Services & pricing
Consulting fees are the only revenue. Here they are.
Every fee is confirmed in writing before the visit. Same pricing as Urban Forestry Guide, because it's the same arborist and the same reports.
Wildfire Site Consultation
$375 verbal + email summary
$450 with a one-page written opinion
A 60–90 minute walk of the property with a certified arborist. You get the priorities on the spot, in plain terms, and a summary by email the same week.
- Zone 0 (0–5 ft), Zone 1 (5–30 ft), Zone 2 (30–100 ft) — what fails, what's fine
- Every tree within 30 ft of a structure: health, deadwood, roof and chimney clearance, ladder fuels under it
- Which trees are protected by your city and what that means for removal
- What your fire district inspector or insurer will flag first
- Paid at booking; visit within 7 days
Best for: "I got a notice and I want to know what actually matters," or "I'm about to spend $8,000 with a tree company and want a second opinion first."
Text to book
Defensible Space Plan
$850 single-family lot under ½ acre
The site consultation plus a written, zone-by-zone report you can hand to a contractor, an insurer, or your fire district. Larger parcels, slopes with multiple structures, and multi-parcel properties are quoted after a call.
- Photo-documented findings by zone, with a numbered priority list
- Tree-by-tree table for every tree within 30 ft: species, condition, action (keep / prune / limb-up / remove), permit required (yes / no / exempt)
- Species-specific guidance — what to replace junipers and bamboo with, what to do about the eucalyptus you're not allowed to remove
- Mulch, fence, and gate recommendations for Zone 0
- A seasonal maintenance schedule so the plan holds
- Cites the inspection standard your district uses, so the contractor and the inspector are reading the same thing
- 50% deposit on acceptance; delivered 7–10 business days after the visit
Insurance Documentation Package
$650 · post-work re-inspection letter $250
For a non-renewal notice, a mitigation demand, a wildfire-risk-score appeal, or a Safer from Wildfires discount request. Built to match what the carrier's inspector is looking for, not a generic checklist.
- Arborist letter on letterhead stating vegetation conditions by zone and the work completed or scoped
- Dated, labeled photo record (before and after if you've already done work)
- Compliance checklist mapped to the Safer from Wildfires property-level items and to your carrier's own mitigation list where published
- Guidance on what to send, to whom, and what to ask for in return
- Re-inspection letter after the work is done, so the file closes
If you only need someone to review the insurer's letter and photos you already have, start with a desk review.
Text to bookWhat this isn't
We are not an insurance agent, an IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home evaluator, or a guarantee of coverage. The package documents vegetation conditions to a professional standard; the carrier decides. See the insurance guide for how the pieces fit.
Who this helps most
Homeowners in a Very High or High Fire Hazard Severity Zone who've received a non-renewal or a conditional-renewal letter, and anyone applying for a Safer from Wildfires mitigation discount who wants the vegetation items done right the first time.
Fire-Mitigation Tree Permit
$750–1,250 arborist report, 1–3 trees
$750 permit filing · $600 with our report · +$100 each additional tree
Most Bay Area cities protect trees by species or size, and "it's a fire hazard" is rarely enough on its own. We write the arborist report to the city's checklist and, if you want, file the application and handle the notice and inspection.
- Report includes the site visit, the findings the city requires, and the replacement plan
- Permit filing within 5 business days of signed authorization; city fees at cost, listed separately
- Responses to city comments $350 per round; hearings and appeals $175/hr
- Multi-parcel and development reports from $1,650; Tree Protection Plans $2,500–4,500
- Hillsborough, Mill Valley, Sausalito, and East Palo Alto quoted after a call
Handled by Urban Forestry Guide, which has permit guides for 45 Bay Area cities. See which cities exempt fire-hazard removals before you assume you need one.
Text to book
Desk Review
Send the inspection notice or insurer letter plus photos. You get a written response within 3 business days: what's required, what's negotiable, and whether a site visit is worth it.
Email to start →HOA & Commercial Plans
Community-wide fuel assessment, mapped priorities, phased scope, and a board-ready report. Annual re-inspection retainers from $1,800.
HOA & commercial page →Hearings, boards, expert time
Planning commission hearings and appeals $175/hr. Expert witness, deposition, and court time $250/hr. Dispute and appraisal reports $850–2,500.
Dispute reports at UFG →Terms, in one place
- Fees are confirmed in writing before the visit. Consultations are paid at booking. Reports require a 50% deposit on acceptance, balance on delivery.
- Payment by Zelle or Venmo.
- Written reports are delivered 7–10 business days after the site visit. A 48-hour turnaround is available for single-tree reports at a surcharge agreed in advance.
- Trees added on site beyond the proposal are $75–85 each. Responses to city comments are $350 per round unless the proposal includes a revision round.
- City permit fees are separate and paid at cost.
- We do not sell, bid, manage, or refer tree work, and take no referral fees.
Questions we get
Why isn't the assessment free?
Because the free version already exists — your fire district, CAL FIRE, and most Fire Safe Councils will inspect at no charge. What you're paying for here is a certified arborist's written judgment, which is what an insurer, a planning department, or a contractor's bid needs. If you only want to know whether you'd pass, book the free inspection first and bring us the notice.
What's the difference between the $375 and $450 consultation?
Same visit. $375 gets a verbal walk-through and a short email summary. $450 adds a one-page written opinion on letterhead — enough for a contractor's bid or a quick answer to an insurer. If you later want the full plan from the same visit, it's $400 more, which is how the $850 Defensible Space Plan is built.
Do you credit the consultation toward a report?
The Defensible Space Plan already includes it ($450 + $400). A permit arborist report booked from the same visit is priced on its own schedule; ask when booking and we'll quote the combined number in writing.
How do I pay?
Consultations are paid at booking. Reports take a 50% deposit on acceptance, balance on delivery. Zelle or Venmo. Fees are confirmed in writing before the visit — no surprises on site.
Will you tell me which tree company to use?
No. We don't sell or refer tree work and we take no referral fees. The plan is written so any licensed contractor can bid it, and it carries no contractor's interest to the people you'll hand it to.
Do you serve outside the Bay Area?
Core area is Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties. Sonoma and Napa are quoted with travel; text with the address.