I am not a client but am writing this review based on my brief experience, so take it for what it's worth...I requested a quote through Yelp and received a response from James within only a couple of minutes. While he very politely informed me that the services I was looking for are unfortunately outside of his focus, he gave me some referrals and detailed recommendations on where I might be able to find what I'm looking for and wished me well. In this age of diminishing customer service given to actual paying customers, it's refreshing to find someone who will spend some time and effort to assist someone even if they are not a fit for his business. Very professional, and a class act in my book. read more

I contacted James, who was highly recommended by our Country Club General Manager and COO about a large tree in our front yard. James could not have been any nicer and helpful. He offered me a choice of sending him some pictures of the tree in question and then we could discuss, @ no charge, or we would set up an appt. for him to come out to the house. I sent him pictures and I received a call from him within 30 min. I never expected a call so fast. I was just hoping for a call next week. James informed me of the kind of tree it was and actually gave me some facts about that tree I never knew. He provided a risk assessment, as I was concerned about safety if we are underneath the tree. He was very thorough and knowledgeable and I think he really enjoys what he does! I HIGHLY recommend James @ Class One Arboriculture! Thank you, James! read more

I was worried I had termites infesting a large tree on my property. The only person on Yelp who helped me was James. James and I spoke. I sent him pictures of the tree. And he consulted me on the phone. In less than 30 minutes I was stress free. Great help. read more

I was concerned about a set of potentially dying trees in my backyard. I'm very happy to have discovered James at Class One Arboriculture on Yelp. He responded within an hour to my inquiry. I sent him 5 photos and he answered all of my questions / concerns. He even advised me on the proper methods in pruning and irrigation. Very fortunate to have met this professional and wish we had engaged with him sooner. Will definitely contact again for all things arboriculture related. read more

Class One Arboriculture - Tree Services Near Me

See all

Excellent experience (like everyone else, it seems!). Extremely responsive (talked with James on the phone less than two hours after reaching out via yelp). James is knowledgeable, wise, and responsive to specific concerns. I didn't really know where to start with caring for some large trees on my property and in a matter of minutes James gave me a good idea of how to proceed along with helpful explanations. Highly recommended! read more

Someone called me minutes after inquiring information. I received a preliminary diagnosis over the phone after sending photos and advice how to proceed. There was no hard sell or pushy suggestions, just good solid advice on how to move forward. read more

I called James the other day because my wife and I were worried about woodpeckers who had all of the sudden decided to attack our much loved 50 foot plus cedar tree that shades the whole front of our house. After reading on the web about why this was possibly happening, I turned to Yelp to see if there was someone with good reviews in my area that I should call to have come out and take a look. I chose to call James because of his solid 5 star reviews and his proximity to my home. When he called me back he put me at ease about what was happening and didn't try to sell me on him coming out to actually look at the tree since what was happening was normal and not really anything to worry about. Free advice from a nice knowledgeable professional :) If I have any future tree problems--which I hope I don't, I wouldn't hesitate to call on James again for advice or a visit if needed. read more

I had a conversation with James and within minutes he had given me sound advice on next steps, including reaching out to some available resources from the city to try to get a proper diagnosis for a tree on our property that may have issues. He also provided the information for various services that we could trust, should the eventual diagnosis deem any action necessary. Right off the bat he rattled off very detailed knowledge about the specific species of tree in question and our potential issue in particular, and explained aspects of trees in an accessible way that in all my years I didn't know. I will be consulting with him again without question if I ever again need an expert opinion on a tree. read more

I called today after seeing these great Yelp reviews and I was not disappointed. A large pine tree in my front yard had a branch broken in the recent windstorms and I was concerned it may be dangerous. James called me back within 20 minutes and was both professional and polite. He listened to my concerns about the large pine tree in our front yard and asked me to text him a few pictures. Thirty seconds after I sent the photos he called me back, identified the tree for me, and told me all of its characteristics. Turns out my tree is a low risk tree that requires minimal pruning. James also shared the Glendale city fire clearance rules with me so I could be aware of how high to trim it off of the roof area (five feet), and he actually recommended that we go with a different, cheaper crew to safely remove the broken branch. I am thoroughly impressed with this company's professionalism, responsiveness, and unselfish desire to help. Top marks! read more

