Taking down a tree in my yard

• thePITman

  

  chicago510;1178157 wrote:Can't you install gutter guards for the leaves? I think the tree shades the house a lot more than you think. And you might not like the tree, but a lot of people on here so far do. Resale value isn't about what you like its about what will drive up interest in the house. The deck is a legitimate issue, but thats a few thousand more if you want to do a nice one.

  I have nice gutter guards. But more than once a week I have to go along with a rake to unclog the guards themselves from the helicopters. I literally cannot keep up with the damage the tree is doing.
• WebFire

  thePITman;1178186 wrote:I have nice gutter guards. But more than once a week I have to go along with a rake to unclog the guards themselves from the helicopters. I literally cannot keep up with the damage the tree is doing.

  The choppers only fall for about 2 weeks in the spring.
• Belly35

  

  Bottom line is this .....take it down now or take it down after it start to move your structural foundation and then you’ll have the cost of a foundation rebuild and tree removal :laugh:
  
  I would estimate you have maybe 5 years before you begin to have structural damage .. if you don't have it now ?</SPAN>
• Curly J

  

  Belly35;1178247 wrote:Bottom line is this .....take it down now or take it down after it start to move your structural foundation and then you&#146;ll have the cost of a foundation rebuild and tree removal :laugh:
  
  I would estimate you have maybe 5 years before you begin to have structural damage .. if you don't have it now ?</SPAN>

  
  Translated Belly means take it out using a couple of Claymore Mines.
• Sonofanump

  Hire this guy, he looks professional:
  
  [video=youtube;JpGCwpuBQhM][/video]
• HitsRus

  

  [INDENT]I would definitely find a company that is bonded and insured and has climbers. Joe Schmoe with a few chainsaws and a chipper would worry the hell out of me with the tree being that close. [/INDENT]

  This. You want an insured company. if something happens, any little bit you might save using 'some guy' will be lost 100 times over. As LJ says...you want a company with professional climbers to do the job right. They should be able toi get that big bad ass tree without damage to the house and minimal damage to the property.
• said_aouita

  

  Make a Dale stump statue.
  
  
  
  
  
• thePITman

  

  Good idea came up last night: When I have someone cut it down, would they be able to save me a 3-4" cross-section of the tree (complete diameter)? I could smooth it out, finish it, and put legs on it... use it as a "coffee table" for my deck or something.
  
  Also, another of my friends brought up the idea of doing a stone patio instead of a deck. I'm not sure which would be cheaper.
• password

  

  You could contact the ODNR, they have a forestry division that has a list of companies that may buy it from you or at least cut it down for free. Sawmills and cabinet makers are always looking for oak and maple wood.
  
  
  http://www.ohiodnr.com/Default.aspx?alias=www.ohiodnr.com/forestry
• thePITman

  

  I sent an email to the agent who helped me buy the house, getting her opinion on property value if I 1) Left the tree alone, 2) Replaced the tree with a deck/patio, or 3) Build a deck around the tree. I let her know what I was leaning towards, but I made sure it came off unbiased and that I wanted her honest opinion. Here was her response:

  Nice to hear from you. I agree with you that removing the tree makes sense. Even tho you hate to see a big beautiful tree go, they can at this point cause serious damage to your construction. I don't think taking the tree out would decrease the value at all. The addition of a deck or smaller landscaping would enhance the appearance in my opinion
  ...
  I am surprised the roots aren't giving you problems with plumbing. If you do something tasteful a buyer will appreciate whatever you choose to do [in response to building the deck around the tree, and if it's considered tasteful or tacky]. Good luck

• WebFire

  thePITman;1178581 wrote:I sent an email to the agent who helped me buy the house, getting her opinion on property value if I 1) Left the tree alone, 2) Replaced the tree with a deck/patio, or 3) Build a deck around the tree. I let her know what I was leaning towards, but I made sure it came off unbiased and that I wanted her honest opinion. Here was her response:

  That's good you did your homework. :thumbup: Now you just need a quote that doesn't break the bank. But as you know, it won't be $200!
• thePITman

  

  For the tree-lovers out there, I don't know if this changes things, but if I were to remove the large maple tree, I still would have 3 other nice-sized trees on my property to add to its visual appeal. (I also have a smaller tree in the front yard) So it's not like the property would be bare without the large maple there.
  
