Posted: 6/20/2017 5:06:09 PM EDT
|
I have a large mature oak (not live oak) in my front yard that I need removed. The damn thing is constantly dropping branches in my yard and generally makes a mess. I am on pins and needles every time we get a little wind because it would utterly destroy my home if it were to fall. I had a local tree service give me a quote. He wants 1600 for a "crown reduction with growth inhibitor" or 2900 for removal including stump grinding and haul off. This seems a bit high to me so I'm asking any experts for advice. The tree is about twenty feet from the house also twenty feet or so from a paved road. I will not entertain the idea of renting a lift and doing it myself because I'm scared of death lol. The trunk is about four feet diameter at the base and maybe 100 feet high.
Edit to add I've got calls into other tree services for different quotes but with the weather may take them awhile. What should I expect to pay? |
|
Quoted:
I have a large mature oak (not live oak) in my front yard that I need removed. The damn thing is constantly dropping branches in my yard and generally makes a mess. I am on pins and needles every time we get a little wind because it would utterly destroy my home if it were to fall. I had a local tree service give me a quote. He wants 1600 for a "crown reduction with growth inhibitor" or 2900 for removal including stump grinding and haul off. This seems a bit high to me so I'm asking any experts for advice. The tree is about twenty feet from the house also twenty feet or so from a paved road. I will not entertain the idea of renting a lift and doing it myself because I'm scared of death lol. The trunk is about four feet diameter at the base and maybe 100 feet high. Edit to add I've got calls into other tree services for different quotes but with the weather may take them awhile. What should I expect to pay? Three years ago I had a large Ash tree and a very large Oak tree removed and another large Oak tree well trimmed out. The Ash was in the front yard so the stump had to be ground as well. Total cost was $2200. Oak trees are incredibly heavy trees. It's a lot of work. |
|
I just had 6 smallish oaks (8"-24" diameter) completely cut down, and about 20 others trimmed out of all of the dead stuff. They left about a cord of firewood, and hauled a 16' trailer out with trimmings stacked about 6' high. Cost $1800.
ETA: 2 guys worked from about 9AM until 730 PM, and one of the two had to climb/cut three of the trees as they were over a pool. Yours actually sounds pretty reasonable if they're also going to grind/remove the stump. |
|
Quoted:
Damn OP, sounds like you got a good deal. Around here it would be at least double that for the removal. 
I was prepared for two grand tops. I had two equally large trees removed from my back yard a few years ago and paid 5500. Was hoping the street access would help with cost. Guess I'll get a couple more quotes before I fo. |
| I just had a good sized cottonwood tree removed from in front of the house. The damn thing shed and dropped shit for years, it finally dropped two big branches on the new roof and gutters a few days ago. Cost me $960. It wasn't nearly as big as the one OP describes, but it wasn't small. The price did not include grinding the stump. Luckily it did not damage the roof. |
|
If it's that close to your house you are looking at a lot
of time lowering branches by the climber and that means the job is going to drag out pretty long and hopefully they have a bucket truck to make the job go quicker. I am always amazed at how many people on the Northshore outside of NOLA keep those damn tall pine trees right next to their homes. |
|
I had a fairly large Maple die on me a couple years ago, was 20' from the house and 20' from the road, I was going to get a company to take it down even though I grew up as a logger, dont have a bucket truck though.
The power company came by and ask to trim the trees out front, I told them they could trim all they needed but they had to take the dead one down at no cost to me. A week later the tree was gone, still have the stump though. Free is a better price but I think the price you got is fair. |
|
My BIL next door paid $3200 for an even bigger oak.
I had a maple about 60 foot high that was dying. I asked the guy how much to take it down, leavev the wood an a 4 foot stump. He said 900 you do the clean up. Sold! It wasnt pretty but it came down in big sections by rope. Put out a sign - free fire wood - and every woodburner in villiage with a chain saw showed up and they took it all. |
| Remember one thing some oaks are worth money to saw mills. Some tree service companies will charge you a nut and half to take it down and then not tell you that they are selling the tree to a mill and making more. Some will take it away and sell it for firewood and make more. |
|
I would encourage you to keep the log and get it milled, but a lot of mills won't touch logs from around yards and houses due to the possibilty of nails and fencing, etc.
A 4ft oak log, if it is sound, can be quite valuable. I would really like to see photos of this old boy if you have them. |
|
I had 3 big maples trimmed to make them safer. Last Summer.
I too got tired of the damage and insurance claims when a storm blew through. They took a lot of wood off each one. Everything hanging over the house, anything at an odd angle. They hauled away the brush, and cut the wood in to 6 ft. or shorter pieces and left it. Cost me $1200. To remove one and leave the stump was about $1300 per tree. Sounds like you're getting a pretty good deal if they are insured. Oak is heavy. |
|
Being 20' from the house that price is cheap. Make sure the people doing are licensed bonded and insured. If I'm not mistaken you're AO has to have a certified arborist on site. That's expensive.
Attached File |
|
Quoted:
I would encourage you to keep the log and get it milled, but a lot of mills won't touch logs from around yards and houses due to the possibilty of nails and fencing, etc. A 4ft oak log, if it is sound, can be quite valuable. I would really like to see photos of this old boy if you have them. This. You could recoup some money by milling the timber. Is it white oak, or red oak? |
|
Screen the Tree service guys by requesting proof of insurance.
3K is reasonable for the job. If they screw up, and torpedo you or the neighbors place, you're covered. Lawn damage? You are covered. You can hire a hack, risk being sued, risk property damage your homeowners insurance wont cover, and maybe have one of the Meth heads on the crew get hurt on the job without workmans comp coverage..and save 500 bucks. I wouldn't, and I have a serious hobby involving Chainsaws, Trees, and dangling on rope. Doing the job vs. doing the job right while protecting the customer, are two different things. Call the insurance agent, and have them define things for you if needed. 
Taking down big old Oaks near houses, is like exploding a bomb slowly.
|
|
Quoted:
Darn.
I was prepared for two grand tops. I had two equally large trees removed from my back yard a few years ago and paid 5500. Was hoping the street access would help with cost. Guess I'll get a couple more quotes before I fo. Quoted:
Quoted:
Damn OP, sounds like you got a good deal. Around here it would be at least double that for the removal.
I was prepared for two grand tops. I had two equally large trees removed from my back yard a few years ago and paid 5500. Was hoping the street access would help with cost. Guess I'll get a couple more quotes before I fo. Had a coworker who would take down trees. He said the stump grinding was the easy money. |