Posted: 8/15/2011 11:33:37 AM EDT
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I have 2 large trees near our new house that I plan on removing myself. I have cut quite a few trees in the woods and one tree near our old house.
I will have to climb both trees and top them as I go as they are too close for me to safely drop in one piece. Any tips you guys can suggest. I did have one guy out for an estimate and it was $800 which is too much right now. |
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Quoted:
I have 2 large trees near our new house that I plan on removing myself. I have cut quite a few trees in the woods and one tree near our old house. I will have to climb both trees and top them as I go as they are too close for me to safely drop in one piece. Any tips you guys can suggest. I did have one guy out for an estimate and it was $800 which is too much right now. Hire a professional. That $800 will be cheaper than your hospital bill or repairs to your home. Seriously, I know plenty of guys who have been screwed up for life or killed cutting trees. If you've never cut one from the top down I wouldn't even consider doing it. It's just not worth the risk. |
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You need to use ropes to make the branches go where you want them to go, and not through your new shingles.
It requires at least two experienced arborists. Larger branches may require at least two strong guys pulling a rope wrapped around the tree, while another guy ties and cuts. Even the pros will leave dozens of holes around your yard from cutting small pieces and just letting them fall. There WILL be collateral damage to the landscape, so be prepared. Do you have a climbing harness? Ropes? Hard hat? I'd never attempt such a thing myself. |
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Quoted:
You need to use ropes to make the branches go where you want them to go, and not through your new shingles. It requires at least two experienced arborists. Larger branches may require at least two strong guys pulling a rope wrapped around the tree, while another guy ties and cuts. Even the pros will leave dozens of holes around your yard from cutting small pieces and just letting them fall. There WILL be collateral damage to the landscape, so be prepared. Do you have a climbing harness? Ropes? Hard hat? I'd never attempt such a thing myself. Well there won't be any damage to the landscape unless I could somehow damage the dirt/mud that is there now. I am putting in a yard next month once things cool off here and want to get the tress down before then. I have plenty of ropes and have access to a climbing harness. One of the trees is about 40' from the house and is probably 60' tall. That one would be the easier one for me to handle except for the poison ivy vines all over it. 
The other one is about 15' from the house and I don't feel real comfortable with that one so maybe I will have someone take that down. |
| Did the $800.00 price include removal of the trees or just cutting them? If it did and money is the issue why not have them give you a price for just dropping the trees and then you cut them up. That should cut the price almost in half. Then you could always cut into firewood and sell it or give it away. |
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I watched a couple of experienced tree guys take down 6 trees in my yard last spring. It is an art form using the rope to drop the top of the tree where you want it and how fast you want it to come down.
BTW, it was about $300 per tree including hauling off what I didn't want. But I now have enough hickory to smoak enough pork for 10 lifetimes. |
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IMO, any tree near a structure is for a insured professional. if you can winch it so it falls away from the house that might work. however it all depends on what direction it leans.
i have cut down hundreds of trees, but would never top one. too dangerous, as i dont have all the gear needed. |
| I've tied the branches to a pickup, got in the tractor bucket and had my bro raise me up, then tell the pops to start pulling on the branch with the pickup when I cut about halfway through the branch. Works like a peach if you have a long enough rope, 2 other guys, and a tractor with a bucket. |
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Quoted:
I've tied the branches to a pickup, got in the tractor bucket and had my bro raise me up, then tell the pops to start pulling on the branch with the pickup when I cut about halfway through the branch. Works like a peach if you have a long enough rope, 2 other guys, and a tractor with a bucket. 
Right before that, did you say, "Alright, one o' y'alls hold mah beer!"? Running a chainsaw against a tensioned branch from a tractor bucket sounds like a recipe for disaster. |
