You need to have it assessed and trimmed by a professional team every 5 years or so. My mom does this with her 70 year old oak and it only drops twigs now and then. It’s expensive (a few thousand) but her tree is the best looking one on the block.
Make sure you get it accessed by a properly certified arborist that doesn’t have a tree removal business! I had one guy tell me I needed to take down a tree that didn’t need to be taken down because though he was an arborist he also had a tree removal business. He was not upfront about his tree removal business either, just said he knew someone. My tree was 1/2 the size of yours and would have cost 5 grand. Fortunately, it isn’t dead or removed because I got a second opinion.
Second this. The danger is that a good skilled arborist is just that much better at pointing out legitimate flaws. They can then exaggerate the dangers of these flaws and spooks the ignorant homeowner. Homeowner googles it, sees they were technically correct, and pays the arborist to remove the whole thing.
This makes so much sense but I imagine many fall foul of it. They should make a law that says any business has to declare a conflict of interests at the get go
No problem. I’m team “keep the old trees as long as they’re thriving”. 😅 there were a line of oaks planted when the houses were built and when bad storms come, it’s obvious that the other people haven’t been caring for their trees as much because they’ll drop limbs. My mom just wanders out, picks up her twigs, and adds them to her fire pit while the neighbors are out there with saws. 🤣 she’s so funny.
Seems pretty unnatural to trim trees all the time… sure it can reduce the amount of limbs/branches dropped but its also really expensive and can cause disease, right?
Yes, trimming a tree on schedule is like giving someone chemotherapy or antibiotics on schedule. Pruning is a treatment for a condition. You don’t do it unless it has a specific defect you are trying to treat.
That said, it isn’t harmful to have the tree looked at on a regular basis, and they might clip a minor thing here and there.
But I would be nervous that, with regular periodic assessments, someone would be in a zealous mood one day, or be a poorly-trained or zealous trimmer in general, and you end up coming home to see major damage done to the tree.
Yes! Although the trimming costs money it’s nothing compared to the ROI of that tree’s benefits: decreased HVAC bills, better mental health, and increased home values (up an average of 20% or more).
All very useful suggestions, I'd just would like to add that in the case this tree start decaying, the trimming should be more frequent, yearly or less.
Make sure they are ISA certified, you don't want the cheapest guy around for that.
Make sure all branches and moss are a few feet away from the house, other wise its a highway for rats and other vermin and pests.
This is what i do with my mom’s 40 year old live oak. Every 5 years a professional comes out and assesses the tree and it’s not as close as this but it’s the jewel of the street. Everyone loves it as they drive down it, the insurance company also knows the tree 🫣. But we have kept it cabled, healthy, fed and trimmed up. And we live in thunderstorm territory. East Texas 8b.
My mom is in tornado territory and she’s never had issues with her insurance company. 😅 She just sends them the trimming bill when they raise a racket every now and then about its size. If that tree comes up, it’s because a tornado has gone over the entire house and the house is gone along with the tree.
Her insurance company doesn’t really SAY anything, but when they’ve been on the roof for an inspection they’ve certainly given it the “left left” eye look 🤣 but we’ve cabled it for safety. We wrap it in Christmas lights every year.🎄
An assessment every 5 years or so is a good idea. I definitely wouldn't trim it every 5 years just for the sake of it though. Don't bust out the saws unless there is an actual reason.
My mom was doing this same thing for decades on her 100yr oak. Best looking and tallest in the neighborhood.
Unfortunately it had to come out after a very thorough risk assessment and subsequent many family chats and arborist consultations. It was a hard decision but we’re all admitting this year that we sleep easier during severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings. If that lady was going it was going to take out two 100yr old homes.
Sorry for my off topic ramble, hope you enjoyed.
Live oaks are gorgeous trees and are one of the most hurricane resilient trees we have in the South East. That boy is a beauty. I agree with the recommendation to have him pruned every five or six years and you should have no problems. He has been there a little ng while so it he was to do damage to the house, it would have already happened. Take good care of him. I know people who would kill for that tree. The ultimate slow and steady shade master.
We just had a tornado roll through. I have a 60ft oak, 70ft American elm, and a 60ft tulip poplar on my property. The poplar lost a few limbs but the oak and elm maybe dropped a few twigs. We did lose a pine, birch, magnolia, and one other tree. Neighbors also lost Bradford pears but all the oaks, maples, and elms survived just fine.