Amazing arborist! Completely honest and integral. Highly recommend!! Was looking to trim our oak trees, and he saved us a lot of money. He's licensed too! read more

James is super helpful and basically an encyclopedia of tree knowledge! We had some concern over a pine tree in the front yard and he responded right away was so very helpful and knowledgeable. He gave us the best advice and was very professional and polite. Hes also extremely articulate and well studied on trees so if you need help with a tree, look NO further- Consider yourself lucky if youre reading this because you are in the BEST hands! Thanks James for all your hard work. read more

James is fantastic! I had my neighbor's avocado tree trimmed down as I've been doing for many years with no problem. This time, however, the tree really suffered damage. I texted James along with a picture of the poor tree and he got back to me quickly. His knowledge is very impressive and I got an excellent tutorial on avocado trees, what had happened, and what to do about it. He's the man!!! read more

I have an oak tree which is not looking well. I contacted four tree specialists, one of which was Class One Arboriculture. James Komen contacted me and said to send him some photos of the tree, which I did. He later advised by phone that the tree was coming back and that I shouldn't do anything. He then gave me four things to absolutely not do. The four things, ironically, included two that another company had recommended and which would have cost $1100! I'll contact Class One later when I need to have some of my trees pruned. read more

Let me start by saying I love my trees!!! Moved into my home about 3 years ago and this is the first time the look of my trees has worried me. I couldn't bare to lose my trees. And so when I found the great reviews on Class One Arboriculture, I gave them a call. James was great, he's very knowledgeable. He's helpful and honest. He told me I didn't have anything to worry about. He gave me a lot of helpful tips and suggestions. He put my mind at ease. Response time....impeccable!!! read more

I called Class One Arboriculture because I thought they do tree pruning. James was very courteous but they don't prune trees. They only provide advice or consultation. Nevertheless, he was very attentive and did not brush me off. Thank you James. read more

As with your own health, a second opinion's a good idea when you need to make critical decisions quickly. James provided that second opinion -- right away, over the phone, and with true compassion for the health of the living centerpiece of our front yard. One more question: Do they give out Nobel Prizes for such excellent care? read more

This review is strictly related to the customer service.. and wow! Talk about great customer service! I was in need of trimming a few cypress trees in order to increase the solar window for a homeowner in Los Angeles. As I was new to this, I reached out to an arborist in the area for a quote. I received almost an immediate call back to my Yelp quote request. The gentleman was kind enough to explain that he was a master certified arborist and that my job did not require his skill set. He gave me some great tips on finding another company to assist me and went so far as to suggest tips on how to make sure that we don't kill the homeowner's trees. Thank you kindly for the assistance! read more

Excellent recommendation / service from James at Class One. Contacted him about fungus growth on one of our oak trees, fearing the worst. James had me text him some pics and we conducted a brief telephone interview where he informed me condition was sapwood rot from large section cut many years ago. No need for concern, no action to be taken, no charge from James for his time / expertise. Refreshing "small town doc" service for our oak tree - will use him in an instant when needed in the future! read more

James was referred to us by another very professional arborist (The Swedish Arborist in Upland). We are putting a pool in the yard and wanted to make sure we had the best info we could get on whether the pool would adversely impact our coral tree, which we LOVE. James was incredibly fast in responding to us, displayed in-depth expertise about a great many trees (including the coral tree), and practical best of all. While he couldn't guarantee our tree's long term health, he gave us ideas on how we could increase the odds of success. I only wish all service providers could deliver this type of customer service and professionalism. I would recommend him to anyone in a heart beat. We'll also be asking him to come out in a few months to evaluate other trees. Don't hesitate... if you have a question about a tree you even remotely care about, CALL HIM! read more

