Just had tree surgeon #2 come scope out my seriously in need of manicure Soft Maple tree. 100′ tall, over mature, in danger of wiping out the 4 vehicles parked in its wonderful shade. Also, a majorly important corner of the Log part of the house.
3K!!!!! And thats with out a chipper.
This guy is a certified Arborist, and really understands my want to keep the tree alive, not do one of those ugly scalping , topping and chopping deals.
The guy that quoted 1k, wanted to do just that..and he had no proof of training or any suggestions of what would be best.
I really got an education in the fine art of what these guys can do, besides the mere facts of hanging out of a tree with a running chainsaw, by a rope, tied to the tree you are whittling on. Crown pruneing, dead wooding, why a branch is cut farther from the trunk ( so decay starts farther and takes longer to reach the main bole) and such.
Looks like I’ll have plenty of fire wood next winter, we are 90% certain this guy will get the work..3 other tree guys looked, and RAN away…LOL
We’ll be taking off about a 1/3 rd of the stuff that could nail the house, the rest is already favoring the other direction, but the new groth will be fast growing with the open crown, and I hope will take a few yrs, before it’ll need to be re cut. Or by then the tree will have died a natural death…he estimates it at 100 yrs old and that is about all they can live for here.
As it is now, any good storm, with ice, and we are toast as is the only house next door.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
“If you want something you’ve never had, do something you’ve never done”
Replies
3K! Wheew that seams like a lot to me but what the hell do I know about tree pruning.
I had three trees that were in dire need of a serious triming done earlier this spring, one big azz maple, one big azz pin oak, one normal size pin oak all for $750. I was more then happy with the price. Guys an ex actor/musician/........ but has always done tree work.
The guy that did mine is a damn good guy but his overhead is minimal and I think he charges accordingly. No chipper but he does haul everything away and cleans up nicely. He usually heads south for the winter, maybe I can send him through Kantuckee!
Doug
You mean to tel me that you can't handle a little tree climbing? :-) I thought you did it all.
I think you put your finger on it when you said that everyone else ran away. There comes a point where the best is the only option and money becomes secondary. You should know that from climbing around on copper roofs.
I'd be makin' some more phone calls, but I wish you luck.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
3k ?
What's it going to cost if this tree falls on your house, or the neighbor's house ?
What's it going to cost if this tree falls on your house, or the neighbor's house ?
Isnt that why we buy insurance?
Doug
You mean so the insurance company can pay us less than what the original really was worth to us, while we clean up and rebuild ?;o)
Yeh... That'll work.
I don't think insurance companies have ever been accused of caring what we think of whatever we lost, they just pay what they think it was worth. If they paid what it was worth to us, how could they possibly build their nice, new, big headquarters or buy other companies, all in an effort to provide better insurance services. Aside from the fact that all we want is for them to cover our loss, what else do they do for us? But, I digress. The real problem comes if the tree falls on a person, especially one we care for. BTW- if you have any trees that are particularly dicey, maybe you could have some of your meth-head neighbors hold it up and look for falling limbs while you cut them, eh? Take out two birds with one stone, as it were.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Insurance ain't gonna help me much when I am dead under the roof collapsed from a falling tree..(G)Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
Sphere,
Now you understand why my house has so much timber in it.. Dropped a mature oak on my dog house and only managed to punch a small hole in the outer layer of roofing and ruined one shingle.. used the dog house to buck the tree while I cut it into pieces.. Oh and broke a piece of facia..
'Zactly my thinking..or the wifes car, or my van.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
Luka,
If it falls on a neighbors house , nothing.. he pays the deductable not the tree owner.. if it falls on his house maybe as little as $100 (if that's what his deductable is or whatever the deductable is on the car it lands on .. )
PS I had a great big mature oak fall on my dog house, small hole in the roof, one shingle damaged. Helps if you massively over build things as a matter of course..
In Virginia, your tree falls , you pay for it. Just decided by State Supreme Court.
And does the insurance company miraculously cause all the damage and/or heartbreak to instantly dissapear ?
Yeh... That'll work.
Luka,
That's a differant question, some people wait for incidents like this to remodel their homes, to some it's a major issue.
Neighbor up the street had a fire in there house. accident but a happy one for the owners, their son did the work and updated the house for them at the same time. Guess it's the differance between glass half empty and half full.
A better analogy would be an ounce of prevention and a pound of cure...
