Very Large Oak To Fell

[ropensaddle]

2000.00 here would be removed stump ground all debris hauled
off 3K I would call fair if it includes cleanup and stump ground shavings
left. I would love to have it for that here and 6k is unheard of in my neck
of the sticks even crane jobs are cheaper than that here.

 

[S Mc]

Virtually forced? ...There are no real reasons for defensive assessment, no need to avoid a systematic assessment.

Always keeping me on my toes. Yes, virtually forced was probably a poor choice of words. However, I do feel that many feel compelled to expound immediate removal in a perceived risk situation due to liability issues.

I completely agree that there is no reason to avoid a systematic assessment that puts all the information out there with possible recommendations to thoroughly understand the options.

But it appears the easy and prevalent answer seems to be: "it's a problem, take it out".

Sylvia

 

[ropensaddle]

Always keeping me on my toes. Yes, virtually forced was probably a poor choice of words. However, I do feel that many feel compelled to expound immediate removal in a perceived risk situation due to liability issues.

I completely agree that there is no reason to avoid a systematic assessment that puts all the information out there with possible recommendations to thoroughly understand the options.

But it appears the easy and prevalent answer seems to be: "it's a problem, take it out".

Sylvia

That is because, the industry needs union representation or
something similar to back up the arborist in the field but
the way we are it will never happen. Opinions vary so much
even in that group of professionals, so yeah the field guy is
left wondering if this tree fails even though I follow the guidelines,
they are going to get me. Fact is; yes they will, the industry
leader is not going to take the hit for pushing their agenda
and even though it may be proper phc, it failed and they only
knew you and you said?

 

[southsoundtree]

recently a homeowner wrote about a "cherry picker" only job as designated by the guy with the cherry picker---~$750 with no clean up, going through the neighbor's yard.

He called an experienced climber, $175 out the door.

check numerous references and insurance, maybe BBB.

 

[ropensaddle]

recently a homeowner wrote about a "cherry picker" only job as designated by the guy with the cherry picker---~$750 with no clean up, going through the neighbor's yard.

He called an experienced climber, $175 out the door.

check numerous references and insurance, maybe BBB.

Hmmm 175.00 experienced climber illegal alien comes to mind

 

[solvent]

Cleaning the soil wasn't recommended & the arborist felt it was too far gone already, as according to him & so many others who've been to see it, this problem started a long time ago & the infection was too concentrated. He said there was a course of treatments he could do, along with some soil amendments, but it would likely be for naught. Two months later, he was right; it's too late now, nary a green leaf left. It went fast.

Considering this tree is so big & several houses right in it's path, it's got to come out. I'm looking to firewood companies to remove it, take the wood & several have expressed interest. I'm also looking for mills too..

 

[southsoundtree]

Hmmm 175.00 experienced climber illegal alien comes to mind

Could have been an illegal. Maybe an illegal with 42 years experience. An old timer from what the homeowner indicated.

Here's the post------

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the good advice in this thread. I found an experienced (42 years!) licensed arborist who came over to give an estimate and was able to drop the tree right down hill, (with the lean) along the property line, missing both the play set and the little evergree trees down there. He had it down in about 5 mins, didn't have to cable it or anything. I was impressed. Final cost $175.

I was very happy with the work he did and impressed by how precisely he worked.

Im also very glad that I didn't try it myself. He walked me through the approach he used after the tree was down and although it wasn't complicated, exactly, there were a lot of very subtle touches with the back cut that he used to direct the tree to where he wanted it to go.

Its like that old joke. You don't pay the engineer 500 dollars to tighten a nut. You pay him 500 bucks because he knows which nut to tighten.

Thanks again to everyone.

Th

----- end post


Very open-minded of you though.

 

[ropensaddle]

Could have been an illegal. Maybe an illegal with 42 years experience. An old timer from what the homeowner indicated.

Here's the post------

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the good advice in this thread. I found an experienced (42 years!) licensed arborist who came over to give an estimate and was able to drop the tree right down hill, (with the lean) along the property line, missing both the play set and the little evergree trees down there. He had it down in about 5 mins, didn't have to cable it or anything. I was impressed. Final cost $175.

I was very happy with the work he did and impressed by how precisely he worked.

Im also very glad that I didn't try it myself. He walked me through the approach he used after the tree was down and although it wasn't complicated, exactly, there were a lot of very subtle touches with the back cut that he used to direct the tree to where he wanted it to go.

Its like that old joke. You don't pay the engineer 500 dollars to tighten a nut. You pay him 500 bucks because he knows which nut to tighten.

