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Original poster

Should I cut down neighbour's tree?

40 replies

Samosamo · 16/09/2021 12:59

The owner of next door lives 100 miles away. the house was her dad's and he passed way.

There is a (weed) tree that has grown up right by the garden fence at the front, and it's about 25cm from the front wall of our house (close terraced London house). The owner visited recently and said we could cut it down. It is maybe 5 metres tall.

Is this something I should do? Am I opening myself up to problems if I do it?

Is it something I could do, or would I need a tree surgeon?

OP posts:

PenCreed · 16/09/2021 13:09

If you have the owner's permission, then get a tree surgeon. Easier, safer and they'll get rid of it all for you.

Warmduscher · 16/09/2021 13:12

Five metres is too high for you to do unless you have a chain saw and safety equipment. I wouldn’t pay for it though if it’s your neighbour’s.

We’ve just had two trees cut down to ground level - £450 per tree and that’s West Yorkshire prices.

Original poster

Samosamo · 16/09/2021 13:36

Wow, that much?

I'm not doing that as a favour........ no wonder they knocked on my door and aid 'feel free to cut it down'!!!

OP posts:

senua · 16/09/2021 14:27

I'm not doing that as a favour
But it's a favour to yourself, too, if it's as close to your foundations as you say.
You don't cut down the tree in one go (and shout timberrrrr ), you hack off bits - smaller branches then boughs - as you go then do the trunk last of all. It's the old "how do you eat an elephant?" thing.
Do it before it gets any bigger!

Original poster

Samosamo · 16/09/2021 15:23

Thanks - I did imagine this. But shouting TIMBER!! would have been so much fun, wouldn't it?!

I've measured the diameter and it's about 3-4 inch, so my google search tells me the roots are around 6 feet long.

Eeeek. I'm worried cutting it down might cause problems now.

Oh dear, why didn't they do something years ago, It's so tall, it didn't just spring up this year!

OP posts:

MaryHadALittleDramHicHic · 17/09/2021 08:33

I'd go back to them to see if they'd pay for it , thats alot of money

TakeYourFinalPosition · 17/09/2021 08:43

That close to your house, I’d be getting advice from your insurance… just incase your foundations are already affected.

We viewed a house once with a tree quite close, and were advised that the sellers had looked into having it removed, but it’d now cause more damage to do so as the foundations has been weakened. We didn’t offer on it for other reasons so I don’t know what the potential solution was, but with it being that close and not cheap to have professionally removed, I’d get advice before doing anything.

I’d want to fix it myself but that’s not always the best plan!

Soontobe60 · 17/09/2021 08:45

We need a photo in order to give you a considered response 🤣

user1471505356 · 17/09/2021 08:51

How thick is the trunk? 5 metres is not very high to do yourself, personal experience.

Suzi888 · 17/09/2021 08:53

5m is not a big tree. Get a handy man to do it, I’ve cut conifers down (admittedly I did no care if the fence went with it - needed a new fence). You do not need a tree surgeon for that! facepalm

Warmduscher · 17/09/2021 09:34

@Suzi888

5m is not a big tree. Get a handy man to do it, I’ve cut conifers down (admittedly I did no care if the fence went with it - needed a new fence). You do not need a tree surgeon for that!

facepalm

I guess it depends what you mean by “big tree”.

Some people would probably do it themselves, especially if they had a chain saw, a stump grinder, good ladders, safety glasses and a way to dispose of the branches and the trunk.

Maybe that applies to the OP, but if not, I would always get a tree surgeon who can do it safely, quickly and efficiently as well as removing and shredding all the waste.

ShowOfHands · 17/09/2021 09:37

Photo needed.

I've taken out a couple of trees but I do have a mate with a stump grinder so it was manageable for us. Previous owner took out a tree without a stump grinder and merely created a new problem.

ShowOfHands · 17/09/2021 09:38

I also have a chainsaw btw and friends with a chipper so we ended up with no problematic trees and some free woodchip for our paths.

Warmduscher · 17/09/2021 09:43

@ShowOfHands

I also have a chainsaw btw and friends with a chipper so we ended up with no problematic trees and some free woodchip for our paths.

You’re very lucky to have been able to save money by having your own equipment and friends with a chipper. How did you get the stump out?

Warmduscher · 17/09/2021 09:44

Sorry, just read you also have another friend with a stump grinder. I think if the OP was lucky enough to have all the equipment free and to hand, she would have mentioned it!

bilbodog · 17/09/2021 09:54

OP post a photo - it sounds like it is something that has just self seeded there, like ash or similar. Should be easy to cut down but you might need to put something like roundup on the bit thats left to kill it.,

ShowOfHands · 17/09/2021 09:54

The benefits of having two friends who are tree surgeons.

And no, I presume the op doesn't have these things. I was responding to a pp who mentioned some people might manage to remove their own trees. Yes some people certainly do but it, as suggested, requires access to some v specific equipment. I do have my own chainsaw and harness though. They're all mine.

PeonyTime · 17/09/2021 10:03

I cut down one that sprung up at our house, and was up to the roofline, so I'd guess only a little smaller.
Loppers to take off the side branches, loppers to take it off the top.
Saw it in half, then saw off the bottom, as low as you cam go. For us, it doesnt matter that a stump remains.
Drill into stump, and apply some form of root killer.

Suzi888 · 17/09/2021 10:11

A chainsaw warmdusher…. That’s a bit overkill. I’d use (and have used) a regular saw and just burnt the waste on guy fawkes night or popped it in the garden bin.
I suppose it depends how much cash you have to throw at it. All you need is ladders and take a bit off at a time.
If you can’t climb a ladder or use a regular saw, then yes, absolutely get a handy man. A tree surgeon will cost hundreds of pounds if not more.

kirinm · 17/09/2021 10:15

@Samosamo

Wow, that much?

I'm not doing that as a favour........ no wonder they knocked on my door and aid 'feel free to cut it down'!!!

We paid £1200 to have a 60ft tree cut down in London.

MrsSkylerWhite · 17/09/2021 10:19

I cut down several sycamores of that diameter myself last winter. Hired a tall ladder and did them in sections, no problems at all (late 50s, not taxing). Lucky in that NDN knew someone with a wood burner who took the wood away.

Couple of them have sprung branches this year but I just lopped them off as they appeared.

Original poster

Samosamo · 17/09/2021 10:54

£1200? Good lord, no no. U do have a chainsaw and a ladder. Never even heard of a stump grinder before now..... Pic to follow

OP posts:

Original poster

Samosamo · 17/09/2021 11:00

This is it

OP posts:

Original poster

Samosamo · 17/09/2021 11:14

I do have a chainsaw....

OP posts:

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 17/09/2021 12:42

That looks like it might be a bird cherry? I think it might have grown up so tall to try and get more light. Even though it is tall, the trunk doesn't seem very thick so I would give it a go with your chainsaw, bit by bit.

You could make a nice habitat pile in your garden by stacking the logs and have hedgehogs and slowworms hibernating next year.

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