We have a large tree that was leaning & was recommended to be removed / heavily trimmed by a couple of others. We spoke with James & after listening to our concerns he educated us on the specifics of our tree species & told us how to properly assess the risk of the tree moving forward. He is obviously the most knowledgeable person I've ever spoken to about trees. I'd call him a tree nerd--and that's a good thing. I highly recommend his services & he has my business going forward. He's like the auto mechanic who could've charged you $500 to fix an issue, but was honest & told you just a minor adjustment was needed. 3 thumbs up!! read more

Contacted them regarding a stone pine we had and our concern over construction near the roots. Responsive, fair, honest and seems to know what he's talking about. What else could you ask for? read more

Called about an issue with our elm tree. James called back about 30 minutes later. Looked up my address on Google Earth and he was able to answer my questions and concerns. I had called other companies who advertised as arborists, but they just wanted to provide trimming services. Highly recommend these professionals. read more

James is the real deal in terms of being a knowledgable and passionate arborist! He gave me advice on the phone that I didn't even know I needed in regards to a large Sycamore tree in my front yard. I really appreciated his time and point of view! read more

Count me another fan of James! The leaves on my carrotwood tree had started curling up and getting discolored. James immediately responded to my Yelp query, asked me to send photos and he quickly diagnosed it as powdery mildew. He said it was an aesthetic problem, not significant to the tree's health, and to prune the dead leaves. "No need to take further action," he texted. "Sure you can spend money to spray the tree...But sometimes less is more." All free of charge. He's as awesome as other Yelpers said. Thank you James! read more

James responded very quickly to my Yelp inquiry and was available to meet within a week. He is extremely knowledgeable and took the time to answer all of my questions and make sure I understood everything I wanted to. I will continue to use Class One Arboriculture if I have any future tree-related needs. Highly recommend! read more

James Komen has an impressive knowledge about the health and management of a variety of trees including fruit, ornamentals and protected California Natives. One of just a few Master Consulting Arborists in the area, he doesn't do trimming or pest control- just gives insightful and useful advice. There's no pressure about selling services. He's incredibly well versed in the rules and regulations concerning trees and was able to help us resolve a difficult situation with a neighbor concerning 100 year old sycamores near our property line. I highly recommend James Komen, Class One Arboriculture. read more

So lucky to have found James. He left no doubt as to his expertise. He listened attentively and gave advice, at no charge, over the phone regarding sticky sap (Aphid) covering our trees and the whole property. I am so grateful to have found him on yelp and highly recommend him. :) read more

James, thank you for giving us your honest, educated advice about one of our trees. You were quick to respond and easy to talk to. Thanks to you, we won't be uprooting it but simply trimming it back. You saved us money and grief. read more

Amazing! Quick reply. SUPER helpful. Extremely knowledgeable. Top notch, the best! James gave freely and willingly of his advice knowledge and time. He truly wants to be helpful. After skillfully assessing my situation, including going online reviewing County forms, he advised me I would be better off getting someone closer to me. He is not afraid of the competition and does not seek to "sell" you. Class A1 service or he puts the customer back in "customer service" read more