Thanks again to everyone.

Th

----- end post


Very open-minded of you though.

Ok you want open mind here ya go 42 year arborist ehh? One leg
in the grave the other looking to catch up because: felling a large
tree near a home and other targets any self respecting insured arborist
would at least throwline the tree set a rope for safety. I now have a better
picture of the job that was performed and how this arborist? relied on luck
and the easiest way to perform work. Problem with luck is; it runs out and
I bet if his did he at 62 or so would run like a race horse away from this
guys property. So there is my assessment and my mind is open to your
rebuttal.

 

[S Mc]

Actually Rope, being fair to SouthSound, if that thread was one I am remembering, I believe I might have also been one who asked why the tree couldn't be dropped down the hill. This was the direction the tree was leaning and if access was available for cleanup, would have been the best and easiest way to fell it. The house was on the uphill side of the tree so no danger there.

I don't think we put what we would have charged on that tree, because I hate to do that; out of area, not physically seeing the site, etc. However, David and I thought it looked like a $150 tree to us with no cleanup.

Of course, the problem with all that information is that this isn't the case here. Whoever takes this tree down needs to be experienced with rigging and targets. Whereas it might be a "no-brainer" to a lot of the professionals here, they are that: professionals. If a person interested in the firewood comes to take the tree down, they should still be scrutinized for credentials.

Sylvia

 

[ropensaddle]

Actually Rope, being fair to SouthSound, if that thread was one I am remembering, I believe I might have also been one who asked why the tree couldn't be dropped down the hill. This was the direction the tree was leaning and if access was available for cleanup, would have been the best and easiest way to fell it. The house was on the uphill side of the tree so no danger there.

I don't think we put what we would have charged on that tree, because I hate to do that; out of area, not physically seeing the site, etc. However, David and I thought it looked like a $150 tree to us with no cleanup.

Of course, the problem with all that information is that this isn't the case here. Whoever takes this tree down needs to be experienced with rigging and targets. Whereas it might be a "no-brainer" to a lot of the professionals here, they are that: professionals. If a person interested in the firewood comes to take the tree down, they should still be scrutinized for credentials.

Sylvia

No way I am doing any job that involves possible damage that cheap.
I don't get a lot of those easy trees but it is the easy ones that get ya!
Risk is something many in this profession take with a grain of salt and I
don't understand being the insurance is so high! I must admit I have not
seen the tree in question but I put ropes in any tree near targets, people
get a professional service when the employ me they can trust I will
do the job in a safe manner!

 

[D Mc]

I know better than to take sides here.

I can tell you for sure that this tree requires more skill than I've seen in any wood collecting operation. If they were that good, they would also be a tree service.

Dave

 

[treemandan]

That there is nothing but a big, fun, rigging job. Don't worry about the guys rigging it, inexperienced cats tend to stay away from a job like this. The tree doesn't look very tall. Everything will come down on a rope. You could put up two climbers and alternate cuts or one climber and some money cuts on the GRCS. I am gritting my teeth just looking at that thing, looks like a good job to get.

Yes, I like to have two climbers sometimes. Some people don't think so.

 

[ropensaddle]

Yes, I like to have two climbers sometimes. Some people don't think so.

Heck yes two are better than one also the best ground man is
a well seasoned climber. They know what you need, they know not
to be goofing off when your doing the impossible etc.

 

[treemandan]

Heck yes two are better than one also the best ground man is
a well seasoned climber. They know what you need, they know not
to be goofing off when your doing the impossible etc.

Ok then how about 3 and a go go dancer? Sometimes one can hit the ground if needed to. Its all about moving the most with the least amount of cuts.

 

[ropensaddle]

Ok then how about 3 and a go go dancer? Sometimes one can hit the ground if needed to. Its all about moving the most with the least amount of cuts.

Ok I will stay on the ground

 

[southsoundtree]

A proper face cut dictates the direction of the fall. If the wood is sound enough to hold against any forces lateral to the fall, it will go that way, to the intended lay/ felling lane. If the hinge doesn't hold, then it doesn't fall to the lay. A rope, in most cases is not used to steer the tree, only to get it to move until gravity takes it over to the lay dictated by the facecut. Wedges perform the same function.

I agree that potential damage warrants a higher price over no potential damage. Determining the difference is key.

Previous to residential work, I did a lot of forest work, fuel reduction and trail clearing work. Spent an entire summer felling long dead beetle-kill, never with a rope. It gave me the opportunity to learn how to use wedges really well, dropping anywhere from 10-80 trees a day, day after day. In residential work doesn't allow for such experience to build as fast. After getting out of the habit of wedging things all the time, and having a rope, I began feeling less comfortable. Physics hadn't changed. Hinge characteristics hadn't changed.

