Anyone had a 'heave analysis' done before chopping down a tree?

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We've got a massive silver birch near our house, and think it's got to go. The tree surgeon more or less said you can never tell if heave might or might not occur, although he said it was very rare, and offered to have their consultant come and do a heave analysis.

Worth doing? What do you think?

Hi we had Huge Silver Birch chopped down last year. Our friend who has license for petrol chopper (having memory blip), chopped it bit by bit (branches and then topped it etc). never heard of heave analysis? Our tree was about 12 foot from house (stump still there but dying gradually with aid of stuff from B & Q).

Hope this helps

That sounds alarmimg! I'm hoping to have half a dozen or more trees cut down in my garden and some of them are practically outside my back doors.

Well, to put your minds at rest, the tree surgeon was quite dismissive of the risk of heave, but I'm a worrier. MrsP, ours is about 12 foot from house. I just wondered if anyone else had had the possibility of heave investigated. I suspect the consultatn would probably be non-commital!

If you get a good reputable company then surely the 'heave analysis' whatever that is should be included in cost. Sounds to me like they are after more money? All I can say is we had no problems with the same scenario and our friend was no tree surgeon but could use the petrol chopper (god what is that word?) My DH helped move the branches to ensure safety etc.

just found this (it looks like it relates to roots) but 12 foot from house would have to mean massive roots and out 20 foot high confier which was chopped down the year before and was closer to the house didn't have roots stretching to the house.

www.crowntrees.co.uk/subsidence-survey.html

apologies over typos I really do need to go to bed!

Yes, thanks, I'm inclined to worry about it in the morning, now!

DH is a subsidence/heave expert, and says that heave can be a huuuuge problem that is a right pain to deal with. The risk of heave will depend on your soil type, the distance of the tree from the house, the height of the tree etc etc.

How much will the consultant cost ?

I can feel a tightening around my throat........

Ok starting to panic myself now. we have a silver birch about 2m from teh house and we have very heavy clay soil so what should we do. was thinking of chopping down (not me personaly though)but can this cause probs??

Rhumba - you need to get some good advice. You might have to do a staged removal where they lop a few metres off at a time, and leave for long enough that the change in water removal isn't too abrupt

CMOT, I'm so glad you came on! I haven't asked how much the consultant would be yet. But have been told not cheap.

Staged removal is a possibility for us; I'd rather do that than chop down the tree and then have heave.

Could you ask your dh if he thinks a consultant would be able to tell pretty accurately? Would he have to take soil samples? I think the easy option for him would be just to recommend staged removal to be on the safe side; and we could decide on that now, without paying a consultant. Although also then there is the question, How much to remove every year?

I also feel that changes in the weather make removing trees a safer option. We have had some very high winds, always with the risk of our trees dropping branches on the neighbours' property, or indeed on ours.

But I don't think anyone else should be panicking (Rhumba!) Just take advice...

We had a massive copper beech chopped down last week, no heave thing was mentioned, they came and chopped it down it took two days, light in house much brighter and no gallons of wood pigeon shite all over the car!

I know, I would feel a great sense of relief if our two were gone.

I don't think I really trust our tree surgeons, though - might have to look for another firm.

thanks for this CMOT. One of the trees needs to go by next spring as having an extension done so will look into starting this process ASAP. How long between stages do you need to leave for staged removal?

thanks

Need to revive this thread as we would like to cut down a scots pine which is 15 metres from our house but which will be 10 metres from our planned extension.

Our architect mentioned heave and said a staged removal would be safest.Not sure what type of soil we have.

Does anyone have any experience of this?

TIA

Roughly where do you live? Are you south of the Severn-to-Humber line? If you don't have shrinkable clay subsoil you are likely to be fine.

Your local building control office should be able to help, they will know the local geology.

Hi fossil thanks for posting. We're in the south east. Will ask building control. Thanks.