This review is quite belated and my apologies to Jeff for that oversight. A Better Tree Service has attended to two tree removals for us, the first an Ornamental Pear and the second, more recently, a thick Dedora cedar. On both occasions, Jeff's crew was knowledgeable, friendly, and quick about their work. Not only did they remove and grind the stumps per our contracts, but their cleanup was exemplary as well. But the second service call, the cedar, tells best the story of ABTS' commitment to service & customer satisfaction best. Prior to contracting the second time with ABTS, I received removal bids from five tree services (ABTS included). Out of those five, only Jeff (the owner of ABTS) thought to contact the utilities (8-1-1) to determine if the removal & stump grinding might conflict with cables, wiring, or pipes. It's a good thing he did too, as there were several concerns that could have been extremely problematic if they'd remained unknown. Above and beyond the call of duty could well be the motto for ABTS too. Not only did they drop the tree, but they also reduced the large pieces to 16" rounds for me so that I can later maul them down into firewood. But then, also at my bequest, they drove the chipper to the opposite side of my property and unloaded the chippings for my use as mulch. And they did it all in a safe, friendly, and most professional fashion. Bottom line: Would I hire A Better Tree Service again? In a heart beat. I HIGHLY recommend them to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, affordable, and efficient tree service. read more

I'll start with the eight or nine guys who showed up to work on the tree this morning. They spent about six hours working in three yards, thinning a healthy, long-limbed, sixty-five-foot valley oak. They were friendly, respectful, and serious about doing a great job. They worked well together, looked out for each others' safety and the safety of our properties, and sent a few guys fifty-plus feet up the tree, way the heck out on limbs, carefully trimming and dropping or lowering tree parts as needed. They cleaned up extremely well behind them, then hung some swing-set chains from a high limb for one of my neighbors. Nice crew, every one of them. They got the job because a week earlier Jeff Strader showed up to educate me and two neighbors about the tree. Jeff addressed our various tree concerns in each of the three yards the tree hangs over, gave us an estimate broken down based on the workload on each property, and impressed us enough that he would do a professional job, that my neighbors and I committed to the work on the spot. In between Jeff's consultation and the tree crew's appearance I did business on the phone a few times with Michelle, Grace, and Laurie (or Laura?). They were as friendly and accommodating as Jeff and his crew. Thanks, everyone! The tree looks great, I appreciate how easy you are to work with, and I'm happy to recommend A Better Tree Service. read more

About a month ago, a man knocked on my door and told me that three trees in my front yard were dead as well as a big tree in my backyard and that they all needed to be cut down. I was immediately worried but didn't have the time or money to do anything right then. I became more and more worried since then so I finally called for a certified arborist to come take a look. Jeff came and immediately made me feel at ease. He is a very nice, genuine, personable and funny man. I told him I didn't have a huge budget for trees and he was very understanding. He told me that NONE of my 4 trees were dead nor did they need to be cut down. He was very knowledgable and put my brain, and my wallet, at ease with all of the positive signs he pointed out that meant my trees were not gonners. He said that some of the trees could benefit from trimming but that nothing needed to be done right now. He also told me that if I was to do anything, which was most important to do first and why. He couldn't have been more clear or understanding or compassionate to my situation. I would definitely reccomend Jeff if you want a GOOD and HONEST person to take care of your trees. read more

I found A Better Tree Service on Google looking for tree trimming. I needed some limbs cut to allow sun to penetrate my garden. Jeff came out and gave me a bid. He was very friendly and easy to talk to. He was very willing to hand over valuable information he acquired over the years for FREE! They came out and cut, but there was still too much shade. His guys came back out, cut the tree to my liking and threw in some landscaping on my garden for a great price. That was last year. This year I needed some landscaping done. Jeff came out once again and was very helpful with sharing his knowledge. They no longer do landscaping but he referred me to someone. On the way out he noticed a dead tree in my yard had some red fungus growing on it, and he advised me to get it removed ASAP to avoid potential problems. They came out today, and did a great job. lots of teamwork and they made extra effort to make sure the job was done correctly and efficiently. Jeff is my go to guy when it comes to trees. You can't find a better tree service than A Better Tree Service. read more