If there were an electoral process for arborists, I'd go to all of James Komen's conventions with a big button. We wanted an arborist to come look at multiple ailing trees on our property in North Hollywood and who could work with us on selecting replacement trees that were, preferably, native to Southern California. I looked up names on isa-arbor.com's Find an Arborist tool and found several arborists who worked in our area. I called just about all of them and just about all of them responded, but James had the first availability (and I think may have been the very first to call back). During the consultation, I was impressed by James' seriousness, commitment, and knowledge. He spent more than an hour with us and I think he looked at just about every single tree and shrub we had, not just the ones we called about. I learned a lot. James is very smart but not a know-it-all, and he has an understanding of certain landscaping politics in Los Angeles that I really appreciated. He is not a militant or faddish "nativist" by any means, but he understood and respected my preferences. I believe he is more engaged by trees themselves than by any particular trends in garden design. I liked that about him, too. At the end of our consultation, James proposed that we work together on finding native trees and large shrubs that I liked that would work on the site and that, if I wanted to, after we had decided on the best ones, he and his crew could also do the planting in the fall. And that's just what we did over some months, and it has been a very satisfying experience. James was always willing to look at my suggestions, was completely open to considering trees he hadn't necessarily worked with before, was patient with my sometimes very busy schedule and/or oddball questions, and was also always direct and honest when I suggested a tree that he did not think would work or that might be prone to certain diseases or other issues. His crew did the planting over just about two days in early December and the specimens are beautifully planted and securely staked where necessary (and I have been very grateful of this during some of the windy days and nights this winter). In addition, they set up soaker hoses around the drip line of each tree with very specific instructions on how much to water and how often (with the understanding that, as James put it, a lot about irrigation can be "trial and error" and requires some monitoring and attention on the caretaker's part.) Neither of us were actually able to be home during the majority of those two days and it went just fine. I've read James' other reviews on the site and agree with all of them and think they do him justice--and am very glad to see him getting the praise and appreciation he deserves. I still consult with James by email and will be hiring him again for a follow-up site visit in the fall. Trees are probably one of the most important elements of any landscape and I think you definitely want to get the best arborist you can. You'd be very lucky to get to work with James. read more

James is very nice and knowledgeable. We sent him an email and some photos of our juniper tree that has browning branches. He was very thorough when explaining what the cause was and what our options were. As a follow up he also called us to further explain the biology behind what was happening to our tree. We would recommend James if you have any questions or problems with your trees that require a professional opinion. read more

I found James at Class One Arboriculture through a Yelp search and was blown away with his personalized service. He is extremely knowledgeable, and spend time speaking with me about my tree and my options. He is a personable guy who is patient and well-versed. I was thoroughly impressed! I highly recommend him, and would not hesitate to call him again for his services. Five stars ! ! ! read more

James came to our home yesterday and took the time to assess each of our many trees in detail. He gave us easy to follow information to help them become healthy again. He was very specific and explained how trees absorb the water and sunlight, so necessary to their well-being. We highly recommend his services and look forward to seeing our trees prosper. read more

James gave us some information about our crêpe myrtles and he assured us that what we were seeing was normal. He was professional, returned the call immediately and we would use him again in a moment. The Smiths read more

I contacted James after learning of his stellar reputation in the community. He blew my (high) expectations away. His breadth of knowledge, passion and experience with trees was immediately evident to me. He is highly articulate, detailed, and able to reference the latest research on fertilizers, dangers, treatments, etc. He was extremely helpful and informative, and saved me a TREMENDOUS amount of money. I cannot recommend him strongly enough. read more

I had some concerns about big trees in my front yard and the foundation of my house. James was extremely helpful, we went over my options and the process' I might consider with my existing trees. He was great, I'd use him again anytime. He'll give you great information and it's not like he's just trying to gain your business he actually cares. read more

James was very helpful giving advice by phone consultation for my avocado tree. Seems very knowledgeable and gave me great tips on how to care for it. read more

Wow! James was so prompt and communicative! He gave me so much great information! I didn't have a problem with my mature redwood, but I just bought my first home and wanted to make sure I was caring for it appropriately. Over the phone he told me how to prevent any issues without charging a fee or scheduling a costly inconvenient appointment. This level of care, attention, and lack of...well...greed makes me put his company on the top of my list should I need their services. I feel assured that they really know what they're talking about and that their pricing is fair. read more

I so appreciated James help deciding what to do with the trees in the yard of the house I just bought. There are a couple that are huge and a little shaggy looking. I uploaded several photos and he was able to give me advice as to the best way to start helping them out! read more

During the Covid 19 shelter-in-place order the sycamores in my front yard shed their brand new Spring leaves and looked as though they were on death's door. This would have been depressing under any circumstance, but it felt particularly ominous in this context. Panicked, I wrote James at Class One. He requested photos of the trees and then patiently walked me through possible causes and told me what to look for on the phone for the better part of an hour. His depth of knowledge about, and passion for trees was evident as was his kindness and generosity. After the call I was much better informed and a lot calmer. Can't recommend Class One Arboriculture highly enough. BTW, the trees have recovered. read more