Tree removal concerns (power lines, homeowners insurance, how much)

[abes292]

Hello all!

I have about 7 trees (mostly dead) that need to be taken down on my property and I'm having some trouble trying to decide on how to get this done. 1 tree is uprooted and currently leaning on two other trees. My assumption it that it would just barely miss the house when it gets taken down. Another tree is close to the power lines.

Two retired men from my neighborhood offered to cut them down for a flat rate of $250. They do have experience with tree removal but this was not their profession. My concern is that if they get injured or take out the power line then I can be held liable. However, I believe it would be a lot more expensive if I went through a professional tree service to take down these trees.

If anyone could provide some insight/ideas on this thread it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for the help!

[flycessna]

A professional can take them down with out incident. If your trying to save some money by letting these guys do it my suggestion would be to call your ins. company and tell them you have some dead trees you want to take down and a couple of gentlemen have offered to do it.. let them know you dont have much money and your concerned about the trees falling in an accident..

you might be able to pay a stipend so you have some coverage incase there is an accident..

I "think" they way it works is if you have family and friends volunteering their time the ins. covers it no matter what... if you hire a contractor then they are supposed to have ins..

In any case maybe with this information you can figure out what will work best for you..

good luck

PS. I generally ask any contracter for proof of insurance.. I have seen time and time again lasped insurance coverage..

[Submariner]

A tree surgeon will be bonded. Anything he does on your property will be insured.

I am fully in favor of doing things cheap, but dropping trees near a house? Or near power lines?

I would pay a pro.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

You could cable them with a hand winch so they go where you need them to be. I went to the scene where a guy hitched his tractor to a big dead elm tree. He cut the tree nearly through, then went up the bank to the tractor intending to pull the tree over. The tree yanked the tractor off the bank and down to the river's edge. His wife found him when he didn't come in for lunch. The fire department could not jack the tree or the tractor due to the soft ground. He was pinned under the tractor. We had to dig under him to get him out. He had a broken femur and was six months until he was back to full health.

[square peg]

I'm a total amateur at these things but proceeding with much caution I've taken some full grown trees down around my property over the years without mishap. Common sense (or call it fear of bad consequences) tells me that when in doubt, get a pro - especially where there's power lines and buildings at stake, and for me at least - so far, so good!

After watching these guys do their work, and considering the magnitude of taking some trees down, I'm always a bit amazed at how efficient and accurate these guys are. If you have the slightest doubt about a particular tree and want it gone without doing any harm, and you feel it's beyond your scope, your best bet is to get that pro and pay em for the job. I've never felt ripped off.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

A tree surgeon will be bonded. Anything he does on your property will be insured.

I am fully in favor of doing things cheap, but dropping trees near a house? Or near power lines?

I would pay a pro.

I do OK with a chainsaw (and wedges, if necessary)...but I know from experience that the trees don't always go where you plan...and a tree leaning on another can be even trickier (BTDT).

I don't like paying out a wad of cash for someone else to do something I could do myself but I'm with FB on this- if there's a risk to the house or power lines you want a pro (I would) with the right equipment and insurance...unless you *want* a drastic remodel, then just get the insurance .

The two old-timers might be just fine and could have plenty of experience and nothing bad would happen...or someone could have a brainfart and do something dumb, or some freak accident could occur...how much risk do you want to assume?

[Maineah]

I have to call someone too. I have some oak limbs that are the size of a tree themselves hanging out over my driveway. The bark is letting go on them where they come off the tree and I've heard them creek a bit in the wind. I need to take them down before they take out a car or fall on my lamp post. I'm not doing it I know that! Cut into 4 foot lengths and I'll take care of them from there.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

You could cable them with a hand winch so they go where you need them to be. I went to the scene where a guy hitched his tractor to a big dead elm tree. He cut the tree nearly through, then went up the bank to the tractor intending to pull the tree over. The tree yanked the tractor off the bank and down to the river's edge. His wife found him when he didn't come in for lunch. The fire department could not jack the tree or the tractor due to the soft ground. He was pinned under the tractor. We had to dig under him to get him out. He had a broken femur and was six months until he was back to full health.

I did this with a big maple one time. I had a rope on it to the front end loader of my tractor putting tension on it so it would not fall across our road. It worked but that tree just missed squashing my tractor and it was 65 feet from the tree....it was taller than I thought it was! Glad your friend was ok. I'm all for having pro's come in and fell them now. Bucking them up isn't so bad and the splitter makes short work of the big pieces.

[abes292]

I wound up calling some pros and they did the job perfectly. The cost for 9 trees was $700 compared to $250 for the retired gentlemen. One fact I did learn : if a non- lisenced arborists takes out power lines or your property - you are 100% liable! Homeowners insurance will tell you to take a flying leap and CMP will take everything you own

[pc-not]

When I was in the logging business (two lifetimes ago), I took pride in being able to fall trees in the woods with great accuracy. I could usually take "a leaner" and fall it over 90 degrees either way, and if it had to go 180 degrees from where it leaned, I always had the skidder to push it if needed in the case of massive oaks.

However, the few times I removed trees for friends on a moonlighting basis, I found myself in another league. I had a few close calls, and with the help of ladders ,ropes and comealongs, I never had an "incident". However in my old age I'm sometimes tempted to remove the ocassional tree, and do so on my own property, but never for someone else. Murphy's law is not forgiving. Hire a tree removal company.