Landscaper or tree surgeon

sunnyday1234

Hi All

I have three large trees at the back of my house that i want to get trimmed and reduced in size. They are getting overbearing and leaning in too much and could cause a lot of damage if they fell during a storm.

I dont watn the trees removed but would want them reduced in size by maybe 50%. Currently they are about 40 feet tall, would a tree surgeon be needed for this or a landscaper ?

Also any idea how much it would cost ?

Thanks for any help

Lumen

If there is climbing involved, tree surgeon.

looksee

Certainly a tree surgeon, this is not landscaping.

The cost will depend on the complexity of the job, the accessibility of the trees and what might get in the way. There is also the possibility that the surgeon might say that the trees will be too damaged by the amount of work that needs to be done, so you may have to accept that. You are paying for skill, insurance, experience, a team, and time.

If someone offers to do a cheap job make sure you have a great deal of insurance, because chances are he will not. If a large branch is dropped on your house, or a neighbour's, its very likely your own insurance will not cover it.

sunnyday1234

ok thanks. i dont want a cheap job and i know its not simple.

Interesting laws in place on this kind of stuff, i saw that you are entitled to cut or remove a tree if its within 30 metres of a dwelling (which it is) but you cant remove the tree if the tree was there first (which it was)

How would builders get planning then when the trees were always liable to be dangerous in storms

magicbastarder

how old is the house? a tree can grow to 40 foot in a couple of decades.

ZX7R

magicbastarder wrote: »

how old is the house? a tree can grow to 40 foot in a couple of decades.

Was about to ask the same question, also what type of tree is it .
Is there any phone or electrical wires close or in it

looksee

Planning are not all that interested in trees, in the same way they are not much interested in legalities relating to land. Its very complicated - in that most people don't seem to know the answers. Recently been there on this topic. Between Planning, Forestry, two 'official' foresters and a tree surgeon I got different answers from all of them. In the end it was the tree surgeon who helped me sort it out. If you do need a felling license it will take 4 months to get one. Suggest your best bet would be to talk to a tree surgeon (or two) and get an idea of what needs to be done, then figure out what permissions you need. Do check out the answers you get as in the end YOU are responsible for what is done.

It is very irritating that people who just go ahead and chop down a tree on their land will probably get away with it, if you try and do it right you will have more bureaucracy and obstruction and vagueness put before you than you can imagine. The regs are in everyone's best interests, but they need to be more clearcut, and better understood by officialdom.

TheW1zard

A Grand.

sunnyday1234

ZX7R wrote: »

Was about to ask the same question, also what type of tree is it .
Is there any phone or electrical wires close or in it

house is 10 years old. No phone or esb wires close

fryup

whoever you choose make sure they have insurance, insist on seeing documentation

Lumen

Oh also, reducing a tree by 50% will often result in it looking awful.

sunnyday1234

Lumen wrote: »

Oh also, reducing a tree by 50% will often result in it looking awful.

Yeah well 50% was just a figure i put out there. Depends on what the tree expert says.