Opinions please: Shrub removal near house foundation

[Dougster]

We would,
Get the homeowner to call digsafe (we call it one call) and yours may be different, but different rules apply to contractors calling then the homeowner.
We would remove with a chain wrapped around them, or a choker, or an endless loop sling, and then pull them out with the bucket / 3 pt.
This is assuming that they are small enough too pull this way.
If it was within 3' of pipes or lines, out would come the shovel.
Also be aware that the one call, or whatever, will only mark "their" lines, and more then likely the water line into the house is the "homeowners" line, so in our neck of the woods, the street will be marked, but from the meter to the house, you are on your own.

Here in the People's Republic of Taxachusetts it is the contractor's responsibility to call DigSafe. And I understand what you mean about the water lines (and sometimes others). At some point, you are on your own.

Dougster

 

[MarkV]

If he is on a spetic you don't want to put 7,000 lbs. on top of an old tank. They can be pretty close to the house some times.

MarkV

 

[Dougster]

If he is on a septic you don't want to put 7,000 lbs. on top of an old tank. They can be pretty close to the house some times.
MarkV

Oh, I hear you there! That would not be pretty. But this street has had sewer connections for over 30 years and any septic system would have been out the back anyway. The house is too close to a major street for a front yard septic system.

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

Here are the nasty beasts:

The tree in the foreground stays.

Dougster

 

[JerryG]

O' my, Those aren't shrubs those are trees. Egon may be the right about how to take them out. I would be afraid that if I pulled them out, that I would also pull part of the foundation out.

 

[Dougster]

O' my, Those aren't shrubs those are trees. Egon may be the right about how to take them out. I would be afraid that if I pulled them out, that I would also pull part of the foundation out.

Bingo... my concern exactly. I don't want to pull the foundation out from under the house and porch!

Dougster

 

[kmdigital]

I would pull them rather than trying to dig. You are more likely to damage something by digging than by just pulling, unless there are utilities you need to watch out for, in which case you will need to hand dig anyway.

Wrap a chain around the base, and pull straight away from the house, and maybe upward a little like a 20-30 degree angle, rather than just lifting straight up. This way you won't be putting any pressure at all on the foundation, and the root ball will roll up and away from the foundation itself. I think you will be surprised how easily they come out, as most landscape plantings have very shallow but dense roots.

 

[jbrumberg]

Dougster:

I do not know how wet the ground is in eastern MA but out here in the western hinterland it is still pretty wet and frozen (not yet Mud Season). I would go with the simplest "solution" first- loosened ground (wet or dug) with chain wrapped around the uncut "trunks"/branches. Jay

P.S. Now that I just saw your picture I would recommend the chain method on those little guys which may help loosen up the root structures to some degree on the bigger bushes. I would think you need to do some chainsaw action on some of the bigger boys to give you some room to use all the other recommendations in this thread. Definately go with "Dig Safe".

 

[jbrumberg]

I believe the rootballs on those evergreens are fairly shallow, but dense. I agree with kmdigital. Jay

 

[Dougster]

I think you will be surprised how easily they come out, as most landscape plantings have very shallow but dense roots.

I certainly hope you are right!

Dougster