Yeh... That'll work.
A good buddy of mine is a certified arborist. He says he rarely looks at a job that's less than 3 grand. Lots of guys around that will just cut trees down, not many that can really work on a tree. Besides the expense of the right equipment, his insurance is astronomical. Someone's got it in for me, they're planting stories in the press
Whoever it is I wish they'd cut it out but when they will I can only guess.
They say I shot a man named Gray and took his wife to Italy,
She inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me.
I can't help it if I'm lucky.
It should only cost whatever the deductible is. Unless the ins company adds surcharges after that point.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
One of my rentals has a huge tree, 90+ feet in the back yard. I just dropped a grand (yesterday) on a "safety pruning" and cabling.
Didnt have much choice though, dead tenants dont pay near as well as live ones.
If the tree is at the end of it's life, shouldn't you consider dropping it now?
Or is it an old friend at this point? buic
The only shade tree on that side of the house, South side gets full sun all day, we'd bake without it.
Already planning on new replacements for the future.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
That price doesn't surprise me at all. I had a similar maple cut down just about a year ago. It was right between my house and the neighbors, and it had developed a lot of rot in a crotch about 30' up so it was just a matter of time - it could have lived for another twenty years, or it could have come down the next day. It probably would have killed both houses at the same time if it did fall down, so there wasn't much choice.
The arborist that did the work did cost a lot of money, but they're the best in town and sometimes you just have to pay the money to get something done right. It was a huge tree, with very little clearance between the houses and the power lines; I know how to use a chainsaw but this was a job for experts. I've used these guys before for trimming, and they really are tree surgeons...it's amazing to watch them work.
3K$ sounds quite high to me. I'd be interested to see a breakdown of person hours, equipment hours, materials, and incidentals.
I recently paid a Pro Faller $100 to drop 14 birch trees around our house, which I know is different than a tricky old maple, but an interesting comparison nonetheless. Of course I had the job of bucking them up and carting them to the woodshed, ugghhh, but that's another story...
Scott.
Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
"I'd be interested to see a breakdown of person hours, equipment hours, materials, and incidentals."ROTFLMAOItemized bill - Fuel - $2.13
Day's worth of labour to fall tree - $497.87
Rental of Brain that knows HOW and WHERE to fall tree - $2000
Insurance - $500Thank you for your prompt payment!;)
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
You get it. I will gladly pay for that brain..LOL Hell, I get paid well for mine in my area of competence ( yes, I DO have one..LOL) .
The tree guy was funny, he says " I ain't a carpenter, I do trees, I ain't a mechanic, I do trees, I ain't a painter, I do trees "
That is what I am willingto pay for..and still maintain the aestetics of a well shaped, happily growing, fine specimen of a tree, that is almost as old as the house...still swing chains dangling from the "best" swing branch...emotional? Me? Sure Thing...that tree has a soul and weathered quite a few blasts from mother nature..who am I to decide to just trash it?
Properly done, it will have a decade or more maybe..maybe not.
Lessee 3K, is less than 10 bucks a day for a year..so what? Coffee and cigs can cost me that.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
"who am I to decide to just trash it?"I was wondering who are these others to think they can so easily decide to just trash it????Don't compare to cof and fags.Compare to cost of energy to cool you without it there.And the simple pleasure if having it BE.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Hahahaha..>>Rental of Brain that knows HOW and WHERE to fall tree - $2000Ya, but here (BC, Canada) those brains are plentiful (and important), but certainly don't amount to $2K per tree. Moreover, you could go with a lesser brain with a cherry picker and have him/her brainlessly lop off four feet at a time lowered to the ground. Makes for good firewood that way.Scott.Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
I do my own because it is so expensive. I take my time and am safe.
Even if you rented a lift that could get you up there, is it worth your well being, time, and expense for the three K? Not that I wouldn't want to get it done for less, but if that's what it costs, then...
I hate to re-fuel my truck, but I can't seem to grow gas.
You wouldn't do this one, trust me. I coulda had Grants 40' boom lift here and hacked at it my self, but knowing how to swing down off cuts , and rope "braking" (not breaking) is an art.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
A freind of mine has a small tree co in eastern MA. Him and a helper ( both of them climb / or can climb ), an F350 dump body, and and a 12" chipper. They have been at this for about 20 years. I was at his house last year and IIRC he was shooting for 800 dollars a day. The more technical the job, the more risk,,,,, I guess a little more.
