Lumber jack, lumber jack.

[1750]

I've got a 40-50 foot hemlock that's hanging over my house. I wasn't worried about it until another one came down in a big wind. If this one blows over, I'm in big trouble, so I think it probably needs to come down.

It leans over the house, so there's no way I'm going to try and take it down myself. It's not accessible with a cherry picker. If I call a tree service, how will they take it down?

Thanks!

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Sorry, can't help you.

 

[Jon1270]

I had a climber take down a pine a few years ago, and it was really simple. He just went straight up the trunk, cutting off all the branches as he went. When he got high enough that the trunk was too small to climb, he lopped off the top of the tree and then cut the rest of the trunk into manageable chunks on his way back down. My tree wasn't leaning over anything, but if it had been it would've been easy to rope off the chunks to either lower them slowly or ensure they fell in a certain direction.

 

[1750]

Thanks, Jon.

That sounds like it would work if I can find someone with those skills. Do you happen to recall how much you were charged for this?

 

[Jon1270]

Not exactly, but I think it was around $250-$300 just to take it down. I did all the cleanup myself.

 

[Gunny]

Directly over your house will get expensive unless you know a climber or tree service. The tree service is most likely going to use climbers and a crane. They secure the piece they are cutting to the straps on the end of the cable and swing it out of harms way and lower to the ground to be cut up. The ones that do that either rent a crane or own one. Get about 12 estimates and keep using one against the other. Hate to say it that way but, hope it helps. Good luck!

 

[1750]

Thanks, Jon. It would be great if I could get it done for $300.

Gunny -- there's no way to get a crane to the site. Oddly, it seems like that might make it less expensive than taking it down the way Jon described.

 

[Soundchasm]

After about half-dozen trees that threatened or damaged my house have come down, I'm a little less enthusiastic about ponying up to have something cut to ground level, and then having the stump to worry about.

I've got one tree of concern left, but it could only take out power or a shed. I think what I'm going to do is tell someone my budget is $500. If they can take half the tree down for that, then there's no danger and I have another year or to to figure out what to do.

Search Youtube for videos of trees over houses. You might see something relevant.

 

[TreePointer]

As mentioned, if you tell the tree service that it's not a removal and that you just need it on the ground, you can save $$. That's the way I have done trees around our house--on the ground and grind the stump, and I'll take care of the rest.

 

[1750]

Yes, thanks, those are good ideas. I'll remember to ask for prices for both.

I am not worried about the cutting up, it's the cutting down that worries me.

 

[UncleJoe]

I had a climber take down a pine a few years ago, and it was really simple. He just went straight up the trunk, cutting off all the branches as he went. When he got high enough that the trunk was too small to climb, he lopped off the top of the tree and then cut the rest of the trunk into manageable chunks on his way back down. My tree wasn't leaning over anything, but if it had been it would've been easy to rope off the chunks to either lower them slowly or ensure they fell in a certain direction.

Yep. That's the way I'd do it.

As mentioned, if you tell the tree service that it's not a removal and that you just need it on the ground, you can save $$. That's the way I have done trees around our house--on the ground and grind the stump, and I'll take care of the rest.

If I can do a tree myself as opposed to bringing out the big truck and chipper it would certainly be cheaper for the homeowner. Although, not everyone wants to clean up all that debris. I've had more than one person say to me: WOW! Look at that pile. It didn't look like that much when it was up there.

 

[1750]

Thanks for the reply, Joe. This is probably 50ft tall. There's really no way to get a chipper up to the site (it's only accessible by a stairway).

I'll make sure the arborist knows I'm willing to take care of the wood once it's down.

 

[Gunny]

Yes, much cheaper to do it with just a climber, I agree. Hopefully you can find a company that will do it that way. Also Treepointer had a great idea as far as just asking for a take-down not a removal. I will give credit to him when I use that one in the future. That way you get the dangerous part done and get all of the wood too. Win / Win! 1750 next time advise is asked it would help to post a picture of the site so we all can be clear on the situation. IMO, Good Luck Again!

 

[TreePointer]

Gunny is right. We looove pictures!

In general, I have no problem dropping trees around structures as long as I have a guide rope attached with a rope puller or two. I will, however, call in a pro to drop trees that could cost lots of money if something goes wrong. I did that twice in the past 10 years with one tree that had a heavy lean towards our house and three trees that leaned toward a large barn and weren't in good health.

A tree service no different than the rest of us in that they love to run chainsaws, but it's the cleanup that's labor intensive and time consuming. If they don't have to pick up brush, chip it, rake the yard, shovel stump chips, load logs onto a truck, and pay to dump it (let alone spend cash on fuel to transport all that heavy equipment), it will make them happy and save you money. What can be an all day affair for them might then become a 2 hour job that allows them to move on to another job or even split the crew to do two jobs at once.

 

[UncleJoe]

(let alone spend cash on fuel to transport all that heavy equipment),

That's a fact! My F-700 averages about 5mpg and the 1 ton dump between 8-9mpg. If I don't need to take them out (which isn't very often) I don't.

 

[Jags]

In tight spots, some climbers are going to using a "break" at the base of the tree. It is a contraption that allows a bull rope to be run up top with a pulley. The bull rope runs to the ground and through the break and large sections can be controlled by a single person on the end of the bull rope. They simply set the section on the ground in a very controlled manor.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Iv seen guys tie a cable around it about 3/4 of the way up,partially cut it at the base and pull it in any direction they want with a pickup truck. Of course the cable has to be long enough so the tree dont fall on the truck. IT always goes in the direction of the truck.