Need this tree gone

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barmstrong2

barmstrong2

Feeling the Heat
Nov 2, 2007
342
Maine
This dead standing oak sits just 6' off my shed, 60' from my house, we park our vehicles under it, it will reach the power lines to my house with 20' to spare and the power lines in the street are just 25' to the left of it. It would reach the neighbors house in the opposite direction.
I estimate 120'-140' tall. Dead standing for 2 years now. It has to come down from the top. There's no way around it. $650 for a local tree service to come get it on the ground. The tallest lift I can find is 80' and that's $375/day plus $125 for delivery.
The good part is, it's going to be some nice firewood!
KIMG0096.jpeg KIMG0095.jpeg KIMG0094.jpeg
 
If it is close to the electric line the power company may remove it for you or possibly your insurance company may pay for the removal.
 
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Woody harrelson said:
pay them, it's not worth the risk
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Yep, agreed. I've cut a lot of trees around power lines and I'm pretty confident. But, this one is way past my ability. There's no good way to bring it down, actually, with all the obstacles, it's impossible from the ground. For another $150 over what it would cost to do it myself, it's well worth it to hire it down.
 
Wisneaky said:
If it is close to the electric line the power company may remove it for you or possibly your insurance company may pay for the removal.
Click to expand...
Power company won't touch it until it's on their lines. I might check with the insurance company. It is, after all, in their best interest to get it on the ground. If it falls on it's own, it's taking out something(s).
 
I'm sure they would rather pay to have it removed than for it to fall on your house.
 
Where in Maine are you? I know a few tree removal guys.

I had 10 or so dropped very close to my house a few years ago for $700. That was just to put them on the ground. Nothing else.
Estimates were all over the place when I was looking. All the way from $500 to $2500 of the 5 people I had come look at it.

The guy I hired had a bucket truck, but showed up in his diesel pickup with his helper and used it to pull them over while one guy was cutting. They were done in less than 4 hours.
 
Snotrocket said:
Where in Maine are you? I know a few tree removal guys.

I had 10 or so dropped very close to my house a few years ago for $700. That was just to put them on the ground. Nothing else.
Estimates were all over the place when I was looking. All the way from $500 to $2500 of the 5 people I had come look at it.

The guy I hired had a bucket truck, but showed up in his diesel pickup with his helper and used it to pull them over while one guy was cutting. They were done in less than 4 hours.
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I'm in Greene. That's between Lewiston and Sabattus. I've had a couple trees brought down by a climber. I don't know if this one can be climbed and the placement of obstacles is really bad.
 
In our area, if you call your insurance, they will insist that you get it down ASAP and will not help you w $$. I have been told that once you know a tree is dead, if it causes damage, insurance will not cover a loss, let alone helping to pay to drop it. Normally, hydro will do a free disconnect for you but my experience is that you may be without power for the day. They show up, disconnect, leave and come back at the end of the day.

I think the price is fair IF they have insurance (check it carefully) and they are using a boom truck. If they show up with a pick-up, I'd tell them to leave. Too much risk.
 
barmstrong2 said:
I'm in Greene. That's between Lewiston and Sabattus. I've had a couple trees brought down by a climber. I don't know if this one can be climbed and the placement of obstacles is really bad.
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I'm in the midcoast so a bit far from you.

All of mine I had taken down were big oaks that soaked up my 20 inch bar when I bucked them up.

I would call 3-4 more people.
 
Eagleknight said:
Are you just wanting it dropped or full removal. $650 sounds a little steep for just dropping it at least around here.
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Not for a tree surrounded by structures and power lines and to tall for a bucket truck. $650 is pretty cheap for a tree that will need taken down by a climber and ropes
 
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My daughter's neighbor paid $2,500. to remove an ash tree out of their back yard, so your price is fair, plus you get the wood. :)
 
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bholler said:
Not for a tree surrounded by structures and power lines and to tall for a bucket truck. $650 is pretty cheap for a tree that will need taken down by a climber and ropes
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bholler is right, I'm afraid. When I noticed the tree had died, I said a few cuss words. I've studied the tree for possible felling, and studied it some more. There is no possible way to fell it from the ground, even with lots of skill and a little luck. Beyond that, I'm not even sure the two branches are climb-able. The branch to the left, in particular, is out at a 45 degree angle, over the power lines in the street and estimated 60 feet long. I don't know that it would hold a climber and there's no other branches over it. If I could find a lift with a long enough boom, I'd do it, but, I'd need a minimum of 100'. Solid and level under it. I know an experienced climber who has taken down a couple trees for me in the past. I'll give him a call, but, I'd bet he passes on this one.
 