I have a very large Modesto ash that is covered in mistletoe and was dropping all its leaves. I called A Better Tree Service to get an expert opinion on that tree and 14 others on the property I just purchased. Jeff came over and spent over an hour checking everything out. He uncovered a significant problem with the large tree in my front yard. A huge branch is unsupported on one side and, should it fail, would fall smack in the middle of my house. It will require a cable support. Jeff gave me a number of recommendations for things I can now do to improve the health of my trees, plants, and shrubs. He has given me a lot of mulch, recommended reference material, and answered numerous questions to coach me through the smaller projects. I look forward to the fall when he'll come to work on the trees. As mentioned in previous reviews, Jeff has a positive attitude that is infectious. I like his natural approach to nature. If you are in need of a tree specialist I strongly recommend A Better Tree Service. read more

It's not often that I take the time to do a review. I had this tree company out to my house 2 or 3 years ago after a great deal of looking around--- getting estimates, checking on insurance with the Dept. of Consumer Affairs, etc.. Everything was great; I made a good choice. So I chose Jeff Strader and his company again this time--- for a job they just finished minutes ago. An 8-man crew came out and, quite honestly, I couldn't have been more impressed---on a number of levels: 1. The wholesomeness of all the men 2. Their work ethic was amazing: They were a real team, all knew what to do, no waste of time, and a MOST thorough cleanup (I have grandkids and didn't want little twigs all over the place!) 3. Their friendliness FYI: Jeff comes to your house to do the "diagnosing" and he "speaks for the trees"!! He was not one of the crew but he will see this review. You won't go wrong picking this outfit. read more

My fiance and I recently bought our first home and we were feeling overwhelmed by the large task ahead of us: keeping our landscape in the same condition. We had no idea what we were doing. I met with Jeff for a consultation, and I now know more about the trees on my property than most people learn in a lifetime. He was so knowledgable about the safety of our trees (some are close to the house), but also genuinely cared about their health. More importantly, Jeff took the time to share his knowledge with me. He explained what to expect from our trees: what to watch for, and what to look forward to (we have a beautiful male gringo). Jeff's personality is the reason I'm writing this review. He was just great to be around. He was relatable, super nice to my dog, and just an overall happy guy. He'll be our arborist for life. read more

We had an 18 foot dead liquid amber tree in our backyard and I called A Better Tree Service because of the amazing reviews on here and because I knew Jeff from a previous job. Jeff came out to do a free estimate and he spent an hour with me reviewing my yard going over the importance of hiring a business that can show proof of liability and insurance and reinforcing the importance of the safety of his men. He is so personable and professional!! The men showed up at 8 and finished at 1145. Due to the size of the tree and that it was dead, there was a little collateral damage to our fence which they fixed right on the spot!!!!! Wow!!!! All do the men were professional, efficient and kind. They did an amazing job from start to finish, and my yard actually looks cleaner then when they started. ;) Thank you !! read more

These guys are AWESOME!!! Communication was great. We got a call to let us know they were on the way. They arrived right at the agreed time with a sense of humor and smiles on their faces. They were highly professional bringing all necessary tools. The crew went right to work on our unsightly sumac tree which had spread and entangled across two neighboring fences. They were efficient and neat carrying away branches. The cleaning was amazing. They raked and went over the area with a lawn blower. They even skimmed the pool 3 times. Our neighbors yards were also left spotless. Several of the men were vets having done tours in Iraq. Its been a while since I've heard "yes ma'am" from a gentleman. We were so pleased with the job they did and would highly recommend them. read more

