Tree Assessment, Tree Survey or Arboricultural Report. What’s the Difference? 

Understanding Tree Assessments, Tree Surveys and Arboricultural Reports

The terms tree assessment, tree survey and arboricultural report are often used interchangeably. At Connick Tree Care, however, they describe different services with different purposes, outputs and professional roles.

The most important distinction is that there are two separate processes:

• A Professional Tree Assessment is carried out to determine whether practical tree work may be appropriate and whether a quotation should be prepared.
• A Tree Survey or Arboricultural Report is a consultancy service that records findings and provides recommendations in a formal written report.

A quotation is not a tree survey or arboricultural report, and a consultancy report does not automatically include a quotation for any recommended tree work

The Difference at a Glance

Route 1: Professional Tree Assessment for Possible Tree Work

Choose this route if your main question is whether a tree needs practical work and, if so, what that work might cost.

Typical enquiries include:

• “My tree has become too large. Can it be reduced?”
• “There are dead branches over the garden. What should be done?”
• “The tree is leaning or appears to be in poor condition.”
• “I know what work I want and need a professional quotation.”
• “I’m not sure what work is needed, but I’d like a professional to assess it.”

Who carries out the assessment?

The visit is carried out by an experienced arboricultural surveyor holding the LANTRA Professional Tree Inspection (PTI) qualification.

Their role is to assess the tree in the context of possible tree work, discuss your concerns and determine whether practical intervention is appropriate.

The assessment may consider:

• The tree’s general condition and visible defects
• Your concerns and the outcome you are hoping to achieve
• Whether pruning, removal, monitoring or no immediate work is appropriate
• Access, nearby buildings, roads, gardens, utilities and other site constraints
• The equipment and resources required
• Whether the tree is protected or subject to planning controls

This is a focused assessment for potential tree work. It is not a formal tree survey and does not result in a detailed arboricultural report.

What happens next?

1. Initial enquiry
   You explain your concerns or the work you believe may be required.
2. Site assessment
   A PTI-qualified arboricultural surveyor visits the site and assesses the tree in relation to potential practical work.
3. Recommendation
   The surveyor explains whether work appears appropriate. In some cases, the recommendation may be to carry out less work, monitor the tree or take no immediate action.
4. Written quotation
   Where work is recommended, Connick prepares a written quotation describing the proposed work and the price. The quotation is not a tree condition report.
5. Acceptance and legal checks
   If you accept the quotation, Connick carries out any necessary Tree Preservation Order (TPO) and Conservation Area checks and submits any required applications or notifications.
6. Tree work
   Once any required permissions have been obtained, our contracting team arranges and completes the agreed work.

Route 2: Tree Survey or Arboricultural Report

A consultancy appointment is required when you need detailed, documented professional advice rather than a quotation for tree work.

This route is commonly used for:

• Formal tree health and safety surveys or planned inspection programmes
• Building works / development projects and BS5837 surveys
• Planning applications requiring supporting arboricultural information
• Tree decay investigations and recommendations for further testing
• Subsidence, insurance or legal matters
• Homebuyer and mortgage reports
• Veteran tree assessments and long-term management plans
• Schools, housing associations, estates and organisations requiring documented evidence of to meet a legal duty of care

Who carries out the survey and report?

The work is undertaken by an Arboricultural Consultant with the qualifications, technical knowledge and experience appropriate to the commission.

Consultancy work involves producing detailed written reports and is supported by professional indemnity insurance.

What does the consultant assess?

The consultant first establishes the purpose and scope of the commission.

Depending on the type of survey or report, they may assess:

• Tree species, age class and dimensions
• Physiological and structural condition
• Visible defects, decay indicators and other relevant symptoms
• The tree’s surroundings, targets and site constraints
• Risk, management priorities and recommended timescales
• Planning, development or legal considerations
• Whether specialist diagnostic investigation or ongoing monitoring is required

Every consultancy appointment includes a written report explaining what was found, what those findings mean and any recommendations for future management.

The consultancy process

1. Define the brief
   The consultant establishes why the survey or report is required and what questions it needs to answer.
2. Consultancy inspection
   The consultant carries out the inspection and gathers the information appropriate to the commission.
3. Analysis
   The findings are considered alongside the tree’s condition, risk, site constraints, relevant standards and the client’s responsibilities.
4. Written report
   You receive a formal report containing the findings, interpretation and recommendations. The exact format depends on the type and purpose of the commission.
5. Further action
   The report may recommend monitoring, additional investigation, planning measures or practical tree work. These recommendations are professional advice, not an instruction to purchase contracting services from Connick.

What if the Consultancy Report Recommends Tree Work?

A report may recommend pruning, removal or other practical work, but it does not include a contracting quotation.

If you would like Connick Tree Care to price the recommendations, a separate process begins:

• You ask Connick’s contracting team to prepare a quotation
• An arboricultural surveyor or contracts manager reviews the report recommendations and the practical site requirements
• A separate written quotation is prepared
• You decide whether you wish to proceed

The Arboricultural Consultant does not price or sell the tree work recommended in their report.

Keeping consultancy advice separate from contracting quotations helps ensure recommendations remain objective and evidence based.

Three Different Professional Roles

Arboricultural Surveyor

Assesses trees in relation to possible practical work and prepares, or supports the preparation of, quotations. At Connick, these assessments are carried out by personnel holding the LANTRA Professional Tree Inspection qualification.

Arboricultural Consultant

Carries out defined surveys, investigations and assessments before presenting findings and recommendations in a formal written report. Consultants hold advanced arboricultural qualifications and work under professional indemnity insurance.

Arborist or Tree Surgery Operative

Carries out the practical tree work, including pruning, dismantling, planting and other tree care operations, once the work has been instructed and any necessary permissions have been obtained.

Which Service Do You Need?

• You’re concerned about a tree and want to know whether it needs work and what that work might cost. Request a Professional Tree Assessment.
• You need a formal written record of tree condition, risk or management recommendations. Commission a Tree Survey with Arboricultural Report.
• You need information for planning, development, insurance, mortgage, subsidence or legal purposes. Commission a tree survey with an Arboricultural Report.
• You already have a consultancy report recommending tree work and now need a price. Request a separate contracting quotation based on the report recommendations.
• You’re not sure which service you need. Tell us what you need advice for and we’ll direct your enquiry to the appropriate team.

The Key Point

A Professional Tree Assessment helps determine whether practical tree work should be quoted.

A Tree Survey and Arboricultural Report is a separate consultancy service that produces documented findings and recommendations.

Both services involve professional arboricultural judgement, but they are commissioned for different reasons and lead to different outcomes. Keeping these two routes separate ensures clients receive the right advice from the right professional, without confusing a quotation for tree work with a formal arboricultural report.

Since 1985, Connick Tree Care has been providing professional arboricultural advice to homeowners, housing associations, schools, commercial organisations and public sector clients across the South East.

Not sure which service you need? Don’t worry. Simply tell us what you’re trying to achieve and we’ll direct your enquiry to the right member of our team.