This review is long overdo, but I've used Heartwood twice, and a different crew worked on each job. Professionalism is the exact word to use regarding both crews, and the company overall.

I had three different companies give me quotes - well, I attempted to get three quotes, but Heartwood was the only one of the three who would tackle the leaning trees in the back corner of my yard. It was right after a strong wind storm, and one was about to topple onto the neighbors shed. Because of a fence and being surrounded by other trees, no equipment could be used back there, so they had to climb it and cut it in sections. The other companies wouldn't even quote it and didn't seem interested in removing it, but Heartwood acted like it was no big deal.

The second time was to cut some large pines that were pushing into my deck. Each job was quoted hourly, and the second job they sent enough guys to do it all in one day. I'm sure it was in part to avoid coming back the next day, but it was also a considerate service to me because I couldn't be inside the house during the ongoing work because there was a danger of very large trees potentially falling. Judging by how good the crew was, I doubt that was a risk, but in the tree business, it always has to be safety first.

And for a crew working by the hour, the guys (and gal) moved very quickly, but very safely from what I observed. The first crew did, too, and I never saw any of them without their required safety gear.

And in regards to safety, I work in the insurance industry - mainly in workers comp. And tree-removal companies pay some of the highest (maybe THE highest) rates in the industry due to the nature of the work. And the general liability rates are high, too, due to the potential damage trees can cause. And their auto and heavy equipment coverage is very high, too, considering they could have a couple hundred thousand dollars of trucks and equipment at several jobs throughout the city. So yes, tree-removal is expensive. And if it's not, there's a reason, and it's probably not a good one, as without the proper coverage or high enough limits, a homeowner could potentially be on the hook for any injury or damage from the job.

So, when you get your bill, know that probably half - if not more - is going right to the insurance company. And the other half needs to cover the cost of the heavy, expensive equipment, and fuel, and workers' wages and overhead and everything else required to run the business.

I think the only way to make a tree-removal business profitable is to do many, many jobs very, very well (and safely) over a long period of time.

I spent (I think) about $6,0000 total for both jobs, and they cut down several very large trees, trimmed limbs on several more, and manually cut down two that the other companies wouldn't do.

And one final note. When I made the appointment, I was told there was a charge to have them come out, which is totally fair (and I believe it is then applied toward the bill if you have them do the work). I can't remember the amount - it was small, I believe, but when I tried to pay it (I wish I remembered the arborist's name, and I did for the longest time, but it's been too long now), he said, "The opportunity to come out here and potentially earn your business is worth more to me than that fee," and he wouldn't take the money.

Conversely, the arborist for one of the other companies told me in regards to the leaning trees in the back that I should "find a company with insurance that uses a bunch of Mexicans" to get the job done. Whatever that even means; and how do you even go about doing that?

Again, the word I keep coming back to is professional. And everyone from the crews to the office folks at Heartwood is exactly that.

And they even cleaned up so well you wouldn't even know I had those trees to start the day, as aside from the smell of freshly cut pine, they left nothing behind.

It was money well-spent for sure, and I will absolutely use them again. You guys do great work, and it's noticed for sure. Thank you!