Trees nears houses are a growing problem.
H
This will actually take 3 days in total, cut a slew down, clean it up, cut a slew, clean up and then cut some more.
We also have to create a landing zone and then figgure where to stack all the wood.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
Take a look over at http://www.arboristsite.com, lots of good info there.
BTW, I'd probably DIY, but then I also spent 2 weeks in the hospital 35 years ago from having gotten between a tree and a dozer <G>.
Friends dad went up the ladder to cut a branch.
He cut the branch, then found out the ladder was on the wrong side of the cut.
IIRC$3K for 3 days work = $1k/day = $125/hr for how many professionals with equipment?doesn't sound bad at an hourly rate.
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG
...and it's a house call too. Reasonable indeed.
BTW, how's DD doing?
she's doing good.how's your son doing?
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG
He's been working in a small animal clinic for more than a year now.
Saved up some money, got married in June, moved into their own place, experiencing adult life.
The best part is I have a new daughter :)
good for him, and you.wondered how he was doing, knew time flew.hope he's able to use his exotic experience.
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG
Soft Maple?
Googling leads me to believe this is the same as a Silver Maple. Is that right?
If that's the case, it's a weed tree. What the heck do you wanna save it for?
Why is a live tree an important part of a log home?
Edited 9/24/2007 9:22 am ET by peteshlagor
You voiced my sentiments as well. I love trees, and have planted hundreds on my properties, but a soft maple that's near the end of its expected lifespan and too close to the house should be removed completely.
Sphere mentioned their need for the shade it provides, but with the tree removed, a new planting would do better and provide shade in a few years.
I also wonder what species this tree is. Besides a Silver Maple, it could be a red maple or an ash-leafed maple (boxelder) I suppose. Definitely the latter isn't worth saving.
That said, on a previous property I paid several hundred dollars to have a huge Ash-Leafed Maple (the largest example the arborist had ever seen) selectively pruned of dead and "threatening" limbs. Still, it was too close to the house and I should have had it taken down.
I planted a Burr Oak 20 feet further from the house to eventually take its place. That was 18 years ago ... I should see go back for a visit to see the current situation. With the Ash-Leafed Maple gone, the Burr Oak definitely would have fared better and grown faster.
Allen
Edited 9/24/2007 4:52 pm ET by WNYguy
Really, I'm thinking the species is confused. Sphere has a great eye and feel for types of wood. And he's got some reason for saving this one.
But to the cost issue, I've taken quite a few trees down, had pruned, and pruned myself. There is a darn good reason for certain techniques and behaviors when pruning. So there's a training cost that your average illegal won't have.
About 7 - 8 years ago, I needed to take down a big (66" BH) California Sycamore. Fortunately, it was out in the open by the road. My regular landscapers did most of the cutting and I needed a few more illegals to clean up. But by the time I had the root ground up and site cleared, I was down $2500. No insurance involved, no special thinking or training, just be careful.
But a pro that does it HAS to have some of the most expensive workman's comp rates out there. His fees are a bit lower if he can get his boom truck in there and is not responsible for digging ruts in the lawn. And he has to know the different types of entomology issues involved.
I recently had bids floated for 5 full size mature cottonwoods and other weed trees for our HOA's park:
Clean the 5 crowns (clear out all of the dead, diseased and damaged branches way, way up there) -- from $3500 to $5000.
Just what's necessary (the large dead limbs threatening to fall on someone's head --- $2500 on only two of the 5.
The city foresters recommendation: Just do what's necessary and plant better replacement trees now. The things will have to come down within 15 years, anyway.
And another tree pruning issue to beware of: These pruners have completely different interpretations of what needs to be pruned than the property owner.
In the HOA again, we bid out (thru the landscape provider) the pruning of all 113 decidious trees (small to medium size, none over 15 years old) for $6700. We were in no hurry, so they came and went thruout the summer. By Sept, we were getting a bit curious about the status, since only half appeared done. A call to the provider had them out the next day to finish up. Since these others appeared so undone (and I was in charge), I took the ringleader around to each and every tree to inspect for my approval before releasing payment. The business's owner came around about 4 PM, looking peeved while I was doing it and started in about it being done. I said, "Not til I think so and the longer you wanna debate it, the longer your guys will be here." Tried to upcharge us another $2500 for the "extra work." Had the landscaper provider get in the middle and straighten him out. In all fairness to him, he felt some of my requests were far beyond the bid's specs. After going thru and detailing the cuts and percentages on each and every tree, did he finally see what the issue was all about.
