Questions people ask
before they engage.

Most residential tree risk assessments run $350–$650 for a single tree or a small cluster on one property. The variables that move the price:

• Number of trees being assessed
• Site access complexity
• Whether advanced diagnostics (resistograph, sonic tomography) are warranted
• Report turnaround time

Development and construction projects requiring formal permit-ready arborist reports — with full inventory, mapping, and ordinance analysis — typically start at $750 and scale with project scope. Litigation support and expert witness engagements are billed at an hourly rate.

There is no flat fee that applies to every job. Contact us with specifics and you'll get a real number, not a range.

Standard turnaround is 5–7 business days from site visit to written report delivery. For straightforward single-tree assessments, often faster. Rush turnaround (2–3 business days) is available and carries a fee.

Development projects with large tree inventories or complex permit documentation typically require 10–15 business days. If you have a permit deadline, state it when you inquire — we'll tell you whether we can meet it.

We offer a brief phone or email consultation at no charge. In that conversation we'll help you identify the right deliverable for your situation — risk assessment, arborist report, TPZ plan, or expert witness engagement — and give you a fee estimate.

What we do not do in an initial consultation: provide a formal risk rating, a written opinion, or anything that functions as a professional deliverable. Those require a site visit and a signed engagement.

Primary service area is Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties. Within those counties we work across all cities and unincorporated areas: San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, Sausalito, Fairfax, Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Healdsburg, Napa, St. Helena, Calistoga, and the rest.

For litigation support, expert witness work, and complex construction-impact cases, we travel outside the North Bay when the assignment warrants it. If you're outside the primary service area, contact us — we'll tell you whether we can take the engagement.

The ISA TRAQ methodology defines three assessment levels by intensity and documentation depth:

• Level 1 — Limited Visual Assessment: A walkthrough of a large area to identify trees with obvious defects. Appropriate for screening many trees quickly — a large property, a municipal park, a corporate campus.
• Level 2 — Detailed Visual Assessment: The standard for most individual-tree assignments. A close-up visual inspection from ground level, documenting species, size, defects, site conditions, and target exposure, resulting in a formal ISA risk rating. This is what most residential and commercial engagements require.
• Level 3 — Advanced Assessment: Adds diagnostic tools — resistograph drilling, sonic tomography, aerial inspection — when Level 2 findings reveal potential internal defects that require quantification. Reserved for cases where the data genuinely justifies the added cost.

Most development projects require Level 2 across an entire tree inventory. If Level 3 is warranted, we'll say so and explain why.

See also: What's inside a TRAQ report — an annotated walkthrough of every section, with sample report lines.

These are different deliverables for different situations:

• Tree Risk Assessment (ISA TRAQ): When the question is whether a tree is likely to fail and injure someone or damage property. Produces a formal risk rating and mitigation recommendations. Appropriate for liability concerns, insurance claims, and pre-purchase due diligence.
• Arborist Report: A broader written evaluation used for permit applications, HOA disputes, real estate transactions, or any situation where a jurisdiction or party requires a credentialed professional's written opinion about tree condition, value, or treatment. May or may not include a TRAQ risk rating depending on scope.
• Tree Protection Plan (TPP / TPZ plan): Specific to construction and development. Documents how protected trees will be preserved during grading, excavation, and construction. Required by most North Bay jurisdictions before approving demolition or building permits near trees. See also: Tree Protection Zones in North Bay Construction.

If your city's permit conditions specify what they need, send them to us — we'll tell you exactly which deliverable covers it.

No. CanopyMetrics does not perform pruning, removal, cabling, or any other tree care work. We do not contract or refer tree work, and we have no financial relationship with any tree service company.

This is intentional. An assessor who also sells removal services has a direct conflict of interest: their recommendation to remove generates revenue for them. Our recommendations — whether to remove, retain, prune, or monitor — reflect only what the evidence supports. Read more about why independence matters.

Yes. We provide litigation support, expert witness services, and deposition testimony in arboricultural matters: tree failure cases, construction-damage disputes, boundary tree conflicts, negligent pruning, and related matters.

Engagements typically begin with document and evidence review, followed by a written expert opinion if retained as a testifying expert. We work for both plaintiff and defense. Our reports are written to withstand cross-examination — they cite ISA standards, ANSI A300, and published methodology rather than relying on subjective professional impression.

If you are an attorney, submit a structured intake to capture matter type, jurisdiction, deadline, and opposing counsel — and we'll respond within one business day.

It depends on the jurisdiction and the tree. Marin County, Sonoma County, and Napa County each have their own ordinances — and the cities within those counties (San Rafael, Novato, Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Sonoma, Healdsburg, Napa, St. Helena) add additional layers on top.

Protected species, trunk diameter thresholds (DBH), and heritage designations vary by jurisdiction. In many areas, a tree above a certain diameter requires a permit before removal regardless of where it sits on your property. In others, the trigger is species-based. In some, both.

Assume you need a permit until you've verified otherwise. Our North Bay tree ordinance reference guide covers all 10 major jurisdictions with permit triggers, protected species, and arborist report requirements. For a definitive answer about your specific tree, contact the relevant planning department — or engage us to advise on permit requirements as part of a broader assessment.

Planning departments typically want the following in a compliant arborist report:

• Tree species, DBH, and height for each tree in the project area
• Current condition rating (Good / Fair / Poor / Dead)
• Statement of whether each tree is protected under the local ordinance
• Assessment of how the proposed project affects each tree
• Mitigation or replacement recommendation for trees to be removed
• For trees to be retained: a Tree Protection Plan specifying fencing, construction protocols, and root zone protections

Some jurisdictions require specific inventory forms, specific plot plans, or signed declarations. We are familiar with the requirements of all 10 major North Bay jurisdictions. If your jurisdiction has requirements we haven't encountered, we'll find out before the report is finalized — not after. Send us the permit conditions and we'll confirm coverage before you engage.

Construction damage to trees — soil compaction, root cutting, bark abrasion, grade changes — is one of the most common causes of tree decline and failure, and it is frequently not visible for 2–5 years after the damage occurs.

If a tree was within the construction zone, the first step is a post-construction assessment to document the damage, estimate the tree's prognosis, and determine whether a tree protection plan was required and followed. If permits were required and violated, that creates liability exposure. In litigation or insurance contexts, we can provide a written opinion on causation and tree value.

If you are a developer or contractor: a Tree Protection Plan established before grading begins is far less expensive than remediation or litigation afterward. Contact us to get one in place.

Currently held:

• ISA Certified Arborist — Utility Specialist: A specialty-level ISA certification recognizing advanced knowledge in arboriculture as applied to utility and infrastructure contexts. Distinct from — and beyond — the base ISA Certified Arborist credential.
• ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ): The qualification required to perform and sign structured tree risk assessments under ISA methodology.

In progress, not yet conferred:

• ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist (RCA) candidacy: The American Society of Consulting Arborists' highest consulting designation, requiring documented consulting experience, written examination, and peer review. We will update this page when the RCA is conferred.

We do not claim credentials we do not hold. Full credential and methodology details are on our About page.

Yes. Reports from CanopyMetrics are signed by an ISA Certified Arborist holding the TRAQ qualification — the standard credential requirement for arborist reports across all three county planning departments and the cities within them. Reports follow ISA Best Management Practices and cite ANSI A300 standards, which satisfies the substantive requirements planning departments look for.

Individual jurisdictions have specific formatting requirements — some require specific tree inventory forms, plot plans, or signed declarations. We are familiar with the requirements of all 10 major North Bay jurisdictions. If your jurisdiction has requirements we haven't encountered, we'll identify and satisfy them before the report is finalized.