I called Jeff based on the recommendations that I read about his company on this site. We have large pine trees that took a hit during this drought period. They had turned a browning type color and I already accepted that there would be lots of trimming, topping and chopping of these trees. Jeff showed up and walked me though the problems that the trees were having. Turns out for now that the problem is just a lack of water and that the trees are ok. Just thirsty. Jeff is so easy going, nice and knowledgeable that my mind was put at ease. I could have called another company and they would of been happy to trim and chop the $$$ away. Jeff really wants these trees to be healthy. You will be in good hands with Jeff.... that I promise. read more

I planned to remove and replace my garage and driveway slabs which were cracked and heaving due to tree roots from my 55 year old camphor trees. I needed to know if removing the roots under the demolished driveway would significantly injure or kill the tree. Arborists Lori Romero and Jeffrey Strader came out and provided sound advice and assurance that the roots could be removed without long term damage to my tree. It was the assurance I needed to proceed with the project. They are both very knowledgeable and truly care about the trees that our city is internationally known for. I would recommend them without reservation for all of your tree service needs. read more

24 hour emergency tree service in Sacramento. Jeff is awesome! He is extremely knowledgeable in tree service. He's more of an artist with his craft as well as very professional. On top of all of that, he's a very nice human being. His prices are reasonable and he and his crew show up and get the job done correctly and efficiently. A breath of fresh air. He came over on a Friday night of a holiday weekend to give me peace of mind that the branch I hear cracking will hold til Saturday morning. Now I can sleep easier tonight. To top it off he gave us a soaker house to keep the tree hydrated. I highly recommend this tree service. read more

Jeff stopped by today to give me a quote and I can tell everyone loud and clear...he knows his stuff. His attention to detail and his explanation was way more than I had expected. Another thing, if you have a fruit tree he becomes your instant best friend. He not only gave me a fair and reasonable quote but took the time to tend to a new one year old fruit tree I planted last spring. The smile on his face and the joy he had doing that for me was a true pleasure to witness. I can't wait to see this years crop. Conclusion: If you want the best call Jeff. read more

I called at 4:15 on Friday night regarding a split tree at my mother's house in danger of falling on powerlines and the neighbor's house. Jeff was there within 45 minutes, determined the issue was a smud problem, called the utility himself, and arranged to have them come and take care of the tree. So although I have not had an opportunity to use their service, I will certainly call them for any future needs and recommend them to anyone seeking service simply based on their responsiveness and integrity. read more

We are so pleased with the performance of Jeff and his team. We only wish we had known of them two years ago when we had another company do a "less than stellar" trim job. Jeff's knowledge and professionalism gave us great confidence in their ability to properly thin out a very large tree in our backyard that is located precariously close to our house. If you need a good arborist, don't waste time getting bids, just call A Better Tree Service for genuine expertise and great service! read more

Jeff is amazing! My neighbor hired Jeff to trim the trees between our yards. This has been a sore spot between us and Jeff was very understanding of the situation. He did a great job and was able to make us both happy. Jeff went above and beyond what was required of him. The love for his job really shows in his attitude and work. I highly recommend A Better Tree Service; you will not be disappointed. read more

I have known Jeff and Michelle Strader for over 15 years and they have been my tree service all that time too. Yep all the kind reviews here are true and then some. Jeff does know his stuff about trees and he has a knowledgeable crew as well. He is a fine person, a fair business man, an excellent family man, a good friend, but most of all he is a man of God. read more

These folks did a fantastic job estimating the cost of tree work needed at a home I was thinking of purchasing. Their accurate estimate was one of the reasons I pulled out of the house purchase because the seller was unwilling to share the cost! I eventually found another house and will use these folks for all my tree needs at the new house. read more

We love these folks! They obviously care about their work, and about trees. They have helped us get the trees on our newly purchased property back into good health, and check in periodically to see how we are doing. I have great confidence in Jeff and his crew to make sure our trees are getting the care they need! read more