I still think that price is insane. I went and dug a picture out from when I had trees dropped that I mentioned a few posts up. There were 3 more in front of the house that he took down as well. One of which was about 10 inches from a power line leaning right towards it.

All of these were leaning right over my house. That one huge branch completely shaded my deck.

k0fVLhs.jpg


Call a couple more tree guys. Just make sure they're insured.
 
Put an ad on craigslist, say something along the lines, "you can cut tree and keep half the wood, 2 year standing dead oak, ready to burn, must have insurance" ... tons of people are doing it !!!
 
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$650 is a good price in my opinion. I wouldn't mess around with it myself especially being close to the power lines. Imagine you take them out and created a power surge that fries the neighborhood's electronics or worse. Not to sound paranoid but better to be safe than sorry.
 
barmstrong2 said:
Power company won't touch it until it's on their lines. I might check with the insurance company. It is, after all, in their best interest to get it on the ground. If it falls on it's own, it's taking out something(s).
Click to expand...

I don't know how true that is... a woman 3 houses down from me had 3 scrub pines in her front yard, that have been trimmed by Lucas doing CMP's ROW work.... Anywho... she wanted them gone, and about a week ago, I drive by and there's a cmp truck (bucket on a pickup) there... and the cmp guy was there, chainsaw in hand *very* roughly bucking them up....
 
DougA said:
In our area, if you call your insurance, they will insist that you get it down ASAP and will not help you w $$. I have been told that once you know a tree is dead, if it causes damage, insurance will not cover a loss, let alone helping to pay to drop it. Normally, hydro will do a free disconnect for you but my experience is that you may be without power for the day. They show up, disconnect, leave and come back at the end of the day.

I think the price is fair IF they have insurance (check it carefully) and they are using a boom truck. If they show up with a pick-up, I'd tell them to leave. Too much risk.
Click to expand...
I can't find any clause like that in my home owners policy.
 
bholler said:
Not for a tree surrounded by structures and power lines and to tall for a bucket truck. $650 is pretty cheap for a tree that will need taken down by a climber and ropes
Click to expand...

One of the bigger tree outfits here in southern/central maine (Lucas) has trucks that will reach 120'+...
 
Snotrocket said:
I still think that price is insane. I went and dug a picture out from when I had trees dropped that I mentioned a few posts up. There were 3 more in front of the house that he took down as well. One of which was about 10 inches from a power line leaning right towards it.

All of these were leaning right over my house. That one huge branch completely shaded my deck.

k0fVLhs.jpg


Call a couple more tree guys. Just make sure they're insured.
Click to expand...

Your trees were climbed, roped, and then felled, correct? The OP has a situation that appears to be much different. They will have to climb and lower limbs by ropes. This is incredibly time consuming and also dangerous if done by the wrong people.
 
No. My trees were roped to a pickup truck and pulled to a lean, then cut and pulled the rest of the way over.

The tree pictured in the original post isn't so big that it couldn't be pulled one way or another with a rope and a truck.
 
Snotrocket said:
No. My trees were roped to a pickup truck and pulled to a lean, then cut and pulled the rest of the way over.

The tree pictured in the original post isn't so big that it couldn't be pulled one way or another with a rope and a truck.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Roped, hooked to truck, felled. That won't work in this situation. Please read the OP's first post where he says the tree has to come down from the top. On the other hand, it sounds like you should start your own tree business, offering estimates off of Internet pictures :rolleyes:
 
It will work in this situation. My picture only shows the ones I had dropped behind the house. I had 3 dropped out front that could only go one way without hitting either the power line or the house/garage.

I'm just giving my experience with what I had done at my own home. It can't hurt to call around. I didn't give any estimates, just said what I had done and what I paid.
 
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