Should I get the tree removed or not? WWYD?

[Disneyland1084]

There's a big tree in my front yard, not sure what kind. The previous owners planted it and it never grew straight and leans to one side. It's a pretty tree, but I can slowly see it's starting to uproot my walkway, and I think in about a year or less it's going to start uprooting my neighbor's driveway. DH and I are thinking about getting it removed. He also said cutting part of the root is an option, but I know that's not good for the tree in the long run. I'm very hesitant about killing a perfectly healthy tree. WWYD, or have you ever been in a similar situation?

 

[Luv Bunnies]

When we bought our previous house, there was a huge pine tree in the front yard. Long-time neighbors said the original owners of the house planted a small Christmas tree in the 60s and it just kept growing. We didn't really like the tree being on the front lawn, let alone the needles and pine pitch it dropped in the yard and on the house. In fact, we didn't like the front yard at all and wanted to have it redesigned and replant the lawn. I asked our landscape guy what he thought and he recommended having the tree removed. We were much happier after it was gone. We were able to reshape the lawn and give it a brick border. The entire yard looked nicer and we felt it was safer without a huge tree that could potentially drop branches in the middle.

 

[cleverclovers]

There's a big tree in my front yard, not sure what kind. The previous owners planted it and it never grew straight and leans to one side. It's a pretty tree, but I can slowly see it's starting to uproot my walkway, and I think in about a year or less it's going to start uprooting my neighbor's driveway. DH and I are thinking about getting it removed. He also said cutting part of the root is an option, but I know that's not good for the tree in the long run. I'm very hesitant about killing a perfectly healthy tree. WWYD, or have you ever been in a similar situation?

Remove the tree and make sure the roots are also removed. It's already damaging your property. Don't let it damage your neighbor's property, too. You can always plant another tree.

 

[Jaydee51]

Not sure where you are from, but where i live, tree canopies are well sought after because of the energy savings (resulting from shade) and air quality improvement.
Having said that, you should not allow your tree roots to damage your neighbors property. I would not cut the tree but instead trim back the roots away from your neighbors property and away from your walkway.
If you are concerned about the leaning, you can have the tree secured properly and propped up with support to avoid further decline.

I'm Team Tree

 

[_19disnA]

I would remove it. People tend to plants trees too close to their house without regard to how big they might get. Over the years as it gets bigger, it become a nuisance. Likely it also clogs the rain gutters with debris if you don't frequently clean them or have some sort of gutter guards. If it falls on your home during a storm, it can cause a HUGE amount of damage. Removal will be expensive but far less then the cost to repair storm damage to your home from a fallen tree. I am not sure how (or if) they remove extended roots. I have seen people do stump grinding, but as far as I know they just let the other roots decay.

 

[starry_solo]

Remove the tree!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Remove. Been there, done that.

 

[lynxstch]

Remove. Been there, done that.

I agree with Dan ..been there done that too!

 

[mjkacmom]

I always get a tree company in to assess the situation, we have to pay for a permit to remove healthy trees on our property.

 

[amylevan]

Just removed 12 trees from our property. We had a limb fall in our storm and put a hole in our roof so we had someone come look at property … and they recommended their removal.

Mind you, we paid extra for the lot in the development that was wooded. Our bad.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I always get a tree company in to assess the situation, we have to pay for a permit to remove healthy trees on our property.

I'd agree on this.

Also in my city you're required to have two trees at the edge of the property unless the property line doesn't allow for it. Our trees are on our easement on the other side of the sidewalk, the neighbor on the left to us only has 1 tree because that's what it allows for.

Another city in our area is similar to your area, there are specific conditions in which a tree can be removed.

IDK where the OP's tree is actually located in but I concur with not only checking a tree company who would also be able to assess the root paths of the tree but also check any code or permitting.

 

[AnnaS]

When we bought our house we had a huge tree in the middle of our lawn. This tree came down not long after we moved in. We also had two huge trees in our backyard. The mess was unbelievable. One eventually had to be removed since it was causing damage to our roof and the neighbor's roof and eventually the other one died. The bigger/taller, more $$$.

We also have two trees that are on city property - sidewalk. We just had to redo our sidewalk for the third time. The city has no money and who knows when they will get to it. I was afraid someone would fall and break a bone. The sidewalk was popped up so bad in a few areas. We cannot touch these trees. We love the shade it provides but these two trees are also the messiest on our block. Everyone hates them but we can't do anything about it. I would have no problem if they removed them and planted one in it's place. It will take years to grow and we won't be here. There are so many dead branches on them. Until it tips over This just happened across the street from my son. No rain or storm. It knocked down one shed and deck in one house plus he deck and went through the roof in the house next to that one. When it's too late, it's too late.

If it's on your property - I would cut it now before it does more damage or gets even bigger costing you more money.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We cannot touch these trees.

So are they on city property or your property but on the easement?

In our city the tree upkeep and replacement should the tree need it due to disease or death is our responsibility when it's on our property.

 

[tvguy]

Tough call. We had a pine tree planted too close to our house and the property line. The neighbors on that side understood why we took it out, but they loved it. It wasn't cheap to remove, and we had a whole lot of angry squirrels and birds when we took it out.
We thought we were smart 35 years ago when we planted a Magnolia. Evergreen, majestic tree. Well, evergreen just means it loses leaves year round. So now we are struggling over whether we should remove it. But we live in the City of Trees. We do get tree services coming by offering to remove it, pointing to our new driveway and assuming cracking from roots prompted the replacement. Fortunately, roots haven't been an issue. The new driveway was put in by the electric company. All our utilities are underground here, and the electric service they needed access to is under the driveways of all the homes, so that was all paid for by the electric company.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

No brainer. Get rid of the tree.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Remove the tree, plant another one somewhere else on your property if you have room away from driveways and sidewalks.

 

[slo]

Another vote to remove it

 

[Allison]

Get rid of it.

 

[sam_gordon]

What *I* would do...

1) Call a tree expert. Get their opinions on whether the tree NEEDS to come down (diseased, danger to home or property).
2) Ask for an estimate to take the tree down.
3) Ask if there are other options to protect the driveways/sidewalks that don't involve taking the tree down.
4) Ask for an estimate for those.

THEN decide.

 

[Cadiewampus]

Remove it.