Wood guys. How would I fall this tree in my front yard? I want to use it for firewood.

Wow- nice woodpile! But I'm wondering what forest you cut in that grows such beautiful square wood? Most of the woodpiles I've seen have all that gnarly round stuff...

Regarding that tree, if it were mine, and I weren't worried about bringing the wrath of God down on me by cutting in the public right of way, I'd drop it myself. Probably your local government could care less. Around here, the county gets real uppity if you cut in their right-of-way. They want to do it themselves. Probably worried some Harry Homeowner type will cut one of their trees, get hurt, and then sue them.

It's not all that tall by my standards. I'd climb it and limb it, attacking the main fork towards the house first. I'd mainly use a hand saw at first, then section the big part of that fork down with my chainsaw. If you get enough of that branch topped, it could have a falling radius just short of the porch steps. Then cut it at the main crotch with the chainsaw and let the last 10-12 ft come down in one piece. I'd want to be sure that what then remains is leaning away from the house. Then, judging from that lean, I'd just drop what's left across the road and cut it up right away. Just so long as that street is not a busy one. On a quiet residential street you'd be OK, and get away with it if you worked reasonably fast. On a main thoroughfare, you'd might need flagmen, a permit, or whatever.

I'm going to agree with the others that you'd best hire that tree guy for 350, which isn't really that high these days. Sounds like you don't have enough experience yet to do it on your own. If I did it, I'd work real slow and deliberately. It would take me much longer than the pros to do this one. I still have all arms and legs, fingers and toes, and I aim to keep it that way! But I could handle this one. OTOH I had a big old dead Oak that needed to come down. I hired the pros. A really big one like that, I wouldn't touch until it was all on the ground.

I bet you can finagle it so that the city or county takes it down for you. Don't give up on that one too easy. You pay taxes for services, now you need their services. Hold their feet to the fire.

ya i too would say $350 is pretty good but i had a similar problem not to long ago, get a bunch of estimates and dont be shy to tell them the prices u already recived. i had prices from $1000 to $300 big differences.....

argus66 said:

ya i too would say $350 is pretty good but i had a similar problem not to long ago, get a bunch of estimates and dont be shy to tell them the prices u already recived. i had prices from $1000 to $300 big differences.....

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You bet! I had quotes ranging from 1400 to around 4300 bucks on that huge Oak. Several of them wanted to bring in a big crane. Actually one of the two low bids I thought was a very professional outfit, and they got the job. They got it all down safely without resorting to a crane, and cut every last foot of branches and trunk into workable lengths for me. I'd hire them again for sure- in a heartbeat! It pays to talk to a few of them, see which is the best fit for your job.

The town should pay for the removal. The problem is, you may loose the wood too.

If you don't have any experience in downing trees, then I definately concur in having a pro do it for you. That area is to tight to operate in by someone without any experience.

My mother had several trees dropped near her house 3 or so years ago, and it was $200 per tree back then......so $350 wouldn't be a stretch. Plus, they'll clean up all the brush/mess and you'll still be left with some nice logs to saw up for firewood.

My area of expertice! I will tell you I would be the guy you would talk to if you lived in my area. Here is the deal! It is the " county's " tree if it is in the road right of way! Now it depends on the age of your road, as in how long it has been offically a road! New roads have huge " right or ways" usually 60 ft! Old roads have little if any right of way! By looking at the age of the house around you I am going to guess your " right of way" is 30 ft. So your tree is on the edge of the right away. So what you do is be a decent man, and go to your local government, and ask nicely if they will have the tree dropped, and you will be happy to cut it up and take what they take down. Now here is the important part ................ tell them that alot of the local kids in the area are playing in the tree b/c it is easy to climb, and alot of the branches from the tree have fallen off in wind storms and hit your porch roof, and your afraid that it will come down and in the road in the winter and hurt somebody, and that you believe it is a BIG safety hazard!

Take the pictures you have shown us with you, and make sure you talk to the right people. Remember it is government and it might take awhile, but keep on their butt about it, and they will take it down! It isn't always the little guy taking forever ( me ) it is getting the "offical" to make up his mind!

Ohio law says basically that they no longer have to maintain a right away if they don't feel like it ( that part is new they used to have to take care of it no matter what ) so ask nicely and rememeber it is a safety hazard! Also, if you go to a public meeting like a commisioner meeting or a trustee meeting to report this, that would be better b/c then it is public record. A record that you did complain about it and let them know, so then they are more likely to do something about it quicker!

Just remember it will take time b/c it is government but it will get done, just never as fast as you or I would like it to!

goodluck

P.S. That woman that you talked to before is called a road block, and she proabably looks like one too! I have one and her name is Shilea, she old german, and more people are affraid to ask for anything after talking to her!

goodluck

Go straight to the guys doing the work. Call up or visit your local Department of Public Works. Talk to the Big Guy. Ask him if they could do the job the next time their tree guys are out. It may take a couple weeks (you are dealing with a public entity) but it will happen eventually.

Dan

It dosent look to bad ,I would top it a few times (3) then wack it off at the bottom. dont get hit with roted branchs falling. It would be better if you had a few hours of tree work under your belt.

A friend of mine had a tree leaning over his garage, so he called his insurance company and said, hey it could fall over and hit the garage. They told him now he knows it's hazard, he better take it down immediately, because if it hits the garage there not paying.

wahoowad said:

If the county won't do it, get your ladder and chainsaw out and be a man. Looks like a piece of cake.

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Just don't fall off the ladder and shatter your pelvis!

call around and get more estimates.i own a tree service and i know what i need to make.someone else may need to make more or less than me.you never know.i know what my expenses are.

make sure they have insurance and don't smell like Ted Kennedy.

it's a very easy tree.you should be able to get someone to do it for a little less than $350.

Here, that would be town property.
A call to the DPW and offering to get rid of it if they put it on the ground before any property damage happens might get them out with a boom truck and a saw and leave you with a mess to clean up.

Burn the thing right where it stands, this winter, set up fans and open the door to the house, and blow the heat in the front door.


er, if you ain't never run a chainsaw, and you're planning on using a ladder, make sure your life insurance is paid up in full.


Best bet is hire an arborist to take it down, unless, YOU are an arborist.

DEFINATLY CALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT HERE THE HIGHWAY DEPT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.