Another hedge question - DIY removal or pay professional?

ChasingtheWelshdream

I have all the original deeds from 1909 - all good. 

I prefer hedges for looks but this one just doesn’t work. It doesn’t thrive sadly. 

Someone has promised  to have a look at it today so fingers crossed.

Bendy_House

CtWD, I would suggest that disposal would be the biggest issue here.

As for cutting the hedge down, a bow-saw at just above ground height will soon have it down... Then you'd have the issue of digging post holes which would have to negotiate - cut through - any large roots, but this should be doable. I'd then just let the stumps rot - with the aid of stump-killer if they threaten to regrow.

But, a lot of work. Your time may be best spent elsewhere, and let the pros storm through this - it's their bread and butter.

Belenus

ChasingtheWelshdream said:

 At present there are no nesting birds but will obviously check very carefully before going ahead.

You may need to act quickly as birds will be nesting very soon if not already.

Can you wait until the summer?

ChasingtheWelshdream

There are no birds at present, I have been checking regularly and the hedge is so thin and bare it is easy to see. The work would of course wait until summer/autumn if any appear.

ChasingtheWelshdream

Bendy_House said:

CtWD, I would suggest that disposal would be the biggest issue here.

As for cutting the hedge down, a bow-saw at just above ground height will soon have it down... Then you'd have the issue of digging post holes which would have to negotiate - cut through - any large roots, but this should be doable. I'd then just let the stumps rot - with the aid of stump-killer if they threaten to regrow.

But, a lot of work. Your time may be best spent elsewhere, and let the pros storm through this - it's their bread and butter.

Definitely one where money is going to be well spent. We are saving much of the fence cost by DIYing it, we’ve done a few so happy to do that but.

Finally got through to someone who is coming out to look. They have suggested they can remove roots where we need to dig holes so I’ve got everything crossed they turn up! They are reputable just very busy , as everyone is. 

FreeBear

Not sure if I have said it here, so excuse me if it is a repeat.

Do spend a little extra on concrete posts & gravel boards. They will last a lifetime compared to the 10 years or so of wooden posts.

scottishblondie

We are currently having a hedge removed, and it's a nightmare for our poor gardener.  We've got 30 odd metres of roughly 2.5m tall "hedge" made up of hawthorne and ivy, and we would in no way have tackled it ourselves.  Even the first section, which was around 8m, would have filled more than 1 skip.  Our gardener chipped it into the back of his flatbed truck and it filled the whole thing.  He has returned today to finish cutting out and digging up the roots for the section he cut down yesterday.  We pay him £180 a day for his work and it's well worth it.  Once he has ripped the whole thing out we will tackle installing a temporary fence (not too hard to do) and have him back to plant up the new hedge afterwards.

ChasingtheWelshdream

Update: Local tree man came out and I booked them on the spot. Approx £200 to take down, shred and take away the hedge. I nearly bit his hand off!

Then they will see the root situation and look at the post holes as the stump grinder won’t fit so will probably need to be done by hand anyway. 

They are flat out with work so would rather not worry about the holes if they can’t get the machine in. , They’ll concentrate on getting the damn thing down and then if we need to tackle the roots for the holes ourselves that’s fine. 

One happy lady here!

FreeBear

ChasingtheWelshdream said: Update: Local tree man came out and I booked them on the spot. Approx £200 to take down, shred and take away the hedge. I nearly bit his hand off!

I did say it was likely to be cheaper than multiple skips. But I was thinking more like £1000....

You were right to take his hand and half an arm too.

ChasingtheWelshdream

I did manage to stop myself giving him
a bear hug 

Everyone I asked recommended them and they contract for the local council, so on to a winner.

I might even have enough left in the fence budget to do the final bit of back garden that was going to wait another year.