Advice on removal of two Oaks that are close to my house

[LiftedBlackHD]

I have two Blue Oak trees that are right next to my house. (within 10 feet) The house was built around the trees in 2007. One is large and the other is relatively small. The large one hangs over the roof and dumps truckloads (literally) of leaves, acorns and debris on my roof. The valley's and gutters of my roof are being destroyed as a result. Additionally the trees allow the local Tree Squirrels a convenient path to my roof.

I bought the house about a year ago and have had to go on the roof to clean the gutters and valley's a dozen times already. Each time I go up there I discover more damage and because it is a tile roof I usually end up breaking a tile or two.

Originally I wanted to keep the trees but at this point I no longer want to due to the damage to the roof and the amount of work required from me.

I had a contractor come out and bid the job. He wants $5500 to remove the trees in pieces, chip the brush and cut the usable wood into lengths which I would keep. He quoted $4500 just to remove in pieces, no chipping or cutting.

Based on the pictures does it look like it can be safely felled without the additional labor of removing piece by piece? I can get rid of the brush and cut into lengths myself.

Thank You!

 

[JimMorrison]

It's hard to give good advise from a photo , but it looks like you could solve the problem with some good trimming. Are there benefits to keeping the trees? Shade or evaporative cooling perhaps? If so, it looks like a good arborist could trim the limbs that are overhanging and save the tree. The smaller tree could be trimmed up and made to grow away from the house. Two hours with a good bucket truck and somebody that knows what they are doing. If you wanted to just drop it, you would probably have to do the bucket work first any way.

 

[LiftedBlackHD]

The trees only provide shade in the morning so not much help there as far as home cooling goes. Like I said I originally wanted to keep the trees if they could be trimmed enough to prevent the stuff from falling on my roof. If an arborist can do that I would be OK with it.

 

[JimMorrison]

I went back and looked at the photos again and there is no way I would pay 5500 for removal. You definitely need a pro to trim up that tree, keep it healthy, and get rid of what's hanging over the house. At that point you could give it a year and decide if you really want to get rid of it. With the overhanging limbs gone, the tree could be easily felled by a pro. I am surprised your guy did not bid you this option. I would talk to him again. It would require subsequent trimmings, but they would be small and quick compared to the first.

 

[LiftedBlackHD]

That makes sense and sounds like a good plan. Thank You!

 

[Jed1124]

I vote removal. With the building of the house and obvious grade change with no root flares showing, I would say those trees are going to decline. Pruning everything over the house is going to make for very lopsided trees.
I don't know your market, but I would think you could have those trees removed by a competent arborist for half of what you were quoted, brush chipped, wood stays on sight. Maybe even wood removed.

 

[LiftedBlackHD]

What do you mean by no root flares showing the trees are going to decline?

Thank You

 

[unclemoustache]

I certainly wouldn't talk to the same tree guy again. Way too expensive, even for CA. Heck, you could fly me down there and put me up for a couple days while I rent equipment and do the job- all for a lower price than that, not counting the damage to the house from me dropping the tree on it....

I also advise trimming, but perhaps take some off both sides to help balance the overall weight.

 

[LiftedBlackHD]

I thought that seemed a little steep. I have an Arborist scheduled to come out this week.

 

[greengreer]

The grade was changed when the house was built. See how the trunk goes straight into the ground like a telephone pole. You need to see root flare at the base. Excavating this and getting the tree back into good health before any pruning is essential to having any success in keeping the tree.
If you're sold on removal, get a few quotes. If you get 3 more quotes and 2 of them are close to the original 5k and one is way cheaper then ask why. Be wary of the lowest price if you're concerned with damage to your property.

 

[LiftedBlackHD]

The grade was changed when the house was built. See how the trunk goes straight into the ground like a telephone pole. You need to see root flare at the base. Excavating this and getting the tree back into good health before any pruning is essential to having any success in keeping the tree.
If you're sold on removal, get a few quotes. If you get 3 more quotes and 2 of them are close to the original 5k and one is way cheaper then ask why. Be wary of the lowest price if you're concerned with damage to your property.

Basically what you are saying is that they buried the tree when they graded the ground around it? That would explain why the ground there is so soft. The more I think about it, the more I think removal might be the best option...

 

[greengreer]

Yes, it would require digging down to the original grade around the base of the tree. You can do this or hire it out.
If you decide to keep the tree this would be your first step. Get the thing in good health, then you can reduce branches to make it more livable for you and your home. If you go and remove large branches or a good percentage of the crown and ignore the issues with the grade and the root system you will likely be removing the tree anyway.
It will cost less to do a proper job of restoring the tree's health and doing some pruning than it will to remove. It will cost more to cut off the offending limbs, causing further stress in the tree and then having to remove than just removing in the first place.
If you like the tree at all then go about fixing both the tree's issues and your issues with the tree and you will see better results.
Try to find a qualified, certified arborist who knows their stuff and consult their opinion.

 

[Oldman47]

If you are going to remove the larger tree, expect a $1500 to $2000 bill, not what you were quoted. I had a 30 inch dbh ash removed that was about as bad a location as your large one for about $1500 but that was about 5 years ago so figure the price will be a little higher by now.

 

[Oldmaple]

You need to get another price on the trees. 3 quotes is a good number. I quote jobs all the time and am not offended when people get other quotes. A job may not be right for company A but right for company B depending on what equipment they have. As for whether to keep or remove, you should get an arborist on site. I'm not a fan of having trees too close to a house and yours appear too close in the picture, but pictures can be deceiving.

 

[LiftedBlackHD]

I have an Arborist coming out today or tomorrow.

 

[JimMorrison]

It will be interesting to hear what you decide. I have been dealing with something similar, for quite a while. Decision is easier because tree is 27 feet from house. Not sure what I would do if it was 10 feet away.

 

[unclemoustache]

And don't forget to get pics of it all!

 

[LiftedBlackHD]

The guy came by and took pics but I haven't received a bid from him yet.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

If you are going to remove the larger tree, expect a $1500 to $2000 bill, not what you were quoted. I had a 30 inch dbh ash removed that was about as bad a location as your large one for about $1500 but that was about 5 years ago so figure the price will be a little higher by now.

What does a different species removed 5 years ago 2000 miles away have to do with this situation? Different species, different market, different situation. Since you had a tree removed, you obviously aren't an arborist. He could get an uninformed opinion at his local bar.

 

[LiftedBlackHD]

What does a different species removed 5 years ago 2000 miles away have to do with this situation? Different species, different market, different situation. Since you had a tree removed, you obviously aren't an arborist. He could get an uninformed opinion at his local bar.

Excellent idea. I'll get dressed and head down to the bar now.