Buying house with large tree nearby?

whigfield

Tree is inside the boundary and covered by a TPO. Approximately 7m away from the house, a very tall and mature (100+ years old) pine tree.

Google says 8m is a safe planting distance for subsidence, so coming up 1m short. However the house was built 20 years ago in the late 90s so surely with the tree already established the foundations would be deep enough?

No signs of cracking or anything. Have spoken to a tree surgeon over the phone who knows the area and from description he feels it wouldn't be an issue.

Vendors have said they have lapsed planning permission for a single garage which included permission for felling the tree.

Too risky or worth a go? Besides the tree (there are 2 others in the garden but much further away) it appears to be a dream house.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

sparky130a

Depends on area.

My parents had a right bother selling their place due to a guzzillion years old oak chestnut in the front garden.

Bottom line is, you can't expect to buy in a wooded area without um... trees!

The arrogant 5r1ck who bought the place thought he could chop it down. Meeting the tree officer on an unrelated matter with work after the sale he took great pleasure in telling me he had to threaten taking said matey to court.

And rightly so, if the trees going to cause aggro it will do early on, not 50 years later.

The tree is still there, and funnily enough the house still standing!

Davesnave

Trees have differing root systems, according to species, so I would listen to an arboriculturalist, rather than Google or people on here.

Have a proper survey from him/her.

Doozergirl

If the house is 1990s and the tree has a TPO, then building control would have been very hot on ensuring the house had adequate foundations. They would have been designed specifically accounting for the tree.

rosyw

Doozergirl wrote: »

If the house is 1990s and the tree has a TPO, then building control would have been very hot on ensuring the house had adequate foundations. They would have been designed specifically accounting for the tree.

This! ^^^^

My house is less than 10 years old and has several trees, including pines, much closer than 7m! As said,building control would have been very hot ensuring the foundations are adequate, I also spoke to the guy that actually laid the foundations of mine as it was originally intended to be his home and was assured that they actually exceeded requirements, after all, he didn't want problems with his own house

I certainly wouldn't be put off by the tree if the house is what you want.

datostar

A Council Arboricultural Officer pointed out to me that the driest place in a garden is underneath a house and in the absence of drainage or water leaks into that area it would defy logic to assume that tree roots would penetrate, as they seek moisture.

F8photo

There is a table that the building inspectors use for foundation depths as a minimum, depending on soil type, breed of tree and how close.... We are on clay and it looks like we will have to go down 2metres....

gettingtheresometime

F8photo wrote: »

There is a table that the building inspectors use for foundation depths as a minimum, depending on soil type, breed of tree and how close.... We are on clay and it looks like we will have to go down 2metres....

Civil engineers also have this info

Chanes

If a tree has a TPO getting permission to fell it for a garage seems incredible, we walked away from a house with two trees that had TPOs because after speaking to the local council they would not let us do anything that might disturb or damage them.

I was not worried about roots the houses were built to accommodate this. The house we have has a large tree a couple of metres away but the foundations are sound (built 1990) and planned around the tree anyway.

I've seen some old houses with no trouble in structure and trees really close too. Maybe we worry about the odd horror story too much.

moneyistooshorttomention

F8photo wrote: »

There is a table that the building inspectors use for foundation depths as a minimum, depending on soil type, breed of tree and how close.... We are on clay and it looks like we will have to go down 2metres....

It would be useful to have a link to that - if anyone has it please.

systos01

you can serach your house near large tree and it is good idea.