I called the tree pruners for the local electric company about a tree in the boy's front yard that had a large limb curving around and hanging threateningly over the incoming high tension and phone wires. They sent out a truck within an hour! The guy got up there real close and personal, trimmed off a few other things, but proclaimed the one that concerned me fine. Said the supporting cable of the lines would hold the branch up just fine, being so close no momentum would build up from a higher fall.
They call em water maple here, and yes, it is a weed tree, but it is my ONLY SHADE on the south exposure, and trust me, we need that until something else gets big enough to help out.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
I just had a 100 year old maple dropped. They had to use a crane to lift it over my house. They cut it and chipped it up. $2500.00 in North Jersey.
"And I thought plumbers were expensive" Don't you know that was a rumor started by doctors and lawyers???
sphere-- price is a bargain.
Neighbor and good friend is a landscape contractor---who likes to do a bit of tree work/climbing as well.
his brother had a similar type business--untill last year.
brother currently doesn't work-and spends his day peeing or crapping into a bag( I forget which)--courtesy of a tree trimming accident.
Personally-- with that short of an expected lifespan for the existing tree---- I would think long and hard about taking it down NOW--and getting a head start on growing a new shade tree.-- you are gonna take it down eventually right????
I do sympathise. I am blessed with 3 HUGE oaks--formerly 4 Huge oaks.-Neighbor had to take one down a year ago. One tree- the electric company would happily take down for free if it needed it( It doesn't)------ the other 2-maybe need it and at worst would be a cooperative deal with the 2 neighbors.
Stephen.
"Personally-- with that short of an expected lifespan for the existing tree---- I would think long and hard about taking it down NOW--and getting a head start on growing a new shade tree.-- you are gonna take it down eventually right????"
Well, that's at least three of us with the same sentiment. But I understand Sphere's and Piffin's point of view. And without seeing the tree and the location, who am I to judge? If it's currently healthy, and will be safe after pruning ... then let it live!
The shade aspect in Kentucky is a more important factor that it is here in the North, I'm sure.
As I mentioned, some years ago I made the same decision with an ash-leafed maple -- and there is no weedier or worthless tree than that! Here's that tree, by the way. Hard to get a sense of its size, but it was very large for that species (the little tree behind the bicycle is the burr oak planted to replace it):
View Image
Allen
Edited 9/24/2007 8:44 pm ET by WNYguy
If I wasn't clear in my previous post, the decision was made to SAVE the tree. The burr oak was planted to EVENTUALLY replace the boxelder.
Alleln
AHAA!
Here it is...View Image
NOW ya see what I mean? The house is a story and a half.
edit: that was two yrs ago, it has grown about 10' a year since then.......yikes.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
Edited 9/24/2007 8:53 pm ET by Sphere
Oh,,,and the trunk at breast high, is as wide as that van under it..those little apple trees are WAY out front, and over on the west is a wind break of Locust and hackberry, not enough to shield from the south sun.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
"The house is a story and a half. edit: that was two yrs ago, it has grown about 10' a year since then"
So that story-and-a-half house is now about four stories now! Ha!
I can see how you'd miss that tree if it were gone. Looks healthy enough to me.
Allen
A shade tree like that on the South side can easily knock 25% or more off of your A/C bill...that alone could pay for a third of the 3K pruning bill over the next 10 years...and energy costs are only going up.Though Silver Maple is not the finest shade tree, I hardly think of it as a "trash tree." We have several very nice Silver Maples in my yard (though I am planting more desirable species each year).On the notion that whatever shade tree will replace your Silver Maple would do better with full sun--that is simply not true. Most shade trees are shade tolerant and many do better with shade or partial shade as they get established. Sugar Maple and the dozens of varieties of Norway Maple are two examples of shade trees that thrive in full shade.I was a licensed arborist and tree climber in one of my former lives...I might have needed 9 lives had I continued in that line of work...I just never felt entirely comfortable hanging from a rope with a running chain saw.
"On the notion that whatever shade tree will replace your Silver Maple would do better with full sun--that is simply not true. "
I was more concerned with the competition for water. Perhaps not a significant issue, either? That close to the house, it won't be a big deal to keep a new seedling watered.
