One spec. Every quote prices the same job.
Koala Tree’s certified arborist writes the standard for your tree work. You take it to any tree company. Your board compares like for like and approves the right work.
The problem
Three quotes. Three different jobs.
A board asks for tree work. You call three companies. Each one visits and quotes what it thinks is needed. One says remove, one says prune, one splits the difference.
Nobody quoted against the same standard, so the prices can’t be compared. The board picks the lowest number and hopes it was the right work.
- Take down both maples
- Stumps not mentioned
- “Trim and shape”
- No tree list
- Different trees again
- Clean-up extra
Illustration of a typical tender. Not real quotes.
Write the spec first. Then get the quotes.
An independent arborist decides what the trees need. Contractors compete on price and quality for that job, and nothing else.
Each company sets its own scope
Everyone prices one written spec
Start with advice. Add the plan. Get the work done.
Use one, two or all three. The retainer is where most of the value is.
Consulting arborist on retainer
Jason is the consulting arborist for the tree work across the properties you manage. When work is needed, he writes the spec and you tender it.
- Site assessments by a certified arborist
- Written specs and SOPs for each job
- Like-for-like bids from any contractor
- Plain answers for boards
Tree inventory and multi-year plan
Every tree on the property recorded, rated and prioritised, then turned into a year-by-year plan the board can budget for.
- Tree ID, species, size, condition and risk
- Priorities: what first, what can wait
- Site plan split into zones
- Yearly update to keep it current
Quotes for the work
Need the work done? Koala Tree quotes condo and multi-residential tree work, with its own crew and equipment.
- Pruning and removals
- Crane work and technical removals
- Stump grinding
- Plant health care
From “the board wants a quote” to a clean tender.
What you hand the contractors
A spec any tree company can price.
The spec names every tree, says exactly what to do to it and sets the site rules. Contractors can’t quietly add or drop work, and the board can see what it’s paying for.
- Tree IDs that match the site plan and inventory
- The work for each tree, in plain words
- What not to do (for example, no topping)
- Site rules: protection, closures, clean-up, insurance
- How to lay out the price, so bids line up
The document on the right is an example
Example work specificationFor tender to any contractor
Courtyard zone: pruning and removals
- Trees in scope
- T-01 to T-03, tagged and shown on the site plan
- T-01
- Remove to grade. Grind stump; backfill and seed.
- T-02
- Functional pruning: dead, damaged, crossing branches only
- T-03
- Reduce end weight on limbs over the walkway. No topping.
Site requirements
- Ground protection on lawns and walkways
- Walkway closed and signed during work
- All wood and debris removed the same day
- Contractor confirms insurance and WSIB before start
Price it as
- One line per tree, plus stump grinding as a separate line
- Total before HST, with HST shown
What the board sees.
Every tree recorded and rated. Then a plan that spreads the work over three years instead of one big bill.
Sample tree inventory
Example data · not a real property| Tree ID | Zone | Species | DBH | Condition | Risk | Recommended action | Priority | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-01 | Courtyard | Norway mapleAcer platanoides | 48 cm | Poor | High | Remove. Girdling roots. | P1 · Act now | Year 1 |
| T-02 | Courtyard | Honey-locustGleditsia triacanthos | 31 cm | Good | Low | Functional pruning | P3 · Routine | Year 1 |
| T-03 | Courtyard | Sugar mapleAcer saccharum | 56 cm | Fair | Moderate | Reduce end weight over walkway | P2 · Plan | Year 1 |
| T-04 | South side | Red pinePinus resinosa | 24 cm | Dead | High | Remove | P1 · Act now | Year 1 |
| T-05 | South side | LindenTilia americana | 40 cm | Fair | Moderate | Structural pruning; clear roofline | P2 · Plan | Year 2 |
| T-06 | South side | Blue-beechCarpinus caroliniana | 18 cm | Fair | Low | Functional pruning | P3 · Routine | Year 2 |
| T-07 | North side | Manitoba mapleAcer negundo | 35 cm | Poor | Moderate | Remove; replant in same bed | P2 · Plan | Year 1 |
| T-08 | North side | Colorado sprucePicea pungens | 29 cm | Good | Low | Raise canopy over parking | P3 · Routine | Year 3 |
Showing 4 of 8 example rows on mobile.
Split by zone, so the budget stays steady
The property is divided into zones. Safety removals happen in Year 1, then one zone is pruned each year. After Year 3 the cycle repeats, so each tree is pruned about every three years.
Zones residents see most, like a courtyard, usually go first.
Sample 3-year plan
Example layout · figures come from your inventoryRemovals and the courtyard
- P1 removals (4 trees)
- Prune courtyard zone (8 trees)
- Replant where trees come out
South side
- Prune south side zone (10 trees)
- Yearly assessment and inventory update
North side
- Prune north side zone (9 trees)
- Yearly assessment and inventory update
The cycle repeats
- Courtyard, then south, then north again
- Each tree pruned about every three years
- Spending stays steady year to year
Optional work, such as plant health care for soil and roots, is listed separately so the board can decide on it apart from the core plan. The board can move or split years.
Built for the people who sign off on tree work.
One arborist across your portfolio
Stop chasing three scopes for every request.
- One consulting arborist for every property you manage
- Specs you can send to any contractor
- Bids you can compare in one table
- A written record for every decision
Clear choices, in plain language
Know what you’re approving and why.
- What each tree needs, from a certified arborist
- Priorities by risk, so safety comes first
- A multi-year plan to budget against
- Fair comparison between contractors
Jason Korkidakis
Jason has run Koala Tree since 2020 and brings a decade of experience in professional tree care and more than 5,000 tree assessments to every spec he writes.
He is an ISA Certified Arborist (ON-3263A), TRAQ qualified for tree risk assessment and PPQ (Prescription Pruning Qualification) qualified for pruning, so risk ratings and priorities in your inventory are made on a recognised method, not a hunch.
When you also want Koala Tree to do the work
FAQ
Questions property managers ask
What does a consulting arborist on retainer actually do?
Jason is your go-to arborist for tree questions across the properties you manage. When a board or resident raises a tree issue, he assesses it, decides what work is needed and writes it up as a spec you can send to contractors.
Do we have to use Koala Tree for the work?
No. The spec is written so any qualified tree company can price it. You choose who to invite.
Can Koala Tree also quote the work?
If you want us to, yes. Koala Tree has its own 8-person crew, crane work, spider lift, chipper and chipper truck, mechanical lifting machines and a stump grinder. Whoever does the work, it’s priced against the same spec.
How is the retainer priced?
It depends on how many properties you manage and how you want to work. Talk to Jason and he’ll put together a proposal for your portfolio.
What’s the difference between the retainer and a tree inventory?
The retainer covers advice and specs as work comes up. The inventory records every tree on one property and turns it into a multi-year plan. Many boards start with an inventory, then use the retainer to tender each year’s work.
Can the plan change after the board approves it?
Yes. The board can move or split years. A yearly assessment keeps the inventory and plan up to date.
Let’s talk about your properties.
Tell us how many properties you manage and what’s coming up. Jason will call to talk through how a retainer could work for you.
Talk to Jason about a retainer
Fair bids start with one spec.
Talk to Jason about a consulting retainer, request a tree inventory for one property, or get a quote for work you already know you need.
Prefer to talk? Call 226-224-5877 · Mon to Fri, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm · info@koalatree.ca