Removing a conifer

[onceinablue]

I have a 6ft conifer in the front garden which I would like to remove. The tree was already there when we purchased this property over 20 years ago.

The conifer is approximately 6ft away from the front wall of my property and I am worried about the roots damaging my property. I recently had a plastic underground pipe installed which carries the water away from the gutters at the front and this pipe was put in very close to this tree. I don't want the roots to eventually damage this pipe.

Lastly, the tree blocks the view of anybody coming onto my property and from a security point of view it would be better for me with the tree gone.

How far down would you cut this tree? Would it be best to cut it at the bottom of the green foliage leaving the trunk sticking up about a foot or two or maybe cut the trunk further down leaving it level with the ground? I just don't want anyone tripping over it, especially in the dark. And I don't want to cause problems with subsidence/heave by removing the rootball.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Personally, I’d ask a tree surgeon for advice.

https://www.trees.org.uk/ARB-Approved-Contractor-Directory

If you cut if down, it won't regrow and so will have the same impact as removing the rootball in terms of heave. It isn't a very big tree so I think heave would be relatively small and extremely unlikely to damage your house.

We had 3 roughly 20 foot conifers removed from our garden earlier this year.

They were HUGE, honestly. Just bloody massive.

Anyway, a tree surgeon came round, chopeed them up, chipped them and then ground the stumps. Then we had the resulting soil levelled (also had some established holly hedges removed so it was very lumpy bumpy). Aside from ALL THE ROOTS anywhere I dig in the garden, you wouldn't know they were there. Very tidy.