Arboricultural Consulting Services in Seattle & the Greater Puget Sound

Yes — many cities require an arborist report before approving tree removal permits, especially for protected trees, development projects, environmentally critical areas (ECAs), or hazardous tree claims. Arborist reports are commonly requested by cities such as Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Redmond, and other Puget Sound municipalities to document tree species, size, condition, risk factors, site impacts, and proposed mitigation measures.

A professional arborist report may include:

• Tree inventory and measurements
• Tree risk assessment (TRAQ)
• Health and structural condition evaluation
• Construction or development impacts
• Tree preservation recommendations
• Replanting or mitigation plans
• Permit support documentation

Requirements vary by city and project type. In many cases, an ISA Certified Arborist report can help property owners avoid permit delays, code issues, or incomplete applications.

Most arborist and TRAQ tree risk assessments can be completed during a single site visit, with on-site inspections often taking 30–90 minutes depending on the number of trees, site conditions, access limitations, and project complexity.

Report turnaround times vary based on scheduling, permitting deadlines, project complexity, and current workload. Simple assessments may be completed within a few business days, while larger permitting, development, or multi-tree reports can take longer. Expedited or rush reporting is often available when needed for active permits, real estate transactions, insurance claims, or hazardous tree situations.

Our reports are prepared by ISA Certified Arborists using TRAQ methodology, field documentation, photographs, measurements, and site-specific recommendations tailored to the project or property conditions.

Yes. We regularly assist homeowners, builders, architects, developers, and property managers with arborist documentation required for construction permits, redevelopment projects, and municipal tree code compliance throughout Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, and the greater Puget Sound region.

Our arboricultural consulting services may include:

• Tree Protection Plans (TPPs)
• Root impact and critical root zone evaluations
• Arborist reports for permitting and development review
• Tree preservation and mitigation recommendations
• Construction monitoring and site inspections
• Hazard tree evaluations and retention feasibility assessments
• ECA, shoreline, steep slope, and protected tree documentation

We work with project teams to help reduce tree impacts, improve permit readiness, and provide practical recommendations that align with municipal tree regulations and site development goals.

Arborist report costs vary widely depending on the number of trees involved, project complexity, site conditions, permitting requirements, travel time, and the level of documentation required. Simple arborist reports for a single tree or basic permit review may start in the few-hundred-dollar range, while larger development, preservation, or multi-tree assessments can cost substantially more.

Factors that commonly affect arborist report pricing include:

Number of trees being inventoried or assessed

TRAQ risk assessment requirements

Construction or development impacts

Tree protection planning and mitigation requirements

Municipal permitting and code complexity

Site access limitations or steep slopes

Advanced inspections, climbing assessments, or aerial evaluations

Report turnaround time and rush scheduling

Some reports only require a brief site visit and basic documentation, while others involve extensive field measurements, mapping, photography, root zone analysis, preservation planning, or coordination with builders, architects, engineers, attorneys, or municipalities.

We provide clear scopes of work and pricing recommendations before beginning arborist consulting services so property owners understand what level of assessment and documentation is appropriate for their project.

Most tree risk assessments are performed as visual ground-based inspections (Level 1–2), which are appropriate for many common tree evaluation and permitting situations. However, advanced assessments may require closer inspection of the canopy, upper unions, structural defects, decay areas, or suspected failure points that are not fully visible from the ground.

When additional diagnostics are needed, we can perform advanced Level 3 assessments using climbing arborists, aerial inspection techniques, photography, and drone-assisted canopy evaluations. These inspections may be recommended for large trees, hazardous trees, development projects, insurance documentation, preservation planning, or trees with suspected structural defects.

Advanced inspections allow our ISA Certified Arborists and TRAQ-qualified assessors to gather more accurate field data and provide better-informed recommendations regarding tree risk, preservation options, mitigation, or removal.