Trying to keep hundreds of new seedlings growing in my back acreage was just about impossible. Although the darn boxelders seed themselves and are growing fine ... where I DON'T want trees.
Allen
Silver Maples and Box Elders are "riparian" species like willow and cottonwood they do consume plenty of water--not a big deal if the tree is in a river bottom. In a yard, it is a valid point, that they compete for water.On the other hand, water losses via evaporation are reduced by shading and protection from wind provided by the dominant tree and the wind row.Box Elders are occasionally a nice tree, but people find the boxelder bugs annoying and it is illegal to plant Box Elders some places. Ironically, it is the only native Maple in many locations (the only local source of Maple sypup for many early settlements). The ban is foolish, because as a native plant it thrives and grows like a weed. Nature makes sure that there are plenty of Box Elders around...even if people got rid of the Box Elders...the bugs like the other maples and ash trees too.The key to displacing Box Elders trees in a wood lot is to choose other trees that like "having their feet wet." Lowland species like walnut, ash or elm are good choices.
basswood,
Not to mention that some of the most stuning boards I've gotten have come from boxelder. It often has some wicked looking streaks of color in it. My favorite is a tree that somehow got brite red streaks like lightening bolts in it.
Flawless white boards with red lightening bolts across it! I put it in a featured spot up in my attic. Sure it's not as hard as hard maple but that's it's only shortcoming. It works nice and doesn't burn as easily as hard maple does plus it's not as heavy to work with..
I've seen yellow and green streaks and occasionally orange but red is more rare. Frankly it begs for usage in a creative way..
This past weekend I cut up a Box Elder log that was deposited in my yard by the flood water. It had plenty of red in it...but was a hollow log occupied by carpenter ants. The pieces without ants went into the firewood pile though.You are right that it can be a nice wood, I've heard that it "turns" into nice bowls, etc.
Basswood
The heart of any maple is prone to rot so it's understandable that carpenter ants were there. in fact early wood, the white part of hard maple sells at a sawmill for over $1.65 a bd.ft. while the center or brown part is hard pressed to find a buyer at 30 cents a bd.ft. often it winds up in the railroad tie pile..
absolutely beautifulwe should all be blessed to have a neighbor / friend like you
John, you're too kind. I was happy to get the free fire wood!
Allen
Somewhere I recall reading that tree working was among the most dangerous jobs out there.
In the air, off balance, managing large chain saws and falling branches? I'd be willing to pay 10x that bid to have someone else take care of that. Hope it turns out well for you and the tree.
Hope to have pics next week, weather permitting , we have action a week fom today.
I better get some invoice's out..(G)Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
Occupational safety reports. But that includes all forms of tree, work, ie logging and forestry.
Sphere -
As the commercial goes - here's the rest of the story --
Bought our house in VA 9 years ago. In the back of the acreage was an extra house - 5 rooms, probably from 1860. I planned on restoring it, someday. There are some nice oaks around it 3 of them all at least 48" across the base. Beautiful trees, very impressive. We move down in January. In March, I notice some of the metal roofing is coming off. Few weeks later I see all the roof is off. Few weeks after that, the neighbor says - sorry about the old house. One of the old oaks snapped off and went straight across the whole roof. took out the ridge and every rafter, the ceiling and the top half of the chimney. Look at the house now and there's tree coming out both ends. Took a tree guy back to see it and he wouldn't even get out of the truck. Told me get a big machine and get rid of the house and tree at the same time. Couldn't trust the cieling beams for the first floor to hold a worker with a saw while he's up there.
Oh yeah, insurance...I cancelled it after we moved in because it was a commercial rental policy (useless if we were living there) and they wouldn't rewrite it as a homeowner's policy until the outside of the house was painted. Tough to do in February.
There was another tree by our main house that didn't look good. It was only a 50' maple. Took three days to clean it up after it was cut down. I learned the lesson on the first one.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
Sphere, if you get any sizeable pieces from the box elder don't hesitate to have them sawn into boards. Boxelder usually produses a nice white wood except in the heart. On rare occasions you'll find interesting streaks of brillant color in it which makes a stuning cabinet or box of some sort..
I've seen it used as the featured wood in kitchen cabinet doors so don't hesitate to save the big stuff..
