What TRAQ actually measures
Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) is the ISA's standard method. It evaluates three things: the likelihood the tree (or a part of it) fails, the likelihood it then hits a target (people, house, car, road), and the consequences if it does. Combined, those produce a defensible risk rating — low, moderate, high, or extreme — instead of a gut feeling.
When you need a formal assessment
Most Richardson homeowners never need a formal report — a standard arborist visit covers basic risk. You need the formal TRAQ version when a permit or HOA requires documented risk, when insurance is involved (post-storm or a pre-claim), when a commercial property needs liability documentation, or when a heritage-tree removal is being contested.
What we inspect
A TRAQ assessment examines lean, root-plate condition, trunk and union defects, decay (sounded and, when needed, measured with a resistance drill), canopy and deadwood, site history and recent changes, and the targets beneath the tree and how often they are occupied. Each factor is documented with photos and measurements.
The written report
A formal report includes a tree-by-tree assessment with photos, measured data, defect descriptions, target analysis, the risk rating with justification, recommended mitigation, and the arborist's signature and credential numbers. These reports are accepted by Texas courts, insurance carriers, municipal permitting offices, and HOA boards across Collin County.
Mitigation — usually not removal
A high-risk rating does not automatically mean removal. Most risk can be reduced by pruning to lighten end-weight, installing cables or braces, removing a specific defective limb, moving the target, or monitoring on a schedule. We present the mitigation options and their effect on the rating so you can decide.
Request an assessment in Richardson
Initial diagnostic visits in Richardson are free; formal written TRAQ reports are $250–$500 per tree. Call (817) 670-4404 or request online — rush turnaround available for active claims or deadlines.