Live oak too close to house

[jayanrpillai]

The developer of my neighborhood put in live oaks comically close to the houses. The picture below is taken from our porch. It's maybe 3 yards from an upstairs window, 8 yards from the front door.

Anyway to prune this to pre-empt disaster? Is there anything an arborist could do? I've been limbing it up to raise the crown, but since it's a two story house there's only so high it can go...

I've seen people effectively dwarf live oaks be pruning off the top like a hedge. I hated the way it looked at the time but it was never actually unhealthy.

Thank you for any advice.

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[Deleted member 117362]

Is your concern, it may damage your house if it hits it. You will be waiting a long time before that could happens, bet it damages curb and sidewalk from roots first.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Poor little tree...
Buy a sawsall and put it out of it's misery.
With all those potted plants on your patio, you don't want a shade tree there anyway, do you?

 

[JTM]

Looks quite a bit more than 3 yards but by the time it would require trimming do you think you will still be living there? I see two ways to address your issue. One, take it down now and suffer your Nazi HOA. Two, present your concerns to your HOA and see what they say. Do you see the common theme here?

 

[jayanrpillai]

Whew, okay. I actually just rent, but my roommate is my landlord and we're close friends. So no, I won't be living here when it becomes a problem but I don't want to it to become a problem for him either.

Yes, the HOA is the reason it can't be cut down.

Why do developers do this [emoji31]. It's such short term thinking. A smaller oak would have been just fine.

Thanks for the advice!

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[JTM]

Developers do this everywhere. They plant trees too close together and too close to structures. They don’t plant them with the idea what the tree will be in 25 years and how it will affect the surrounding area. I wish I had listened to some people with similar experience 25 years ago when I planted trees around my house and along my driveway. The closest on is about thirty feet from my house. There is no physical hazard yet but the money I’ve had to spend repairing rotted soffits and facia on the house, repair ground due to erosion, pay someone to clean my gutters three times a year. I like trees but they are like tigers, beautiful, but they will eat you.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Developers do this everywhere. They plant trees too close together and too close to structures. They don’t plant them with the idea what the tree will be in 25 years and how it will affect the surrounding area. I wish I had listened to some people with similar experience 25 years ago when I planted trees around my house and along my driveway. The closest on is about thirty feet from my house. There is no physical hazard yet but the money I’ve had to spend repairing rotted soffits and facia on the house, repair ground due to erosion, pay someone to clean my gutters three times a year. I like trees but they are like tigers, beautiful, but they will eat you.

Is that not the reason you own chainsaws? Remove those problem trees, replant for next person who will own that home.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Developers do this everywhere. They plant trees too close together and too close to structures. They don’t plant them with the idea what the tree will be in 25 years and how it will affect the surrounding area. I wish I had listened to some people with similar experience 25 years ago when I planted trees around my house and along my driveway. The closest on is about thirty feet from my house. There is no physical hazard yet but the money I’ve had to spend repairing rotted soffits and facia on the house, repair ground due to erosion, pay someone to clean my gutters three times a year. I like trees but they are like tigers, beautiful, but they will eat you.

Depends on where you live and what kind of tree...
I lived in a second floor apartment in Austin in the 80s. There was a huge live oak tree right there, close to my balcony (Balcones Woods apts). It was wonderful - provided just enough shade for my potted plants and the birds loved it too.
Would I have an oak tree that close to my house in tornado alley Tennessee? He-double-l No.

 

[Marine5068]

The developer of my neighborhood put in live oaks comically close to the houses. The picture below is taken from our porch. It's maybe 3 yards from an upstairs window, 8 yards from the front door.

Anyway to prune this to pre-empt disaster? Is there anything an arborist could do? I've been limbing it up to raise the crown, but since it's a two story house there's only so high it can go...

I've seen people effectively dwarf live oaks be pruning off the top like a hedge. I hated the way it looked at the time but it was never actually unhealthy.

Thank you for any advice.

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They tend to do stuff like that and are not arborists or even foundation specialists but they should know better.
As an Arcvhitectural Engineer and also a foundation and structural expert, I would never plant a potentially large tree within 50 ' of any structure.
So your best bet (if you own the property) is to cut it down and plant a small species tree there instead.
I say this because every so many years you will be right back to square one for tree trimming high branches or falling limbs on you roof. Could also be potential for storm damge tree falling on the house not to mention foundation cracks from large root systems below grade.
That's what I would do.