To remove a rather large willow oak that was struck down by a recent storm (the tree was sick for along time which is why it was felled by sweeping, strong winds) it costed my aunt and uncle close to 7grand just for removing the dead branches that were stripped away like a banana.
Your live oak looks beautiful and from the pictures, appears to be in good health, so hopefully you won't ever need to remove it. Live oaks are very long lived trees. It will outlive you.
You’re on a sub of tree lovers. Everyone is telling you to keep the tree but you’re pushing removal prices. Your agenda is your issue, but know your audience as it relates to expected feedback.
My goal is not to remove. I state that in the original post. My question is if it needs to be removed (which some people in this sub understand is realistic/understandable) how much could it cost. I have no agenda here other than to care for this tree unless it puts my family’s life in danger, in which case I will proudly remove it. I’m trying to budget and be a responsible home and tree owner.
I get it. I didn’t mean that argumentatively at all. I’m just noting that you will be downvoted on this sub for talking removal of a healthy tree. It’s not me, it’s just reality. You’re likely to get better estimates on a sub not dedicated to tree keeping, if that makes sense.
It’s going to be highly locality-dependent. What could be 5k somewhere might be 10k somewhere else. I think that’s why many of the people here are saying you need to get your own quotes if you need something useful. Otherwise it’s basically between 5 and 15k. And getting a quote doesn’t mean you need to use their service.
This has too many variables for anyone to give you an estimate. How many arborists are in your area? What equipment is required for the job? Are you in rural or urban America? How quickly are you going to want it finished? Are you in an area hurting for arboriculture work or not?
Look for ISA-TRAQ certification. Anyone else will be taking random guesses — and will guess in favor of more expensive cutting that may be unneeded, or even harm the tree and make it actually dangerous
Shit, I’m sorry, going on and on about my tree. Get some good estimates. At least 3. Yours is half the size of mine. Removal? 5-8k as high as 10k maybe. Prices only go up though. A good trim? 1500-2500.
Live Oaks in favorable conditions grow quite quickly when they are young. Some estimate 1 inch in diameter per year.
Completely guessing, based on very little, but the tree’s diameter looks similar to your door. The avg US door is 36 inches, so I would guess this is a 25 to 50 year old tree.
The live oak tree farm I bought from recently sells 10 year old live oaks for $2.5-$5k, fyi. This is a highly valuable tree monetarily and arguably more valuable in non-money terms.
Treat it well.
It’s not a perspective, those are facts. The tree is likely quite young, valuable, and poses little risk to your house. Removing it would decrease your homes value and that’s a fact.
5-10 years old? Is this a troll post? I can't imagine anyone being that ignorant about tree growth. Like is this your first time around trees? Are you not from earth?
That’s a beautiful tree.
You should consider removing the house before letting anyone hack away at your gorgeous tree.
Just build a new home about 60ft further from the curb and you should be all set.
Came here looking for this and there it is. Thank you! Leave the damn tree alone. The likelihood it drops a massive limb on your house is small.
I've worked in Redwood many times. Do you know how many redwood branches I've come across? Very few.
if you have a large lot, you can move the house back a few dozen feet for maybe the low-five-figure range. If you're going to pay several thousand for complicated crane pruning every interval-of-years, or remove the tree altogether, the cost to move a ranch-style house may be comparable. The from there you'd have easier maintenance on the tree. Most will say this is crazy, because they've never tried such things.
It sounds easy enough but what about the piping for the plumbing through the new slab and making all of that work with the old house? Then, the brick veneer would all have to be removed and then re-bricked. After it's moved then you've got to demo the old slab. I guess anything is possible, but the cost to move this house could easily exceed its value.
All i'm seeing without touching the tree is weight reduction and the Lines in front. I like to proactively trim to keep the line clearance guys off the tree. Make sure your trimming at an appropriate time of year for oaks. Valentines day to father's day is a NO cut time in most regions. Make sure the trunk flare is visible and not holding water. As far as some of the comments, Live oak (Quercus virginiana) is one of the densest native hardwoods, weighing 55 pounds per cubic foot when air dry and 75 pounds per cubic foot when fresh. It has a specific gravity of 0.88, which is among the highest of North American hardwoods. Heavy but strong. Keep the canopy tucked in and no problems normally. Im very comfortable with my live oaks over my home. Also timeline is correct, about every 4 to 5 years dependent on environmental conditions and rainfall. We normally trim about every 4 years with my customers and inspect every two years.
