Tree removal - do we need to think of anything else?

butler_helen

Hmmm well we did ours over the phone and won't have lied to them. Should I call I confirm? Or leave it for the renewal?

I might read the small print again - perhaps its mentioned? We went with more than, via phone and I don't recall them asking.

keystone

OP you hould take particular notice of Post #10. One of the "technical terms" referred to would almost certainly have been "heave". Then you need to:

a) Find out how invasive silver birch roots are to a property foundations;
b) Research "heave".
c) Ask yourself if your "surveyor" was someone sent along to do a mortgage valualtion report an whilst he was there he did you a Homebuyers Report. If so it isn't worth the paper its printed on. Chock full of CYA stufff one of which is likely to have included mention of certain tree. Then decide how much credence you can put on it.

Whilst you are doing that consider this commentary:

1. Trees take a prodigious amount of water out of the ground. Whilst they are there the ground is in equilibrium. Take the tree away and the water has to go somewhere. The ground swells. This is called heave and is the opposite of subsidence. You know how the insurance companies treat subsidence.

2. I have seen a brand new build on a concrete slab have to be virtually rebuilt 6 months after completion due to heave. They had removed a very large conifer from the ground where the centre of the slab was! The slab rose 9 inches and cracked alarmingly.

3. The age of the tree vis-a-vis the house is important. If the tree was planted after the house was built there is less likelyhood of heave. You didn't answer (IIRC - apologies if you did) the question about girth of the tree. Thats important in determining a) its age and b) how much water its taking.

4. What subsoil you are on. Clays have a greater propensity to heave than others.

HTH

Cheers

butler_helen

Hi,

Yes, the gentleman did mention "heave".

We are on clay and the tree is about a foot in diameter and about 6ft from the nearest point of our house.

I'm beginning to think we will just leave it and work around it! Albeit once we have some assurance that it's not diseased etc. which I doubt it is.

I too have heard some horror stories! So I'm keen to do this right - albeit it's a pain and more expensive than I had planned.

Furts

Ownerofawreck wrote: »

Have a similar problem with a silver birch. The guy I spoke to said to reduce the height and crown it, then next year bring it down so there isn't such a shock to the foundations/water table. He used more technical words though:) He is reliable and qualified so am doing as he said. Although he is probably thinking of his earnings too!
The local council here would slap a TPO on it in the blink of an eye but my neighbours are keen to see it go so fingers crossed.
Good luck with yours.

If I was asked informally, over a glass of wine, I would say there is substance in this approach. If I was asked to put a comment in writing, this is not accepted practice.

I will leave this with OP to think about!

Furts

butler_helen wrote: »

Hi,

Yes, the gentleman did mention "heave".

We are on clay and the tree is about a foot in diameter and about 6ft from the nearest point of our house.

I'm beginning to think we will just leave it and work around it! Albeit once we have some assurance that it's not diseased etc. which I doubt it is.

I too have heard some horror stories! So I'm keen to do this right - albeit it's a pain and more expensive than I had planned.

I do not wish to worry you but this does need addressing. The longer it remains, the greater the potential for damage.

In addition to foundations, you need to consider are the roots damaging drains and services.

butler_helen

Hi,

So we had the gentleman out to assess the tree, area and soil.

Firstly we are lucky - no damage done to sewage/pipes as shown on CCTV last week when Thames water were out looking for the cause of a blocked drain 6 houses up.

They have recommended we reduce the tree to a stump over a week or so, then leave the stump/roots for at least a year.

We are lucky as the soil is a gravel/clay mix which means removal of the tree won't have the impact of just a clay soil.

However, I rang to cancel a tree removal service and they were adamant that in their 30yrs experience they have not experienced a tree removal causing any damage to the surrounding buildings (in oi area).

It's 6ft3 from the house and has a base about 1.5ft wide, it's about 1.2x height of the house and we will receive a report next week on how to approach its removal. The company chosen work with insurance companies in cases where tree removals/planting have affected stability of a building and in insurance claims etc. So we are paying for a report to use if we sell the house to say we took expert advice before Removing it.

All such a pain! But I want it done properly... Even if it costs more and takes time.

butler_helen

Forgot to add, the tree is about 10/15years old at a guess and our extension is about 20years old. But these are just guesses, none of our home reports detail it. I can guarantee the house is older than the tree - its from the 1890's!

keystone

What needs addressing here is a balance of risks:

1. Silver birch is way down the scale on probability for damaging foundations. If it were willow or eucalyptus that would be a different matter.

2. Its approaching its maximum size now anyway.

3. If the tree is younger than the extension the chances of heave if its removed are small.

4. Roots from a tree such as this do not break into drains. They find their way in through already broken drains though.

5. As you are on London clay there is seasonal shrinkage/swelling/moivement in the ground anyway

The balance of probablilites is that its safe (IMO) to remove it and probably in one hit but if it were me I'd probably take the staged approach.

Cheers

butler_helen

keystone wrote: »

What needs addressing here is a balance of risks:

1. Silver birch is way down the scale on probability for damaging foundations. If it were willow or eucalyptus that would be a different matter.

2. Its approaching its maximum size now anyway.

3. If the tree is younger than the extension the chances of heave if its removed are small.

4. Roots from a tree such as this do not break into drains. They find their way in through already broken drains though.

5. As you are on London clay there is seasonal shrinkage/swelling/moivement in the ground anyway

The balance of probablilites is that its safe (IMO) to remove it and probably in one hit but if it were me I'd probably take the staged approach.

Cheers

Given we are "broke" I'd rather do it slowly and not risk the tree causing problems I can't afford to fix but I do take your points. I feel damned if I do and damned if I don't.

Furts

butler_helen wrote: »

Given we are "broke" I'd rather do it slowly and not risk the tree causing problems I can't afford to fix but I do take your points. I feel damned if I do and damned if I don't.

Be careful with your decision. A birch has an accepted mature height of 14 metres. This is roughly three times the gutter height on a normal house. It would appear there is scope for this tree to grow!

Your gravel/clay mix is a gem. It suggests your clay is the least likely to be subject to movement - but without seeing I cannot comment!

Trees like drains - your foul drains may, at present, be OK. Think of the future and think of your surface water drains. The latter, I assume, have not received CCTV.