1,500 per palm
• Trimming and shaping: $200 to $800 per tree
• Structural pruning: $150 to $600 per tree
• Palm trimming: $100 to $500 per palm

A bid far below the others on a matched scope is a question, not a win. Ask what is different: crew size, equipment, insurance, or what is being left out.

Step 3: Check insurance properly

For a board, this is the item that protects owners if something goes wrong.

• Ask each vendor for a current certificate of insurance (COI). We provide one on request.
• Check that the coverage types and limits meet what your association or management company requires.
• If your governing documents or management company require it, ask that the association or owner be named on the certificate as your contract specifies.
• Confirm the policy dates cover the whole project, not just the week the COI was issued.

A vendor who is slow or vague about a COI is telling you something.

Step 4: Find out who actually does the work

Many tree companies subcontract. That is not a problem in itself, but you should know who will be on your property.

• Who performs the work: the company's own crew or a partner crew?
• Who is the arborist responsible for the job, and what credentials do they hold? ISA certification can be verified through the ISA's online credential lookup, so ask for the name and certification number and check it.
• Who is the on-site lead, and how do you reach them during the job?

Our work is performed by ISA Certified Arborists from our main fulfillment partner crew, and we tell clients that plainly.

Step 5: Compare schedule and logistics

• When can each vendor start, and how many days will the work take?
• Will they work around residents, guests, or business hours?
• How will they handle parking, gates, and access?
• How will they protect common areas, pools, and vehicles?

For properties with many palms or trees near buildings, a realistic schedule is worth more than the earliest start date.

Step 6: Read the change-order terms

Surprises happen: decay found inside a trunk, a hidden wire, a tree that turns out to be worse than it looked. What matters is how the proposal handles them.

• Does the vendor need written approval before doing extra work?
• Who on the board or management team can approve it?
• Is there a pre-agreed rate for additional work, or will it be quoted case by case?

A clear change-order process protects the board from "while we were here" invoices.

Step 7: Ask what documentation you will get

Boards answer to owners, and sometimes to insurers. Ask each vendor what they deliver at the end:

• Before and after photos, by area or by tree
• A short written report of what was done and any trees that need attention later
• An invoice that matches the scope line by line

Documentation is especially useful before and after hurricane season, when owners and insurers want to see that the property was maintained.

Red flags in a proposal

• No tree list and no description of the cuts
• Mentions of "topping" trees or heavy "hurricane cuts" on palms
• No COI, or a COI that expires before the job ends
• Pressure to sign immediately or a large cash deposit
• No written change-order process
• Unwillingness to say who will perform the work

For a deeper look at contract language, see our guide on what to include in a commercial tree service contract.

Make the recommendation easy for the board

Once you have normalized the bids, give the board a one-page summary: matched scope, price per vendor, insurance status, credentials, schedule, and your recommendation with one or two sentences on why. Boards decide faster when they can see the comparison instead of three different documents.

If you would like a proposal that is already written in this format, with a tree list, cut specifications, COI, and photo documentation, see our commercial and HOA services and our commercial tree service overview. We work with properties across the island, including in the metro area through our commercial tree service in San Juan and on the south coast through our commercial tree service in Ponce.

To schedule a site walk and receive a written proposal for your property, call us at (787) 969-7802.