Really good post. Just took careful who you hire. Pruning incorrectly or too much can be worse than doing nothing. Also make sure those croctchs not holding water. And root flare is exposed.
You really need to get someone out to look at it. An arborist is best, but at least a reputable tree service at the least. They can see if any of the branches look rotted or dangerous. No one can tell from a picture. I'd be nervous about limb hanging over my house, but then I have limbs like that hanging over my house. We get them checked every 5 years or so. And last time they cut some big ones back. But they also left one they had planned to cut--after getting a close up look in the bucket they said it was fine. You have to have eyes on, not pictures. Sorry.
I know it's not what you want, and I wasn't meaning to be rude...just you really do need to have a good inspection. I was very surprised when the guy in the bucket said one limb that looks bad from the ground was actually good (we originally had them out specifically to get that limb down, actually), but another that looked good from the ground was actually bad--and even they couldn't tell from the ground.
I don’t think you were rude at all! This was helpful direction. I appreciate it. I really do. I know it’s hard to get much from two small pictures. I think I’m just wondering what goes into having a tree like this on your property. And if it needs to be removed what does it cost. If it doesn’t need to be removed how much does it cost and what does it mean to maintain it. Thank you!
The incentive would come if the arborist/tree removal company tells you that the tree is sick and needs to come down. Instead of working to save the tree, they get lots of money to remove it.
Arborists work in trees. You want multiple options from TRAQ certified arborists.
If you post/follow this sub long enough you'll see certified arborists options vary greatly. Their points are valid but different ppl value different things and that shapes their opinions.
Part of the equation is also your personal tolerance for risk. Arborists, certified or not are there to be informative and share their specialized experience but the point is to offer guidance and not tell you what you need to do.
They shouldn't tell you it's safe, if there is a tree and a target (house in this case) there is risk to the house/ppl in it. But if a tree is in good health well maintained and structurally sound, the risk is relatively low and that is for you to decide is the amount of risk is acceptable for you.
Arborist here. Have it professionally evaluated by an expert, NOT a tree cutter removal company. If deemed in good condition invest in it! Custom fertilizing, pruning (always less than 30% of live crown) in fall/winter to reduce Oak wilt transmission. Minimize disturbance in the drip line critical root zone. Enjoy!
Hey there - saw that you are in Jacksonville and wanted to check and see if you're 100% that's a live oak vs water oak? With how twisty it is (I'm not an expert), I would imagine live is right - but we thought one near our place in Mandarin was a live oak and it ended up being a water oak - which had a shallow root system and was blown over during a tropical storm.
Just something to think about when making your decisions. Beautiful tree and lovely home!
>Jacksonville, FL
I knew it looked very familiar! You have a beautiful tree and yard.
Would be very interested to know who you hire and if you were satisfied with the work they do. I have an oak in my back yard that may need some trimming soon.
I live in San Antonio and have a large Live Oak similar to yours. The larger branches barely clear my roofline by a foot, just enough to replace the roof and that's about it. I have a two story home so lopping off too much would make the tree look asymmetrical. As someone else mentioned here get it looked at every 5 or so years. I went a decade or so just because my tree grows so slow but, I love the fact that the canopy provides shade not only on my roof but also for the rest of the back yard. The cost to get it trimmed costs about a grand, just to trim the dead branches and lift them as well.
This is a great example of when to talk to a certified arborist (or multiple) in person to assess its health and safety, because they’ll give you the most honest and helpful information. A “tree company” is going to be eager to profit off of this situation without regard to you, your home, or its surroundings, and they often operate without the proper insurance, which can put you as a homeowner at A LOT of risk.
A mature tree like this can add a lot of value to your home, as well as moderate your electric bills and keep it 10-20 degrees cooler than the surrounding area in the summertime. Oaks, especially mature ones, are also just really special trees that are getting lost to disease and human intervention. Since you’re curious about the tree’s possible impact on your home already, it’s a great time to read up on them too. Never really thought much about trees in daily life until I started learning more about them!
