Jesse

I have got the same in somerset and can only think its the lack of rain i have looked at everything else, I will not be able to sell any this year just hope they recover for next year. This year is turning into a real jubalimpic crap year.

F M Mark so was I:lol:

I hate to just jump in with out even seeing a photo but from your description and this years climatic conditions i would say Drought damage, in the spring we just had no rain, its truly been devastating for our trees this year. Hope I have not offended.

Don't treat it like an 020, use both hands.

It was the early spring drought trust me.

I too remember that paper on winnie the pooh , the three little pigs also has some relevant s , had pile and beam been incorporated into the foundation design of that structure it is unlikely it would have blown down.

Not meant to be and I think Mark knows me by now, I do my very best not to offend these days , I do have a natural gift for it, I don't even know I am doing it most of the time and I also try not to drink and Arbtalk at the same time. I have also stopped using the smilies as that was offending some folk. Hope that helps.

I understand Soil, I understand Trees, I understand Foundation designs. It is the insurance company's who require a second party to except liability for there invested interest in a property . It is the insurance company who request an Arboricultural Subsidence Risk Assessment. It is me who takes on that risk. I can't say any more than that really not without going into great detail and I don't really wont to do that or else I will be giving you all idea's. I have been doing them since 2006 . Good money.

There is that option but who understands the health and condition and its potential to develop of a tree better than a tree surgeon ? most structural engineers can only define broadleaved trees from conifers . And what about taking into account fungi ? the plot thickens .

Cryptostroma corticale thats what the trees have got if you get chance read up on it, most Sycamore trees have got it but the spring drought conditions that we have had have really made it more noticeable, tip for you, in winter when all the leaves have fallen look up into the crown of a Sycamore and if it has ANY retained brown leaves it has got it.

Not every tree sp is in it Tulip is and classed as Low water demand and mature tree height 20m a lot is also down to knowledge that you build up over the years. Also known root development characteristics of a sp, NHBC Standards just provides a tool or bench mark to carry out the calculations, if in 4 years a house splits you will have to quantify how you arrived at your assessment of the risk associated with the tree. Climatic considerations also need to be taken into account.

NHBC Standards chapter 4.2 sets out the criteria for carrying out the calculations and yes mature tree height is how the zone of influence is calculated Oak being based on 20m mature tree height its then down to the surveyor to also then take into account all other considerations including all other woody vegetation which may have the potential to cause damage to a structure including shrubs and climbers . Its a fascinating subject.

Be very careful what you say, my advice to you is to politely tell your client that you are not insured to provide such advice and to source advice from an expert. Oak is a HIGH water demand tree,(NHBC Standards) foundation depth, soil type , foundation type ,age of property- age of tree, condition of tree, structural condition of property , distance from tree to property , ground level features . All of these things would be considered when carrying out Subsidence Risk Assessments, And you could be held accountable for the advice you give- verbal or written. SRA's- lenders require insurances to be in place for a period of 5 years to cover any risk from both Direct and Indirect Damage , Hope that helps.

Make sure you have PI in place to cover it, and become an expert on NHBC Standards Chapter 4.2 Buildings near trees and how to do the calculations . Also 'Tree Roots in the Built Environment' research for amenity trees no 8, great book , ISBN 0-11-753620-2, Also get your self a British Geological Survey, sheet for your area they are only about £12 and it would assist you with other reports within that area.

One last thing for you to think about, Revoking the area order (TPO) This can sometimes be done, I put together a very detailed 10 year woodland management plan together for a very distressed client and got the area order lifted . A very good book for you to buy and digest is ' Tree Preservation Orders, A guide to the Law and Good Practice' read it all but most importantly become an expert on Chapter 4 Varying and Revoking Tree Preservation Orders, just to give you an idea of costs I did it a few years ago and charged the client around £1500 it was very detailed and ticked every box, my client was over the moon as he was the able to sell his house and wood as up until that point he could not find any one to buy it.

Hi Paul, sounds and looks like Anthracnose of weeping Willow very common, and that trees had it, if caught at an earlier stage and on a younger tree fungicides may be tried, Benomyl and a few others can work but I am not sure what is available in the UK, on all the ones we find we take them down,early good indications are leaf spots, purplish to brown together with distortion , advanced flick the trunk of the tree with your finger nail and it will normally sound detached (lifted/hollow) hope that helps.

Great post and it is going to be complex for you, first you need to find out who your LPA favor regarding tree surveying and BS5837, then take them on, forget about fees and cost cutting as up to now in cutting corners and going for the cheapest contractor you may have cut your nose off to spite your face, what you are proposing within the RPA of this tree is not acceptable within 5837 recommendations, forget the condition of the tree or trees this is in effect a blanket order , any poor tree can still be protected the order really just ensures that any tree losses will be replaced , in the same place, to stop you building , any ground level alterations within the RPA of a tree will have to be agreed with the LPA. There are bespoke designs which could be specified for this situation but depending on how much you have aggravated your LPA will dictate the successes of your application, hope that helps, it is late, sorry for any poor spellings I have had a glass or two of red wine, but I do know my stuff:thumbup1:

So sorry Justin, I will keep them peeled , Its becoming a real night mare locking up your kit, almost makes me want to pack it in.

£150 all day long for poo that looks like that:lol: its what i think is the best Sthil saw they ever made, you would not believe the diameter of timber i have over the years abused that saw with.not that one but my own poor saws:001_tt2: When i have one of those to work with i just can't be arzd to pick up another.I'd pay 150 good luck:thumbup1:

50 and not a day younger , thats how old i am now, and i'm still not peaked out, I am a Tyrannosaurus rex up a tree and a sexual animal in bed, you are only as old as you feel and i feel gooooooood:lol: as you get older you do tend to take stock of a days task, do the hardest in the morning and pace your self through out the rest of the day, its all about working efficiently:thumbup1:

Sorry thats the red wine playing with my memory, just use washing up liquid diluted with water as a wash, that will get rid of the little blighters

Hi Luke, going by your description and i have not seen the picks its Black fly , Myzus cerasi, you can get a winter wash and i think its copper sulphate based, but don't Q me, i would have to look it up, depends on how many trees are affected and size \ maturity as to if its worthwhile treating, hope that helps.

Sorry should have said CT is not what you are thinking, its Chinese Tulip

I LOVE Kate , she has the finniest CT I have ever seen. Long live Kate, and the rest of em, Did I ever tell anyone on here about the time I went camping with Eddy ( prince Edward) Met Qweeny a few times too and Chas, they are all a good bunch. I don't know what they thought of me.

Great saw for the money, I have one and abuse it all the time both up in the trees and on stumps, down side only a small issue, when you really abuse it(smokin it) the chain can have a tendency to loose its tension. it just keeps going.