Frenchy, I don't think Sphere's tree is a box elder. I confused the issue by mentioning my similar situation with a box elder.
Speaking of box elders, I wish that nominclature would disappear. The alternatives, "Ash-Leaved Maple" or "Ashleaf Maple" are much more accurate, as it IS a maple and its leaves often take the form of five leaflets. Or how about, Acer Negundo.
Allen
WNY guy,
Well he can still get some wood for a project out of it. Nothing like have a box or cabinet or the like for a momento of a beloved tree.
Frenchy, you are so right. Friends of mine had a huge Black Walnut that was killed by a lightning strike. I took a lot of it for firewood, and in exchange, I sawed up one of the logs and made a little recipe box to give them as a gift. On the bottom I attached a label decribing the tree, etc.
View Image
Allen
> ...why a branch is cut farther from the trunk ( so decay starts
> farther and takes longer to reach the main bole) ...
Interesting. The people at Rutgers School of Agriculture recommend cutting it off as close as possible. The professor there stated that the bark will form sort of a roll around the place the branch used to be and seal things up. There will be no decay at all.
I've seen this sort of thing in other people's trees, so I started pruning mine this way. It's only been a year since I started that, which is too soon to tell, but some of my old long prunings are decaying and none of my short ones are.
I've noticed the same thing.They used to cut the branch off flush, and cover the area with tar or something similar. But I believe that now they say to just leave it alone after you cut it.I've even seen a 'tree bandaid' made of concrete before.
Yeh... That'll work.
Reminds me of when a customer offered me a "free" apple tree for firewood, if I'd cut it down and get it outta his yard.
I was young and eager, sure, why not?
Got the big branches and all the trimmings in slew of pick up truck loads, then started on the trunk. Saw kept dulling and all sorts of hell...
The damm tree was filled with concrete and old bricks..needless to say, it wasn't "free" and I didn't need firewood THAT bad. I piled up remaining brushy stufff and burnt the damm thing down where it stood.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
Hi Sphere, Just thought I'd like to kick in some thoughts on that tree. It is a beauty no doubt about it. However, it strikes me as odd that the tree trimmer fella thought it was about 100 years old. Soft or silver maples are notoriously short livers but they are fast growers. Thus my suspicious character leaps to the forfront and starts thinking a little leg pulling may be going on.
Moving forward I begin to see that after some days of trimming enough rot will be discovered that will neccessitate felling the tree anyway.
Therefore were it mine I would cut it down now and save the 3k, spend about half of that on getting a large long living tree transplanted in there. Maybe oak or hard maple or some other good shade tree that you like and is a long lived tree.
I would think that if you are willing to clean it up for firewood somebody would be glad to drop it for $100 and drive away smiling having made out pretty good for 15 minutes work. It does look, on the picture, like there is plenty room to fall.
Well, something to think about.
PS That stump would make a pretty fair picnic table too if it's cut off flat at 36".
Cutting "as close as possible" can be called "flush cutting" and this is a common pruning mistake.The ideal pruning cut is done at a slight angle, just beyound the "branch collar" so the trunk tissue is not harmed and grows quickly over the cut (this method resulted from the research of Alexander Shigo):http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/suffolk/grownet/tree-shrub-maintenance/pruntree.html
I was a tree surgeon and worked for the power companies removing trees off power lines then had my own tree biz for awhile, I gave it up it only takes one mistake and your crippled or dead, Every day there was a time i was scared or was not sure what was going to happen, No i never got hurt or dropped a tree on a house, A maple is iffy a sycamore or Alder are the worst A willow scares me, Oaks and big spruces are ok unless theres rot inside. Not many people can be tree climbers
New news, I got a bad feeling about tree guy scheduled, called and stalled it. Maybe it was his T shirt with his name in Sharpie on the back ( no kiddin, xxxxx tree service, ####-xxxx), or his biz card.."xxxx ( first name only) tree care" PH.#, fully insured" And the lack of reference to any past customers, or proof of "certified" yet to appear.
Later , like next day, got hooked up with one of the best in Lex. He does some extensive work on the Horse Farms, he does the hard stuff, all roped, owns his chipper and is a friend of a friend...says how about 900.00$?
