captpierre Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 Hi guys. I have a 30-40 ft healthy ash 5 ft away from the cottage on the NW corner. Buckhorn area. I don't appreciate the shade and the leaves/twigs it drops on the roof. A super strong NW wind could potentially bring it down on the cottage. They say all the ash trees are doomed in the next few years thanks to the emerald ash borer. I'm thinking its time to take it down. I'm not very experienced at tree falling. When is the best time of year to do it? I can cut it up for firewood. Should I call an insured arborist? What can I expect to pay?
captpierre Posted October 23, 2015 Author Report Posted October 23, 2015 The tree from my neighbor's side where it would like fall
chris.brock Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) Maybe you have more experience than me, but I wouldn't touch that. This summer, I had 4 big poplars dropped by an insured pro (just dropped, I cleaned it up)I didn't feel comfortable felling, it was $425 plus tax. Pretty cool to watch the guy do it too. edit- I think it's possible to buy a vaccine for that ash tree if you wanted to keep it, no idea how much that costs Edited October 23, 2015 by chris.brock
manitoubass2 Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 Get a pro, without a doubt. Its leaning, or appears to leans toward the house starting about 10ft up. Be tough to direct that any other way without some assisted force imo
manitoubass2 Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 Too back ua couldnt get a skidsteer in there
Sinker Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 IF its not dead, I would leave it as well. If its alive and healthy, there is very little risk it will come down in a wind storm. If you can drop in onto your neighbors yard it doesn't look too bad to fell, but your side looks a bit dicey with the buildings there. I know a guy who could do it for ya if you really want to take it down. Pm me if your interested. S.
DRIFTER_016 Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 Check this video out. It's what a good arborist can do with a chainsaw and a few wedges. This guy is amazing!!!
woodenboater Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 get a proper feller/arborist and make sure they insured. no leeway on the insurance. based on that photo, they're probably going to need a climber or bucket to take the top down. looks like too many obstacles for a notch and cut drop.
Big Cliff Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) I spent years working in the bush and from that first picture that tree is going to the right. There is way too much weight on that side for it to come back across those cedars (unless you had some very serious equipment to literally pull it back over) and even then you might stop it from falling where the weight is but it would probably spin on the stump and come down to the side. Also, if it did come down on those cedars it would make a mess of a few of them. From the second picture it looks like you might be able to take it down and drop it between the house and the shed, the limbs are high enough on it that it would probably work but it is a little hard to tell from a picture. Regardless of what it is going to cost to have a professional take it down, more important what is it going to cost if it comes down on one of your buildings? Edited October 23, 2015 by Big Cliff
mr blizzard Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 We have brought down a few trees in our time including some on friends or relatives property BUT in this instance I agree with Chris and others, get a professional who is insured, your buying your own firewood without doing $1000s in unnecessary renos
Dara Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) I would leave it and hope it lives. Other than that, there are a couple decent logs in the bottom...not the greatest but I really like ash as a furniture wood. And a pro to take it down I should just say, aww heck, just cut it, whats the worst that can happen Edited October 23, 2015 by Dara
SirCranksalot Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 I would approach that very carefully with my 15' pole. I wouldn't touch it at all with my 10' pole!
Rod Caster Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 Looks healthy, and if it stays that way it has a long life ahead of it. White Ash's can get quite big. I wouldn't cut that on my own unless I really hated the property owner. haha. Pro all the way if you choose to cut.
dave524 Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 I'd leave it , has the ash borer even made it to your area yet? If and when it gets infected there will be time to get it down before it gets to be a hazard.
Sinker Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 Not much of the ash borer up that way. Dont transport firewod, and it wont get there as fast either! S.
FloatnFly Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 out in the bush, drop it yourself, tight spaces, call a pro, i can recommend a good one
captpierre Posted October 30, 2015 Author Report Posted October 30, 2015 So. Update on my ash tree. Called a local arborist Just about fell off my chair when I saw the quote. $2600 to cut down, and take away branches and leave logs in 4 ft chunks. Another $200 to cut small. Shoulda been an arborist.
irishfield Posted October 30, 2015 Report Posted October 30, 2015 For $2600 I'd climb it and cut it piece by piece with a hand saw for you! Hell I could rent a crane, rig it to the upper limbs and make a single cut at the bottom. They're out to lunch for a 4 hour job. You'd be better off to let it fall on your house and pay the $1000 deductible for the repairs.
smitty55 Posted October 30, 2015 Report Posted October 30, 2015 OUCH. $2600 is a huge pile of coin to pay, but they kinda know they got ya, plus at least you get the satisfaction of knowing they're insured and really know what they're doing, so the chance of misadventure is slim. Wouldn't surprise me at all if other quotes came in the same ball park. On the other hand, I'll bet that nice healthy tree is looking better all the time right where it is. Good luck with it. Cheers
chris.brock Posted October 30, 2015 Report Posted October 30, 2015 They're trying to screw you. Post the name of the snake or the business. I had 4 poplars felled, 3 were giant, and 1 was leaning towards the cottage, for $425, it took about 1.5 hours, John and 2 students. John at Boshkung Tree Service, you could Email him the photos, he's not too far away.
Big Cliff Posted October 30, 2015 Report Posted October 30, 2015 WAY too much money for that job! You can rent one of those high lifts (will take you up 60' ) and take it down limb by limb for a couple of hundred.
wormdunker Posted October 30, 2015 Report Posted October 30, 2015 $2600. Wow! I'm in the wrong trade! Rent a 30 ton boom truck with an attached man basket. Most crane rental companies would be about $150.00 per hour = $600. includes the crane operator. 1 guy in the basket for less than 4 hours, that tree will be on the ground in small pieces.
Headhunter Posted October 30, 2015 Report Posted October 30, 2015 If you think that price is bad, try getting a quote in the city!!!! My old neighbour had a Manitoba Maple (weed tree) with one branch hanging badly over his garage. They charged him roughly the same amount to remove that one branch and yes, he did get multiple quotes. I'm thinking an OFC gtg with some chain saws and a couple of nimble climbers and tree problem solved! HH
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