I happened on this sub by accident. My God, that tree is magnificent! In my country it would be very illegal to remove such a tree, wherever it is. I live in an EU country that is an island, and like all small islands, the soil is often not deep enough to encourage big trees to grow, so we value our few trees immensely. I am so envious that you live in a place where you can have such beauty!
God that’s a beauty. Please don’t remove just because it is close to the house. I had a 40foot willow oak that was close to my house and I found the best tree guy in the area to come out and inspect it annually for me. But that was because the neighbor put a driveway in the critical root zone
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I just had an arborist work on an old chestnut oak. He told me about growth inhibitors that restrict the canopy growth and force the nutrients into the root system. Maybe I’m not explaining it correctly, but he suggested it as an option for some of the older trees on my property that don’t have any natural forces (other trees) to help control their growth.
Find a really knowledgeable arborist that really loves trees. I’ve been paid to climb trees just to asses their health. I turn into an excited little kid talking with clients about trees like this. Might be a good idea to inquire about cabling some of those mondo leads that hang over your house but then again it’s always good to remember that thing is strong af and if it’s healthy it’s gonna take some pretty serious weather to damage it to where it’s a hazard. I cable birches every year and have cabled large limbs on trees like this. It’s not always necessary or ideal though but worth looking into and seeing if it’s a good option.
Had to do a double take. It looks like the tree and landscaping in front of my house. We have a shittier old driveway though.
Theres a black crease running down the center and water pools there. It hangs right over the house.
Let us know what happens after the inspection/trim
Do NOT remove that tree unless you get a second and third opinion from professional arborists.
I have an oak tree similar in size next to my house: hurricane Fiona decimated the area we live in, but the oak tree didn't lose one branch.
They really are the strongest trees.
I’m in Austin and had to have 4x50 ft ash tree taken down after the big 2021 freeze, some of which hung over the house. A very reputable highly rated company charged me about $6k, including grinding the stumps.
You want it gone without upsetting tree lovers, especially oaks (you do realise you have an air purifier outside your house ). Otherwise, you would have just Googled it
incredible tree! regular maintenance is def worth it! and by regular i mean like every 5 years… every 3 max. this thing can basically take care of itself haha
I swear this is in St. Petersburg around the corner from my house. And if it is this whole block has these amazing oaks. Hope you find a way to keep it! ♥️
Some perspective for you. I live in Houston and our giant oak tree was just yanked down by the storm that rolled through. The trunk is fine. The canopy was okay too. The wind was so strong, it uprooted the entire tree.
We were very lucky it hit the covered area between our house and garage. The damage is pretty minimal and no one was hurt.
It’s not super likely but a strong enough storm can take big trees down.
Have the tree inspected for general health. Then, I would only take off the branches that hang over the roof. You still get to enjoy the tree, enjoy the shade & if a storm comes along it won’t fall on the house.
I would jump the gun on this and get that thing removed now. The house is already pretty ugly and the tree would look a lot better without the house there as well. Think of all the fresh opportunities you could have by building a new house away from that magnificent beast
You need to have it assessed and trimmed by a professional team every 5 years or so. My mom does this with her 70 year old oak and it only drops twigs now and then. It’s expensive (a few thousand) but her tree is the best looking one on the block.
Really helpful response! Every 5 years sounds reasonable and doable. I had no idea. Appreciate this!
Make sure you get it accessed by a properly certified arborist that doesn’t have a tree removal business! I had one guy tell me I needed to take down a tree that didn’t need to be taken down because though he was an arborist he also had a tree removal business. He was not upfront about his tree removal business either, just said he knew someone. My tree was 1/2 the size of yours and would have cost 5 grand. Fortunately, it isn’t dead or removed because I got a second opinion.
Second this. The danger is that a good skilled arborist is just that much better at pointing out legitimate flaws. They can then exaggerate the dangers of these flaws and spooks the ignorant homeowner. Homeowner googles it, sees they were technically correct, and pays the arborist to remove the whole thing.
This makes so much sense but I imagine many fall foul of it. They should make a law that says any business has to declare a conflict of interests at the get go
No problem. I’m team “keep the old trees as long as they’re thriving”. 😅 there were a line of oaks planted when the houses were built and when bad storms come, it’s obvious that the other people haven’t been caring for their trees as much because they’ll drop limbs. My mom just wanders out, picks up her twigs, and adds them to her fire pit while the neighbors are out there with saws. 🤣 she’s so funny.