I about shat. Says he'll be here Tues. weather permitting, if not, thursday. Currently he is on the largest Horse farm around town, and does some pretty impressive limb felling, just glides the limbs down a static line..this I gotta see.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
Edited 10/5/2007 8:33 pm ET by Sphere
A good tree guy is one of my favorite Pro's to watch - arial ballet. And for 9 bills you've paid for a front row seat - enjoy the show :-)
Sounds like you might have dodged a bullet AND caught a break all at once.
Something must be out of adjustment in the universe! Duck, quick.... buic
Yeah, trusting ones gut feeling is always a choice. I think it paid off.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
Cool. That's about right. I hope everyone's happy.Scott.Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
Gonna find that out soon enough. At least a pile of wood chips will be ready for mulch next year. Wood chips I didn't have to create. LOLSpheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
Pricing is always a contentious issue, especially with those things folks think that they can do themselves.
For example, look at the prices a house painter is likely to charge to paint a bedroom. With Union scale, and the costs of running a business, I'd be very surprised to see a quote of less than $300, PLUS materials!
So, when does the painter get called? When there's something about the job that Joe Homeowner feels is beyond his ability to easily do himself. Say, when the house is large, ground is uneven, and the eaves are 40 ft. up. That's when the painters' investments in teamwork, sprayers, and scaffolding come into play.
Back to our tree ....
I have a similar issue in my yard; the difference is that I rent. I have a massive dead Elm, one that has worked it's way over the decades through the power lines, the phone and cable lines, and has strategically grown major limbs right over every fence, shed, and house near it. Sundry 'improvements' over the years have had the result that it's nearly impossible to reach the tree with boom equipment.
DIY? Sure.... I've lost count of the 'handy' types who say 'no worries' - until they see the tree. The owners - both past and present - object to the idea of actually paying someone to remove the tree. They continue to hunt for some unlicensed, uninsured fool who will remove the tree for a case of beer. (Heck, the prior owner wanted to get paid for the firewood!)
Meanwhile ... the clock is ticking. The tree died because it was diseased. The rot continues. The ground around it is a mushroom farm, as the roots rot. As I size up the odds, when the tree brings itself down, it will take out an evil neighbors' phone / cable, as well as the landlords' fence and personal storage shed. It may also trash his car, and a corner of his invalid Father-in-Laws' living room. My losses will likely be limited to a cheap outdoor table and BBQ.
The moral of this story is .... sometimes you NEED a pro. Don't begrudge him a living; for every hour of work you see, there are likely three hours of non-billable time he has to cover. The equipment he uses will MAYBE pay for itself after 20 years of use.
Otherwise, don't expect the professionals to have any sympathy for you. They are perfectly happy for you to continue to have a dead tree in your yard. You are not forced to use their services ... so you are perfectly free to decline their fees. They know that they have a service to sell, and that they are worth their rates.
around here-in a case like yours the power company will be delighted to come out and cut the tree down at NO charge to the homeowner.
stephen
Lucky you! Here YOU are responsible for keeping the tree away from the wires once they leave the transformer. PoCo only cares for the transformer-to-transformer lines.
The deed is done. Today a 4 man crew showed up, saws and ropes and the biggest chipper I have ever seen, 110 HP diesel, handles up to 14'' dia.
They did a heck of job, artfully pruned it, clean as whistle all around. 850.00$, plus gave me a load of chips that was in the truck as I asked if they had any to dispose of. Mulch for us.
Tom (the owner) firmly stated that the tree is 120 years (ok, about) old and is VERY healthy, for that close to end of life, and I "did a REALLY good thing" getting this work done when I did.
His 3 guys ,1 in tree, 2 on ground, were busting hump..and my dog was having a blast watching the "Guatamalen squirell" as I knicknamed him..LOL Great guy.
Nothing hit the house, not even a twig..all was really a ballet of sorts, it wasa real treat to watch and learn.
If anyone ever thinks they could do this without yrs of exp. they are nuts..I learned that for sure.
Pics when the batts in thecamera recook.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
Sphere,
Curios what that tree was. Did they identify it for pretty sure?
Mesic
It is a Silver Maple. Same as I was sure of. Som rot in some of the previously cut back branches, but all in all a very healthy tree, even considering the drought we've been in.
Only 6 large snake skins..(G)Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
>>>a load of chips that was in the truck as I asked if they had any to dispose of. Mulch for us.That stuff makes great kindling (fire starter) too, if you have a wood stove, and have the time to dry it out.Scott.Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
Oh, yeah. That and mulch for ever..LOLSpheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"