Large Oak Tree 24ft away from property

jaqui59

Hi everyone

Just yesterday I put an offer on a lovely bungalow which I fell in love with instantly.

It has a large Oak Tree just 24ft away from the side elevation, and I would guess the tree is approx 40ft high (it might even be taller). The present owner said that 5 years ago it was cut back quite dramatically, and I have to admit it looks as though this might be the case as its spread isnt anywhere near as much as you might expect. The land around the side of the property looks very flat, and I cant see any evidence of damage by the tree e.g. cracks in the walls etc. Also, the owner said the tree is approx 40 years old, which is the same age as the building.

Anyway, I am getting negative comments from family and friends about this tree being so close, and even more negative comments because I was considering building an extension on this side elevation, making the gap between the tree and building about 12ft.

Have I made a mistake .. Should I walk away from this purchase?

SplanK

You might want to consider a full structural survey with the tree been so close, there *MAY* also be issues with the mortgage depending if they lenders are a bit uppity about such things...

There have been issues in the past with the tree roots going under, and around the foundations of a building, usually pushing it up - then if the tree dies then the roots would rot, causing a void in the ground where the foundations can sink!

A root system for a tree can be, depending on the location much wide spread than the tree's visible parts!

saying that... my parents house backs onto extensive woodland with many tree's been anywhere from 30-60ft at a guess... which I would say are around... there are also a large number of established trees at the front of the house, and ones which are more or less knocking on next doors detached garage and they have never had a problem!

never_enough

Agree with previous poster. It's not necessarily all doom & gloom, however you would be silly not to check it out. I had several large trees taken down at my last property as they were starting to cause problems with drains. It took 4 years to take them down to avoid heave/nesting bird issues. They were much closer to my place though (24ft seems a big distance, but then 40ft is very tall too! ) [However, I'm looking at new house insurance & some policies have asked about trees within 10ft...]
You also need to check there is no TPO in place & if you're in a conservation area you'll need to give the council at least 6 weeks notice of any work on the tree.
I've heard it said a general rule is that a trees roots will be spread a similar distance to the branches, but if they've been cut back it makes it more difficult to judge. Of course that could just be an old wives tale, better getting a qualified person in.

HazelS_2

You should also think about how much light you might lose because of this tree.... Last thing you want is to be wandering round the house with all the lights on at 2pm cos you can't see inside the house!

jaqui59

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

Your comments have made me feel a a little more comfortable about proceeding with the purchase ... Its such a unique little spot where the property is, and my instinct tells me I shouldn't really back out because of this tree, plus its not going to be easy for me to find something I like just as much.

I think what I will do upon your suggestions is to get a Full Structural Survey rather than a Homebuyers Survey and also maybe a very good Arborist to come and have a look to see what he thinks, and I will just have to keep my fingers crossed that its going to be good news for me!!

olias

If you are not going to be there when the surveyor makes his inspection, just make sure you have asked him to specifically look at any issues/potential issues with the tree. Best bet is to try and be there when he does his inspection so you can point out your specific concerns

Olias

savemoney

Also bear in mind some problems may occur with guttering from leaves, easy problem to fix as you can get plastic mesh for guttering to stop leaves blocking the guttering. A blocked/leaking gutter can cause damp

I wouldn't be put of by the tree just get expert advice first

mouseymousey99

Is the tree actually on the property? I'd go along with the structural survey & I'd ask a tree surgeon to have a look at it too. Not thinking of cutting it down, but getting some expert opinon about the situation.