Cutting down a Tree yourself

When to decide to use a Pro

 

The question of, "is this job too big for us?" is a common one.

Ask yourself some important questions;

1. Is there a chance the tree could fall on anything and damage it in removal? This includes the neighbors old wooden fence, the garden shed; anything that will cost you to replace.

2. Take a yardstick and put it at a point that reaches the top limb, now rotate it to the left and right, and to scale see just how far the limbs could really reach if the tree fell.

3. Is there any dead in the tree? This can be hard to see, professionals look for old growth damage, conks or mushrooms growing out of the tree (these grow out of dead wood). The danger here is you can start cutting into the tree and it is half rotten away. Example video.

4. Is your saw large enough to tackle the girth of the tree? Using a saw that is too small can get you into a lot of trouble and the biggest problem is, once you are started, you are committed. It is very dangerous to weaken a tree with a cut then stop and need to get help.

5. Professionals seldom drop the entire tree at one time. Trimming the tree from the top down is safer, so do you have the ability to get that high safely.

6. The cost of taking a tree down is often in the thousand dollar range and that often starts the driving attitude of "we can't afford it so we'll do it ourselves." The cost is high but if you take into account the damage cost or even life and limb risk, it often is more serious than you think. Would you do your own appendectomy because of the cost? No, you would have to finance the cost. Even though it is not in the budget, you may need to go ahead and finance the cost of a large tree removal.

If it is a situation you are not comfortable with, then get some bids. Draw up a "job scope" sheet like this to make sure you are comparing apples for apples from the bidders.

Job Scope:
A. Are you a certified arborist, please give ISA number.
B. Are you insured and by what company, please give agents phone number.
C. What procedure are you going to do to remove the tree?
D. Will you haul off all debris over three inches in size?
E. Will you do the stump grind including the entire stump and roots, will this include hauling off all chips and debris from stump grind?
F. If the Gutter, sprinkler system or other items are damaged, will you repair them?
G. Please give the references of your last three jobs.

This is a big cost, so don't hesitate to be tough on the bidding and removal process.