Can I send photos instead of having someone look at the tree?

What photos are good for

A few clear pictures tell the office what kind of tree it is, roughly where it stands and what is close to it. That lets the person who answers the phone ask better questions and book the visit sensibly. For a tree that is not urgent, sending photos with the estimate form saves a round of explaining.

What a photo cannot show

A picture flattens the job. It cannot show a crack on the far side of the trunk, decay at the base, soft ground, a slope, the width of a gate or how a crew would get a truck in and out. Those are the things that decide the method and the plan, so the estimate is written after someone stands at the tree.

That is also why we do not quote a number from photos or over the phone. A figure given without seeing the site would be a guess, and the estimate is meant to be detailed and easy to understand.

Photos that help the office

Stand well back and take the whole tree from two sides. Add a close shot of anything that worries you, and one of the route from the street to the tree. Include the nearest house, fence, wire or shed. Take every picture from the ground at a safe distance; do not climb, lean a ladder on the tree or stand under a leaning or broken limb.

If a line is touching the tree, keep away and call NV Energy before anyone else. If anyone is hurt, call 911 first. Then call 775.232.8243; the phone line is staffed seven days a week and the 24-hour emergency line is the same number.

Photos are also useful after the visit. If something changes before the work, such as a limb coming down in a storm or a new crack opening, send a fresh picture to the office so the plan can be updated. The estimate is detailed and written so it is easy to follow, and you can ask the office to explain any line you do not understand before you agree to the work.