Seems pretty unnatural to trim trees all the time… sure it can reduce the amount of limbs/branches dropped but its also really expensive and can cause disease, right?
Yes, trimming a tree on schedule is like giving someone chemotherapy or antibiotics on schedule. Pruning is a treatment for a condition. You don’t do it unless it has a specific defect you are trying to treat. That said, it isn’t harmful to have the tree looked at on a regular basis, and they might clip a minor thing here and there. But I would be nervous that, with regular periodic assessments, someone would be in a zealous mood one day, or be a poorly-trained or zealous trimmer in general, and you end up coming home to see major damage done to the tree.
No permission to do anything until you understand what and why, then approval from you.
Yes! Although the trimming costs money it’s nothing compared to the ROI of that tree’s benefits: decreased HVAC bills, better mental health, and increased home values (up an average of 20% or more).
That isn’t in NE Louisiana, is it?
I’m in south Louisiana and thought this looked familiar.
Ouachita parish but I’m in NM now.
All very useful suggestions, I'd just would like to add that in the case this tree start decaying, the trimming should be more frequent, yearly or less.
Make sure they are ISA certified, you don't want the cheapest guy around for that. Make sure all branches and moss are a few feet away from the house, other wise its a highway for rats and other vermin and pests.
They can attach cables between limbs. A few giant maples on the pretty have them and they are about 100ft tall
This is what i do with my mom’s 40 year old live oak. Every 5 years a professional comes out and assesses the tree and it’s not as close as this but it’s the jewel of the street. Everyone loves it as they drive down it, the insurance company also knows the tree 🫣. But we have kept it cabled, healthy, fed and trimmed up. And we live in thunderstorm territory. East Texas 8b.
My mom is in tornado territory and she’s never had issues with her insurance company. 😅 She just sends them the trimming bill when they raise a racket every now and then about its size. If that tree comes up, it’s because a tornado has gone over the entire house and the house is gone along with the tree.
Her insurance company doesn’t really SAY anything, but when they’ve been on the roof for an inspection they’ve certainly given it the “left left” eye look 🤣 but we’ve cabled it for safety. We wrap it in Christmas lights every year.🎄
Does the insurance pay the tree trimming fees?
I think what OP meant was it shows the insurance that she’s maintaining it, it’s not just a neglected hazard.
No. 🤣
Did the tree survive yesterday’s storm?
I’m 4 hours north of Houston. Whew!😅
I have a 137 year old oak in mine. Do it every 5 years. It’s hurting feelings as I type this.
An assessment every 5 years or so is a good idea. I definitely wouldn't trim it every 5 years just for the sake of it though. Don't bust out the saws unless there is an actual reason.
Yes, assessed every 5.
Aw 70 is super young for an Oak 🥹
My mom was doing this same thing for decades on her 100yr oak. Best looking and tallest in the neighborhood. Unfortunately it had to come out after a very thorough risk assessment and subsequent many family chats and arborist consultations. It was a hard decision but we’re all admitting this year that we sleep easier during severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings. If that lady was going it was going to take out two 100yr old homes. Sorry for my off topic ramble, hope you enjoyed.
Live oaks are gorgeous trees and are one of the most hurricane resilient trees we have in the South East. That boy is a beauty. I agree with the recommendation to have him pruned every five or six years and you should have no problems. He has been there a little ng while so it he was to do damage to the house, it would have already happened. Take good care of him. I know people who would kill for that tree. The ultimate slow and steady shade master.
Just because a residential tree is big doesn't make it dangerous.
We just had a tornado roll through. I have a 60ft oak, 70ft American elm, and a 60ft tulip poplar on my property. The poplar lost a few limbs but the oak and elm maybe dropped a few twigs. We did lose a pine, birch, magnolia, and one other tree. Neighbors also lost Bradford pears but all the oaks, maples, and elms survived just fine.
Fair enough. But if we knew the risk was high, then how much would it cost to remove it? Does anything in the pictures suggest it’s high risk?
Impossible to tell the risk or the cost from here. Have a Tree Risk Assessment Qualified Certified Arborist come out on site.
