How much is my tree worth?

[screenman]

We have a very large Ash tree that has outgrown the garden and is getting very close to building, I have had a quote to pollard it but have been told it would be best to remove it completely, not something I am happy with. If we did drop it I would imagine the timber is worth something somewhere, but where.

Anyone have any idea's.

 

[stephec]

How's it grown that big, have you been taking it to a sunbed shop?

 

[screenman]

How's it grown that big, have you been taking it to a sunbed shop?

Previous owners might have.

 

[sheddy]

Plant a tree in '73, buy a saw in '94

 

[Beebo]

When ever we have tree work done the best we can get is the guy to take it away for free instead of adding a disposal charge.
Logs might sell but someone has to dry the wood and chop it. The raw material is not expensive.

 

[screenman]

[QUOTE 5160264, member: 259"]Ash is very good for wood burners. If I had to knock one down I'd keep it and split it.[/QUOTE]

Not got a chimney, let alone a wood burner, at times I wish my neighbours did not have them either.

Been offered £20 a ton by a guy I know who sells logs so who knows.

 

[BoldonLad]

I would suspect it is going to cost more to take it down, than you can sell it for.

Perhaps, the most "painless" answer is to negotiate a reduced price to take it down, on the basis that the felled wood has some value?

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Not got a chimney, let alone a wood burner, at times I wish my neighbours did not have them either.

Been offered £20 a ton by a guy I know who sells logs so who knows.

Sounds about right. Go to forums like arbtalk and you'll see rates from £25-35 per ton depending on wood type and quantity.

 

[Randomnerd]

I run a mobile sawmill and sell firewood.
If the stem is clear of branches for, say, the first eighteen feet, and, say 50cms diameter at chest height, then it’s possibly worth milling, if not suffering from rot.
Unless it’s easy to strip and fell, you’ll need a good arborist team to put it on the floor. Minimum £600 per day. Milling £400 a day. Green ash sells for around £4 per cubic foot, so you’ll need a big tree to make it pay.
Don’t pollard an ash. It won’t thank you for it. Ash can be crown reduced well by a good arborist, but can also suffer once pruned.
There are plenty of trees near buildings causing no harm. Many trees are removed when they can be left well alone, often at the behest of insurers and ignorant surveyors.

 

[User6179]

[QUOTE 5160272, member: 9609"]how big is it ?[/QUOTE]

 

[nickyboy]

I would suspect it is going to cost more to take it down, than you can sell it for.

Perhaps, the most "painless" answer is to negotiate a reduced price to take it down, on the basis that the felled wood has some value?

My parents had a large Ash tree that became unsafe. They came to exactly this deal. The guys removed it for free and they kept the wood and chippings

 

[Heltor Chasca]

In a similar vein to @woodenspoons I haven’t got great news for you. I wouldn’t get your hopes up and expect anything for it. The works are going to cost a lot more than what it’s worth for fire wood.

Being in the trade, and like any other person in the same position, I would quote you for the labour, use of machinery, fuel (saws chipper etc) processing and disposal of the foliage. If the wood was any good, it still needs to be split and seasoned, so I wouldn’t be able give you any money or a discount on the work if you let me take the wood. If you instructed me to leave the wood on site, to be honest that would be an easier option for me and it would be up to you what you did with it.

Sorry. Not the news you wanted to hear, but the truth.

 

[screenman]

I run a mobile sawmill and sell firewood.
If the stem is clear of branches for, say, the first eighteen feet, and, say 50cms diameter at chest height, then it’s possibly worth milling, if not suffering from rot.
Unless it’s easy to strip and fell, you’ll need a good arborist team to put it on the floor. Minimum £600 per day. Milling £400 a day. Green ash sells for around £4 per cubic foot, so you’ll need a big tree to make it pay.
Don’t pollard an ash. It won’t thank you for it. Ash can be crown reduced well by a good arborist, but can also suffer once pruned.
There are plenty of trees near buildings causing no harm. Many trees are removed when they can be left well alone, often at the behest of insurers and ignorant surveyors.

I kept it for 20 years after I was first told it should come down, it has cost about a grand in total to keep it in trim over that time. I cannot get my arms anywhere near getting around the trunk from about 5 feet from the base, maybe even higher as I have not tried for many years. It is 5 feet to the wall of the building.

 

[Randomnerd]

A decent size then.
Another potential issue if you choose to remove the tree is root shrinkage over time. You might get the stump ground out, but the rotting roots may leave cavities close to the house. Can be difficult to know how it will affect the area.
If you would like to keep the tree for longer you could buy a Silky pole pruner. The biggest reach over five metres, and are pretty handy for pruning. I’ve kept problem trees in check with such, since I don’t climb
A good arboriculture consultant Arb Assoc approved can give the best assessment of tree health, longevity and impact on house.

 

[screenman]

A decent size then.
Another potential issue if you choose to remove the tree is root shrinkage over time. You might get the stump ground out, but the rotting roots may leave cavities close to the house. Can be difficult to know how it will affect the area.
If you would like to keep the tree for longer you could buy a Silky pole pruner. The biggest reach over five metres, and are pretty handy for pruning. I’ve kept problem trees in check with such, since I don’t climb
A good arboriculture consultant Arb Assoc approved can give the best assessment of tree health, longevity and impact on house.

House is on piles, so that hopefully will not be a problem.