Lawson Cypress removal

[Graham Robins]

Hi guys,

 

We purchased a property in February of this year, and we have an angry Lawson Cypress in the front garden. The previous owners lived at the property for 20 years, and haven't kept on top of it.

 

I've spoken to a local tree consultant who confirmed the species, and the reason I got in touch with him was that it has come to light since buying that there is a drain all of two feet away from it.

 

This has already blocked on us once since us living there with fibrous roots. He said the only way to avoid it blocking again it was to have the tree taken down. 

 

Drains run along the back of the houses to the left of ours, into a manhole in our back garden, down our drive, to the manhole next to the tree and into the sewer in the road.

 

I've been in touch with the L/A and they've confirmed there is no TPO on it, and that we can go ahead with removal.

 

The tree towers well above the house, and it's an accident waiting to happen.

 

Anyway, the reason i'm writing on here is for your views in regards to 'heave'. The consultant sent me to the Landis site to check our soil type and he said as long as it's not clay we should be okay. According to Landis, our soil type is 'loamy'.

 

I've had a local arborist over to price up the removal and stump grind, and happy with everything in that regard.

 

The trouble is, i've read so much stuff online about heave and subsidence that i've scared myself half to death and it's literally driving me insane.

 

The arborist who inspected the tree said that particular species of conifer has a main tap root with smaller ground roots and that he doesn't think it will present any issues of heave once removed.

 

The trunk, by the way, is eight metres from our front door.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/cpY5LZVURcEbjzqb7

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DCKDvzbmPNH5AUxa8

 

I'm not disbelieving the tree surgeon that is going to remove the tree, but I've read so much conflicting advice online that I just wanted to get your views.

 

I'm a bit of a worrier as you can probably tell, but just want to do the right thing!

 

Thanks in advance.

Graham

[Rich Rule]

42 minutes ago, eggsarascal said:

8 minutes ago, Khriss said:

 I did - then enjoyed my usual satire. K

Glad you’re enjoying it.  
 

The rest of us haven’t got a clue what you’re on about most of the time.

[eggsarascal]

2 minutes ago, Rich Rule said:

Glad you’re enjoying it.  The rest of us haven’t got a clue what you’re on about most of the time.

Spk fr yr sl, i cn jt abt gt it, bt oly jt.

[Dan Maynard]

Says Camberley in the photo details so bit far for me to bid. Looks like a nice job though, love a no-drag/keep the chipper running dismantle like that.

[Dan Maynard]

Yes, the cover in the second picture between the back of the BT box and the tree looks like a drain cover.

That's why I'm thinking it's odd if the drain runs towards the road from that cover, would have to go through the BT.

[eggsarascal]

7 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

30 minutes ago, eggsarascal said:

Yes, the cover in the second picture between the back of the BT box and the tree looks like a drain cover.

That's why I'm thinking it's odd if the drain runs towards the road from that cover, would have to go through the BT.

The drain could go under the BT infrastructure if the sewer is deep, what I don't understand is, why send the drain one way at the back of the houses only to return it to get on the sewer in the road.

Edited May 27, 2021 by eggsarascal

[eggsarascal]

Oh, I forgot to mention, that shared drain is the responsibility of the OP's. Water Authority if it's in England.

[Wonky]

11 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

The op never said he wouldn’t pay for the work, you going to offer up advice based on the photos or not?

The mowing the lawn was in jest, after joshuatree said “do it for the wood”. Then the fun started 🤣

 

and to be fair the 0p said he'd already got some info about a local guy who he was happy with. But was just confirming. 
 

anyhow we’re back on track 👍👊

[Graham Robins]

Thank you for all the replies.

I've already agreed a price with the local guy, so certainly wasn't looking to have it done for nothing!

The drain diagram isn't far from the truth. However there is another manhole cover to the left of where you've written 'Tree'. So it goes along the back gardens, into one behind our house, down our drive to one in the drive just behind where our car is parked, then diagonally across to the tree, then into the main road.

The waterboard came out when it previously blocked, chucked a camera down there and from the manhole next to the tree out to main sewer was clear. He even said it was like a new line. I wasn't quick enough to ask him to put the camera the other way to check for ingress of roots. I should have given him a drink and asked really.

The consensus is there shouldn't be any issues once removed so long as he's careful around the services. So just need to agree a date with him now.

I was given a price for taking it down, and an additional cost to have the stump ground. Is there a train of thought as to why we shouldn't have the stump ground? Or just have it done?

Thanks once again.
 

[Khriss]

No, grind the stump, after a thorough services scan cos looks like there may be cable there, plant a suitable tree in place of one you have removed. K

[Vedhoggar]

You definitely need to know location of all services before grinding stump, if there proves to be an unacceptable risk of damage then just cut stump as low as possible with chainsaw.