Maintenance of trees

Fluppen

Hi all,


I have about 20 trees between the house and yard. There is one which is showing evidence of rot and needs to be taken down, it is a medium sized sycamore. The rest need to be reduced to avoid issues in the future and provide more light. I have approached local tree care companies and was a little shocked at the prices so was wondering if anyone on here has experience doing similar work. The quotation to remove the single tree is over €600 and to reduce, top or prune the rest as needed is a further €3000. There is no access for machinery which is probably increasing the price. Everything which is cut will be left for me to process as the price goes up if they have to take away any wood or process any branches.

Are these the usual sort of prices?
Thanks for any replies.

49801

Most of them would be bringing likes of a cherry picker and a pole saw to tackle a job like that. Plus a wood chipper for the light stuff. Cost not long adding up really in fairness.

1990sman

easily done yourself op, any half decent gardener will do for u at fraction of cost.

(only speaking from own experience)

Good loser

Would it be possible to get in a 14 tonne digger?

Fluppen

Thanks for the replies.

To clarify, unfortunately there is no access for machinery at all. No cherry picker, teleporter, digger or even those specialised narrow tracked thingies with the wide stabilisers. The trees are a copse of trees between the house and yard, all those on the outer edges could easily damage either the house or yard buildings so I won't go near it myself. I have felled trees in fields and hedgerows myself but this is a spot for a pro with climbing equipment, knowledge and most importantly insurance. Mix of large sycamore, ash and willow in a wet unlevel area. I will check with some local gardeners to see what they say.

Really what I'm asking is if anyone has done similar work and if the cost was similar.
Thanks again

Car99

Get three quotes and see where you're at

Who2

Fluppen wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

To clarify, unfortunately there is no access for machinery at all. No cherry picker, teleporter, digger or even those specialised narrow tracked thingies with the wide stabilisers. The trees are a copse of trees between the house and yard, all those on the outer edges could easily damage either the house or yard buildings so I won't go near it myself. I have felled trees in fields and hedgerows myself but this is a spot for a pro with climbing equipment, knowledge and most importantly insurance. Mix of large sycamore, ash and willow in a wet unlevel area. I will check with some local gardeners to see what they say.

Really what I'm asking is if anyone has done similar work and if the cost was similar.
Thanks again

That’s around the cost of it. Who pays if a tree hits your house or a saw slips and someone gets badly hurt? It’s a specialised job with crazy insurance premiums. 3-4K won’t go very far if something was to go wrong. There is a lot of specialised equipment and a lot more skill to it than just cutting a wedge and hoping it drops the right way.

Ak84

IIRC, A friend of mine was quoted 600 per tree.
He had 22 trees.
Ended up with 2 local handymen doing the job for a couple of thousand in the end. But I'd say insurance was non existant

elperello

Without seeing the job it's hard to say if that is expensive.

You could get a second quote to get a better idea.

If it's dodgy enough that you won't go at it yourself despite having some experience I wouldn't let someone whose capabilities you don't know do the job.

As you say equipment, knowledge and insurance are vital.

Good loser

If you're getting people in would it be better to level them completely.

Could a machine get at them from next door?

In Dublin last year - also with no machinery access - two cypress trees cost

euro 1,600 to take down and pulp the stumps. Branches not shredded and timber left in lengths.
I offered to do job with a helper but they were worried about no insurance.

patsy_mccabe

I'd take them all down too. Topping trees is a waste of time. They'll be back up in no time. If the only option is with climbing ropes, then you've no choice but to price around.
I can't understand if there is 20 trees, why they can't be felled. Any chance of a pic?

Fluppen

Thanks again for all the replies. It seems like the prices I have been quoted are fair enough then. I'll just have to pay up as I definitely want it done by people with experience and insurance.
To those suggesting felling, I would rather not fell everything, the area concerned is a pleasant copse of trees between the house and farm yard. It's nice to have that separation and shelter/shade. It's also an area with a boggy bowl and duck pond which is one of the reasons acces is so difficult. My parents did similar maintenance work in the mid 90s so I'm hoping I'll get away with doing the area every 10 to 15 years to stay on top of things. Of course, my parents paid very little as the company doing it then saw more value in the wood than in the hours of labour.

patsy_mccabe

Fell some, maybe the taller unstable ones and plant new trees in their place. Just a suggestion.

GNWoodd

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Fell some, maybe the taller unstable ones and plant new trees in their place. Just a suggestion.

And don’t replant with the type of trees that will require the same work in ten years time !
Tree surgery etc is a huge industry with plenty of work and a small number of capable firms . Most have long waiting lists
It can’t be done with a smart phone so that rules out a significant percentage of the younger age group

Belongamick

You might be able to suggest a deal with a local guy interested in timber.
He cuts the trees and keeps some or all of the timber. Make sure he's competent though. Neighbor of mine did similar where he was quoted huge price to clean up 100meters of branches and trees overhanging a roadway.

Fluppen

Hi all, thanks for all the replies and useful info. I think I've gotten lucky, a neighbour who used to work full time as a forester and had switched careers is just going back to tree care and he had a look and will do the work for me at a more reasonable rate. He only lives down the road and will do what needs to be done as it needs to be done so the cost will be spread.
I'll use the wood myself as I have a stove that burns all day most days between Oct and Feb/March.