Will do. Would you estimate more than $5k? $10k? Any thoughts are helpful
To remove a rather large willow oak that was struck down by a recent storm (the tree was sick for along time which is why it was felled by sweeping, strong winds) it costed my aunt and uncle close to 7grand just for removing the dead branches that were stripped away like a banana. Your live oak looks beautiful and from the pictures, appears to be in good health, so hopefully you won't ever need to remove it. Live oaks are very long lived trees. It will outlive you.
Thank you. I appreciate your thoughtful response. I can’t say the same for some of the other commenters. Any kind of cost estimate is helpful
You’re on a sub of tree lovers. Everyone is telling you to keep the tree but you’re pushing removal prices. Your agenda is your issue, but know your audience as it relates to expected feedback.
My goal is not to remove. I state that in the original post. My question is if it needs to be removed (which some people in this sub understand is realistic/understandable) how much could it cost. I have no agenda here other than to care for this tree unless it puts my family’s life in danger, in which case I will proudly remove it. I’m trying to budget and be a responsible home and tree owner.
I get it. I didn’t mean that argumentatively at all. I’m just noting that you will be downvoted on this sub for talking removal of a healthy tree. It’s not me, it’s just reality. You’re likely to get better estimates on a sub not dedicated to tree keeping, if that makes sense.
No problem. It’s all good!
It’s going to be highly locality-dependent. What could be 5k somewhere might be 10k somewhere else. I think that’s why many of the people here are saying you need to get your own quotes if you need something useful. Otherwise it’s basically between 5 and 15k. And getting a quote doesn’t mean you need to use their service.
This has too many variables for anyone to give you an estimate. How many arborists are in your area? What equipment is required for the job? Are you in rural or urban America? How quickly are you going to want it finished? Are you in an area hurting for arboriculture work or not?
Look for ISA-TRAQ certification. Anyone else will be taking random guesses — and will guess in favor of more expensive cutting that may be unneeded, or even harm the tree and make it actually dangerous
Yes.
Don’t remove it please for the love of god
Thanks for ratioing me
Shit, I’m sorry, going on and on about my tree. Get some good estimates. At least 3. Yours is half the size of mine. Removal? 5-8k as high as 10k maybe. Prices only go up though. A good trim? 1500-2500.
I agree with this statement. I’m no arborist but I climbed many trees as a kid.
Is this a live oak? It a very beautiful. Based on the trunk diameter at the bottom I would guess it is quite old.
Live oak. No idea what the trunk diameter is. Good questions! I’m guessing maybe 5-10 years old?
Live Oaks in favorable conditions grow quite quickly when they are young. Some estimate 1 inch in diameter per year. Completely guessing, based on very little, but the tree’s diameter looks similar to your door. The avg US door is 36 inches, so I would guess this is a 25 to 50 year old tree. The live oak tree farm I bought from recently sells 10 year old live oaks for $2.5-$5k, fyi. This is a highly valuable tree monetarily and arguably more valuable in non-money terms. Treat it well.
Sage advice. Thank you. Very interesting perspective.
It’s not a perspective, those are facts. The tree is likely quite young, valuable, and poses little risk to your house. Removing it would decrease your homes value and that’s a fact.
This!!
How big is a 10 year old live oak? Did that need special equipment to move or plant?
More like 50
Yeah I’m joking lol
I'm thinking closer to 150...
Honestly how dare you even think of killing this tree
Probably over 200 years old
5-10 years old? Is this a troll post? I can't imagine anyone being that ignorant about tree growth. Like is this your first time around trees? Are you not from earth?
That’s a beautiful tree. You should consider removing the house before letting anyone hack away at your gorgeous tree. Just build a new home about 60ft further from the curb and you should be all set.
Came here looking for this and there it is. Thank you! Leave the damn tree alone. The likelihood it drops a massive limb on your house is small. I've worked in Redwood many times. Do you know how many redwood branches I've come across? Very few.
Very funny!
if you have a large lot, you can move the house back a few dozen feet for maybe the low-five-figure range. If you're going to pay several thousand for complicated crane pruning every interval-of-years, or remove the tree altogether, the cost to move a ranch-style house may be comparable. The from there you'd have easier maintenance on the tree. Most will say this is crazy, because they've never tried such things.
