Please help, house purchase

[Jess129]

Please could you advise if this tree should be cause for concern? I would like to buy the house on the left of the tree but am worried about foundations. From a search I think it's a silver birch?!? Not very knowledgeable when it comes to trees/plants 

[Mick Dempsey]

At the moment that tree will have zero impact on your house.

[Jess129]

Thank you, I was thinking long term as presumably this tree is here to stay!

[rodp]

Well, in the not so distant future it's going to be up against your house and holding damp against the wall. You could always just cut off any branches overhanging the fence line as it grows though.

 

[spudulike]

Cant say growing a tree that close to two buildings is a great idea. Silver Birches drop leaves, catkins and seed pods in large volumes and that will fill gutters plus in time, the roots and expanding canopy will not do either the house or the single story building, presumably a garage, any favours. 

A Ceanothus, Viburnum or Choisya would be a far better option.

Edited July 2, 2022 by spudulike

[Stere]

Looks like fancy a himalayan one?

 

 

Pricey specimen tree newly planted?

 

[Paul in the woods]

That tree wouldn't put me off purchasing that house. After all, there's nothing stopping people planting similar trees down your boundary after you buy a house.

[spudulike]

Best get it sorted rather than move in and 15 years latter have a sodding great tree stuffed between two buildings and a belligerent eco warrior next door not allowing it to be taken down and something more suitable put in its place.

People can be strange and plant trees so close to houses not realizing the size they will grow to or the reach of the roots. Just have a word and supply a decent size ceanothus to replace it...job done.

It may be a Himalayan birch, can't tell if the trunk has the tell tale brown stripes or not

[benedmonds]

11 hours ago, spudulike said:

Best get it sorted rather than move in and 15 years later...

I disagree, it's not an issue now and won't be for years. It can be a positive feature for 15 years and then removed. Trees don't have to be left to grow until they reach there full size. You can remove them before then. 

[mindofmercury]

Lots also comes down to the soil type. If the soil type isn't shrinkable then the foundations will be highly unlikely to be affected. You can check soil type by using the bgs.ac.uk Geology of Britain viewer and entering postcode 👍

 

Other questions about leaf drop, catkins, etc. would fall more under the nuisance category rather than structural concern.

 

But yes, as Mick Dempsey has already said, at current size it's not an issue.