  
• RedRider1

  

  WebFire;1178630 wrote:That's good you did your homework. :thumbup: Now you just need a quote that doesn't break the bank. But as you know, it won't be $200!

  Well said. I had a large pine taken down at my old house. It was near my garage. To take it down & grind the stump & roots, it was over $1,000.
  
  It costs what it costs. Hire a reputable company (you know one when you see one) and get it done right. I'd budget $1500-$2000 and add another few grand if you want a deck done right...more than that if you choose to go with a composite deck as opposed to wood. But if you're selling in a few years, i'd just use wood and seal it and let the next owner deal with it.
  
  I'd worry about a stone patio because any shift in the roots below it could mess it up. That's another job I'd want to be done by a reputable landscaping company or a local mansonry guy. Those jobs are labor intense too. If you hire it out, plan on paying $5-$10 a sq. ft. for labor & materials.
• 1_beast

  

  tree killer
  
  
  
  Edit: seriously though, I have a friend that just had 2 trees (larger that that but not as full at the top) i think it was 750-800 per tree. Not sure if that included stump removal. Let me know if you want me to get a #
• thePITman

  

  The tree is getting taken down TODAY! The tree service arrived this morning and was working by 7:45 AM. It will be a 2-day job - getting limbs, branches, and most of the tree down today, and removing/grinding down the stump tomorrow. They are leaving the wood cut in 14"-16" firewood-sized pieces. Here's a picture from the front of the house, showing that they began work cutting down branches over the house:
  
• jmog

  How much was it in the end?
• thePITman

  

  Cheapest quote was $1,250, and that included removing tree, removing/grinding down stump, cleaning up all debris, and cutting/leaving the wood in firewood-sized pieces. Only 1 other quote included cutting up and leaving wood. Most other quotes were between $1,500 and $1,850. More pictures to come.
• justincredible

  

  I'll be interested in seeing a pic of the property when the tree is gone.
• thePITman

  

  justincredible;1221452 wrote:I'll be interested in seeing a pic of the property when the tree is gone.

  Definitely.
  
  I am at work, but fiance is doing a great job taking photos and video throughout the day. Here are a few early clips:
  
  
  
  Really starting to clear out on the left side:
  
  
• thePITman

  

  More progress:
  
  
  
  
• Big_Mirg_ZHS

  

  That was one big ass mighty tree
• said_aouita

  

  At least no pics so far are similar to this.
  
  
• thePITman

  

  There is one lone branch left from the tree. Kind of a funny picture. Hasn't been uploaded yet. Will post soon/this evening.
• THE4RINGZ

  

  What tree service did you hire? I hired a different one that I recommended to cut down two trees in my front yard, that was over a month ago and they have yet to show up. I didn't give them any money, but you would think they would get over here and do the work so they can get paid.
• thePITman

  

  THE4RINGZ;1221669 wrote:What tree service did you hire? I hired a different one that I recommended to cut down two trees in my front yard, that was over a month ago and they have yet to show up. I didn't give them any money, but you would think they would get over here and do the work so they can get paid.

  FALLEN TIMBERS TREE SERVICE
  (330) 264-7747
  3950 Blachleyville Road, Wooster, OH 44691
  A+ rating (http://www.bbb.org/akron/business-reviews/tree-service/fallen-timbers-tree-service-in-wooster-oh-38000290)
  
  Job's not done, yet, but thus far, I'd recommend these guys. By far cheapest quote, they're leaving the wood cut, and they're working quickly and professionally. And they were nice when I met them this morning.
  
  Here is the funny picture of what's left: