BIG Trees and structural engineer

scoops82

Hi


I live in an ex LA 3 bed semi-detached house.


Our neighbour has 2/3 huge conifer trees in her back garden - they are about 1.5-2.00 time the size of the house. They do block out sunshine in the evening but my biggest concern is the size of the tree plus the roots underneath causing possible subsidence issues. When we first moved in the neighbour did mention how much she liked her privacy.


However when we bought he house the report said " The property has suffered previous movement but there is nothing to suggest that this is on-going " but im concerned about the roots underneath and in case there is anything I should be doing?


I am looking for peace of mind so if anyone can let me know


1 - What are my options regarding the neighbours tree - I believe she rents from a Housing Association in case that makes a difference ?


2 - How much does a structural engineer cost - I just want them to come round and review the property and also give there views on the tree/root issue.


Thanks
S

piggeh

If she rents then the HA is the landlord and responsible. But I would speak to your insurers first and get their view.

Different trees have different root systems that will affect buildings differently. I'd be more concerned about them being blown down and falling into your bedroom whilst you sleep.

benstaton

I recommend finding out the sub soil type in the area. You can do this by visiting the British Geological Survey website, and entering the postcode. If the property is built on clay, then it will be more prone to subsidence caused by thirsty trees sucking up all the moisture in the soil. Clay shrinks and expands depending on the amount of water present - hence subsidence (shrinkage) in prolonged dry periods, or the opposite 'heave', which can occur when a mature tree is removed, and is no longer sucking water from the soil, so the clay swells.


In short, trees + clay soil, in close proximity to a house = potential subsidence/heave trouble.


Just one factor to be aware of. The tree size/age and species (oaks are particularly thirsty, for example), and the proximity to the house, are other factors to take into account. I don't actually know how troublesome conifers are in this regard.


I recommend a structural survey for peace of mind, and maybe even an arboricultural (tree expert) survey too, if you want to be thorough. They'll both be able to comment on the effect of the tree/s re subsidence, and will cost a few hundred pounds each (roughly £300-£400). Small price to pay compared to a £1000 subsidence insurance excess, and the fallout afterwards.


Full disclosure: just bought an underpinned house built on clay soil with a mature oak in the front garden! Spent far more time than I would have liked looking into this stuff recently.


Edit: felling a troublesome tree is often the first thing people think of when discovering tree related subsidence problems, but doing so can cause heave issues, which can be worse than subsidence. Always seek expert opinion before removing a large tree close to a property.


Disclaimer: I have some knowledge of this area due to recent experience, but I'm no expert.

agrinnall

I would check whether there are any Tree Preservation Orders in effect given the likely age of the trees.

HUMBUG

I had terrible issues with my parents house . The next door neighbour had 3 trees (Cypress, Eucalyptus and Ash ) that had caused my parents extension 'outrigger' (ie.kitchen) to subside. Would the next door neighbour allow ALL the trees to be cut down - NO! He would only allow 2 of the trees (not the Ash) to be cut down (but only if Lloyds, our insurer , footed the bill) and he wasn't worried about damage to his own property because 'our' extension had shallow foundations whereas his main house structure was unaffected. So our crappy insurer Llloyds wanted to do the repairs to my parents house knowing that there could still be slight movement in the future because of the Ash tree. I said 'NO WAY' and spent 2 years (yes 2 LONG YEARS) telling Llloyds to take the neighbour to court and force him to cut the tree down . They wouldn't do it , so I kept pressurising the neigbour and having extremely heated arguments with him. He finally relented but only after causing me and my elderly parents a lot of stress (ie. back garden door couldn't lock properly, windows were stuck , etc etc). I had to move them to a hotel for 3 weeks while all the repairs got done (after they had cut the Ash tree down). The real culprit responsible were Lloyds and their tree surgeons who said that the Ash tree was not cut down with the others because they thought it was on 'OUR PROPERTY' . All a load of lies because there is a 6 ft fence separating the gardens and the Ash was in the next door neighbour's side of the fence. What a feeble excuse for mistakenly forgetting to cut an extra tree down. To top it all, Lloyds has upped the building insurance premiums by large amounts knowing that my parents could not find a cheaper insurer (increased from £300 to now £700 in a few years). I have been seething for many years because none of this was my parents fault but they have been penalised . Having to dish out £1000 excess , suffer the stress of moving out of their house (my father is blind and my mother was unwell too with heart condition). Plus having to foot massive increases in their building insurance premiums because other insurers won't 'touch you with a barge-pole'. The owner next door knew the stress being caused to my parents but would not give permission for over a year to cut the Ash tree.

But the 'boot is on the other foot' in the UK only (don't know about LA). See the recent legal case under 'www.blakemorgan.co.uk/training-knowledge/articles/2013/10/16/tree-root-damage/' .

Owners who have trees and where its quite obvious that they are a risk to their neighbours property may have to pay a large proportion of any costs for damage caused (via their own insurers). I'm hoping I can take my neighbour to court 'retrospectively' for all the stress and inconvenience they caused me and my parents. Make him pay for the excess charges at least.

Nobbie1967

And breath....

AdrianC

So, Humbug, the basic problem was that your parents extension had inadequate foundations?

I've got a very big ash tree in my garden. You'd have to come through me with a chainsaw first in order to get near to cutting it down...

agrinnall

Humbug, you do know that LA in this context means Local Authority, not Los Angeles, don't you? :rotfl:

scoops82

Thanks,


Im in a old mining area in case that makes any difference?


I think it might be worth a structural engineer - is that the first step? OR a tree expert ? Or the insurers?


Im not really sure where to start

Freecall

You might find this useful to at least gain some idea of how troublesome the trees could be.

http://www.subsidencebureau.com/subsidence_trees.htm