Opinions please: Shrub removal near house foundation

[Dougster]

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".

I will... no choice, of course, unless I want to risk losing my license!

Things are probably better (i.e., warmer, dryer) around here than out in your neck of the woods. I'm guessing you got a lot more snow than we did. My shady, sloped, North-facing yard is actually devoid of snow for the first April in my memory. Regardless, I talked the guy into waiting until late-April or early-May for this work... mainly because I've got my own work to do before leaves start to appear on my trees. As soon as my backyard "swamp" dries up enough to support the tractor, I'll be working the "back 40" sun-up 'til sundown!

Dougster

 

[KentT]

I had a neighbor remove some evergreen shrubs up next to my house, here in Central Mass a couple years ago. They were about 4" - 5" in diameter at the base, but kept trimmed over the years so they weren't tall at all. He simply put the bucket of his backhoe behind them, nudged the dipper-stick as tight up against the trunk as he could, and used the bucket curl to just lift them up and out while raising the hoe...

As said, their roots are shallow, but they have a big rootball...

 

[Dougster]

I had a neighbor remove some evergreen shrubs up next to my house, here in Central Mass a couple years ago. They were about 4" - 5" in diameter at the base, but kept trimmed over the years so they weren't tall at all. He simply put the bucket of his backhoe behind them, nudged the dipper-stick as tight up against the trunk as he could, and used the bucket curl to just lift them up and out while raising the hoe... As said, their roots are shallow, but they have a big rootball...

Let's hope it goes as easy as that! The big fear is that it has grown under and into the foundation. I think I'll just take it slow & easy and see what I find. I'll try not to pull the house down yet leave the shrubs still standing!

Dougster

 

[RonR]

While pulling/digging these with BH would be fun, there's no way I'd bid that job if the tree roots are very close to the foundation. And I don't know what "close" means for those trees. Maybe if you could KNIFE cut between the house and the tree, it would make it safer.............

You said "small job"--what's it gonna cost you if you crack the foundation?

I'm happy for you if you do the job, but I know I'd walk away from this one, unless someone (not the homeowner) could convince me the root system didn't go under the foundation.

I'd think it would be safer to chain saw them, then maybe chop the top few inches of roots out, or cover them in dirt.

 

[workinallthetime]

2 stories here
1st a lady wanted some trees removed from in front of her house, they were red mapels. after they had been cut to a manageable size her husband backed up the truck and chained on. he pulled and pulled with his 4x4 and fianlly they came out with all the brick on the house about 4 feet up.

2nd i was hired to do the same thing in a different location. 1st i had the customer sign a waver as i do before the tractor comes off the trailer, might not give me a leg to stand on in court but i feel better. so i had all the lines marked and started digging with my little bx23. after about 10 minutes i had the tree by its root balls and out to his burn pile.

the size of those trees you are looking at pulling i might advise either cutting to the ground and using a stump grinder on them or atempt your digging with the customers complete concent that you are not liable for any damage due to their overgrown trees to close to the house, and i dont know how you can do that short of a very good legal guy. i have seen some ever green trees like that that have a very deep tap root and some dont just depends on the species.

good luck

 

[billfires]

Dougster, I would be very, very careful of the block foundation. Do not attempt to dig perpendicular to the foundation as just slight pressure from the back of your bucket could break or displace the blocks. I have dug shrubs/trees close to foundations but they were poured foundations. Cut the tops off and leave between 12 to 18 inches standing and go from there. I would also do some hand digging next to the foundation to assess the roots. Bill C

 

[deereguy]

Can you get a clearer picture of the bushes/trees? Knowing what variety they are can clear up some confusion. Can you also get pictures of the trunks and what it looks like (distance) between trunks and foundation?

 

[AlanB]

Looking at the size of those, we would cut flush and stump grind.

 

[Dougster]

While pulling/digging these with BH would be fun, there's no way I'd bid that job if the tree roots are very close to the foundation. And I don't know what "close" means for those trees.

Please don't call these overgrown shrubs "trees"... my insurance does not cover standing tree removal.

Maybe if you could KNIFE cut between the house and the tree, it would make it safer............. You said "small job"--what's it gonna cost you if you crack the foundation?

I probably did under-quote the job. The owner certainly jumped quickly at my quote. I remember thinking it was funny that he didn't go back to the guy who did the work for him last year... or to another (full-size) backhoe guy less than half a mile down the road.

I'm happy for you if you do the job, but I know I'd walk away from this one, unless someone (not the homeowner) could convince me the root system didn't go under the foundation. I'd think it would be safer to chain saw them, then maybe chop the top few inches of roots out, or cover them in dirt.

I can always walk based on the DigSafe review & markings. My contract gives me that out. The owner definitely wants them pulled or dug out of there... no option to cut and stump grind.

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

the size of those trees you are looking at pulling i might advise either cutting to the ground and using a stump grinder on them or atempt your digging with the customers complete concent that you are not liable for any damage due to their overgrown trees to close to the house, and i dont know how you can do that short of a very good legal guy. i have seen some ever green trees like that that have a very deep tap root and some dont just depends on the species. good luck

My contract terms are as good as they come... zero deficiencies there... but I know that is no substitute for avoiding foundation damage in the first place.

Dougster