WASHINGTON — Before a tree falls or drops a limb on your home or a neighbor’s, it’s best to deal with those hazardous parts earlier, warns a consumer group that has tips for tree services.

“We recommend here at Checkbook that you get at least three estimates,” said Kevin Brasler, executive editor of Checkbook.org. “We find huge price variation from company to company.”

Mystery shoppers with Checkbook collected bids recently ranging between $1,700 and $3,500 for the exact same tree work. “There is no price-quality relationship here,” Brasler said. “Good companies quote low prices and [other] good companies quote high prices.”

Getting estimates isn’t a difficult process, and it won’t tie you up at homes for hours, Brasler added: “Tie a rope around the tree that you either want removed or pruned, and make sure the company understands what it is you need, and you don’t even need to be around for it.”

Other Checkbook tips for hiring a tree care company include:

• Making sure they’re insured: Liability insurance covers property damage and worker’s compensation insurance covers their own workers if there’s an accident.
• Asking whether full payment can be made after the work is done, to give you leverage if the work isn’t done correctly or on time.
• Getting agreements for exactly what work will be done in writing. Note whether tree removal includes stump grinding and/or wood removal.

Checkbook also has the warnings signs that your tree may be dying or needs attention:

• Roots pulled loose from the ground;
• A trunk that noticeably leans in one direction;
• Fungal growths on roots and/or the main trunk;
• Thinning or discolored leaves in the tree’s crown;
• Deep vertical cracks on opposite sides of the main trunk;
• Unusually deformed or deposits on leaves, limbs or bark;
• Sawdust from wood-boring insects munching inside the trunk;
• Branches more than 2 inches wide that are dead or have fallen.

Through a special arrangement with the nonprofit Washington Consumers’ Checkbook, WTOP.com readers can have a look at their rankings of local tree care services free of charge for a limited time.