How much is fair to charge for five minutes of skilled, experience work on a relatively small tree, when you've just gone out to do the estimate in the first place? $175 sounded reasonable to me.

 

[ropensaddle]

A proper face cut dictates the direction of the fall. If the wood is sound enough to hold against any forces lateral to the fall, it will go that way, to the intended lay/ felling lane. If the hinge doesn't hold, then it doesn't fall to the lay. A rope, in most cases is not used to steer the tree, only to get it to move until gravity takes it over to the lay dictated by the facecut. Wedges perform the same function.

I agree that potential damage warrants a higher price over no potential damage. Determining the difference is key.

Previous to residential work, I did a lot of forest work, fuel reduction and trail clearing work. Spent an entire summer felling long dead beetle-kill, never with a rope. It gave me the opportunity to learn how to use wedges really well, dropping anywhere from 10-80 trees a day, day after day. In residential work doesn't allow for such experience to build as fast. After getting out of the habit of wedging things all the time, and having a rope, I began feeling less comfortable. Physics hadn't changed. Hinge characteristics hadn't changed.

How much is fair to charge for five minutes of skilled, experience work on a relatively small tree, when you've just gone out to do the estimate in the first place? $175 sounded reasonable to me.

Well we are talking hypothetical here as I don't even have a picture
and I can steer with a rope! I many times snub a tree to prevent
damage if hinge does not hold rope swings it clear! Five minutes
is not skilled it is hap hazard. It takes more time to access than
five minutes. If it were truly a cut and lay with no failure chance
to be mitigated then yes it would be fair for a minimum job, however
there were targets in your post that would require provisions of
at least a rope for damage control. I have not seen the tree or
yard in question but have learned to charge in my expertise,insurance
advertising,equipment wear etc. I never fell a tree in close proximity
to valuable property without a failsafe employed.

 

[southsoundtree]

You can use a rope to steer it somewhat. I didn't clearly articulate what I meant. Primarily, steering is dictated by the face cut and a good hinge. Once the hinge breaks, then its possible to pull the tree to the side somewhat. With an open-facecut, say 90 degrees or more, a live tree with good hinge characteristics, which I'd say is most, when cut right, will be within feet of the ground before the hinge breaks.

Primarily, ropes are used to get the tree's center of gravity beyond the hinge in the direction of the lay, or as a backup in the case that its difficult to determine if the tree does or doesn't lean over its center of gravity toward the lay, and when people aren't both comfortable and confident in felling with wedges.

Again, I agree that expertise is part of what someone is paying for, and a person wouldn't charge for 5 minutes at say $100 per hour and get $8 or $9 for the job.

If you search cherry picker ( 2 words) and see Terence's post under homeowner help, you'll see the pictures, and see that its more of less just a spar with a few branches, previously storm damaged and pruned, I think.

 

[ropensaddle]

You can use a rope to steer it somewhat. I didn't clearly articulate what I meant. Primarily, steering is dictated by the face cut and a good hinge. Once the hinge breaks, then its possible to pull the tree to the side somewhat. With an open-facecut, say 90 degrees or more, a live tree with good hinge characteristics, which I'd say is most, when cut right, will be within feet of the ground before the hinge breaks.

Primarily, ropes are used to get the tree's center of gravity beyond the hinge in the direction of the lay, or as a backup in the case that its difficult to determine if the tree does or doesn't lean over its center of gravity toward the lay, and when people aren't both comfortable and confident in felling with wedges.

Again, I agree that expertise is part of what someone is paying for, and a person wouldn't charge for 5 minutes at say $100 per hour and get $8 or $9 for the job.

If you search cherry picker ( 2 words) and see Terence's post under homeowner help, you'll see the pictures, and see that its more of less just a spar with a few branches, previously storm damaged and pruned, I think.

I may look it up so I can further review but still five minutes?
I have never seen a job in that league and my time is charged
from dispatch to home base I see many that don't but it is time
no matter how you look at it. Steering can be the way you mentioned
by pulling it somewhat but when I steer it is by snubbing it on the side
to prevent it going the wrong way it swings it away from ? I usually
use my winch for the pulling and the snub rope is placed to where if it went the wrong way it catches the load and swings it clear!

 

[treeslayer]

Its probably hollow.

Here in VA, I ve seen em that big with 6-12" of cambium holding it up.

get a crane, do it right.