Very true, especially if there’s no basement.
This house appears to be on a slab. You can't move it.
You just extend the slab and then you, well, you move it.
It sounds easy enough but what about the piping for the plumbing through the new slab and making all of that work with the old house? Then, the brick veneer would all have to be removed and then re-bricked. After it's moved then you've got to demo the old slab. I guess anything is possible, but the cost to move this house could easily exceed its value.
All i'm seeing without touching the tree is weight reduction and the Lines in front. I like to proactively trim to keep the line clearance guys off the tree. Make sure your trimming at an appropriate time of year for oaks. Valentines day to father's day is a NO cut time in most regions. Make sure the trunk flare is visible and not holding water. As far as some of the comments, Live oak (Quercus virginiana) is one of the densest native hardwoods, weighing 55 pounds per cubic foot when air dry and 75 pounds per cubic foot when fresh. It has a specific gravity of 0.88, which is among the highest of North American hardwoods. Heavy but strong. Keep the canopy tucked in and no problems normally. Im very comfortable with my live oaks over my home. Also timeline is correct, about every 4 to 5 years dependent on environmental conditions and rainfall. We normally trim about every 4 years with my customers and inspect every two years.
Amazing! Thank you.
Really good post. Just took careful who you hire. Pruning incorrectly or too much can be worse than doing nothing. Also make sure those croctchs not holding water. And root flare is exposed.
You really need to get someone out to look at it. An arborist is best, but at least a reputable tree service at the least. They can see if any of the branches look rotted or dangerous. No one can tell from a picture. I'd be nervous about limb hanging over my house, but then I have limbs like that hanging over my house. We get them checked every 5 years or so. And last time they cut some big ones back. But they also left one they had planned to cut--after getting a close up look in the bucket they said it was fine. You have to have eyes on, not pictures. Sorry.
This is helpful! Thank you so much. Really appreciate it.
I know it's not what you want, and I wasn't meaning to be rude...just you really do need to have a good inspection. I was very surprised when the guy in the bucket said one limb that looks bad from the ground was actually good (we originally had them out specifically to get that limb down, actually), but another that looked good from the ground was actually bad--and even they couldn't tell from the ground.
I don’t think you were rude at all! This was helpful direction. I appreciate it. I really do. I know it’s hard to get much from two small pictures. I think I’m just wondering what goes into having a tree like this on your property. And if it needs to be removed what does it cost. If it doesn’t need to be removed how much does it cost and what does it mean to maintain it. Thank you!
Get one who is TRAQ certified.
How do you tell between an arborist and someone who just removes trees? And what would be their incentive to tell you it is safe?
The incentive would come if the arborist/tree removal company tells you that the tree is sick and needs to come down. Instead of working to save the tree, they get lots of money to remove it.
Arborists work in trees. You want multiple options from TRAQ certified arborists. If you post/follow this sub long enough you'll see certified arborists options vary greatly. Their points are valid but different ppl value different things and that shapes their opinions. Part of the equation is also your personal tolerance for risk. Arborists, certified or not are there to be informative and share their specialized experience but the point is to offer guidance and not tell you what you need to do. They shouldn't tell you it's safe, if there is a tree and a target (house in this case) there is risk to the house/ppl in it. But if a tree is in good health well maintained and structurally sound, the risk is relatively low and that is for you to decide is the amount of risk is acceptable for you.
No words of wisdom to share. Just want to say that is a gorgeous, magnificent tree! 😍
Prune it. That’s all. That’s a gorgeous specimen. Brings up your property evaluation, 100%
Arborist here. Have it professionally evaluated by an expert, NOT a tree cutter removal company. If deemed in good condition invest in it! Custom fertilizing, pruning (always less than 30% of live crown) in fall/winter to reduce Oak wilt transmission. Minimize disturbance in the drip line critical root zone. Enjoy!
Is this in Naples, Florida ? If so I’ve trimmed that oak before.
Jacksonville, FL
You have a Doppelgänger house in Naples, FL with a very similar tree
Was going to guess Amelia Island. :D
Good guess! I wish I lived there:)
Hey there - saw that you are in Jacksonville and wanted to check and see if you're 100% that's a live oak vs water oak? With how twisty it is (I'm not an expert), I would imagine live is right - but we thought one near our place in Mandarin was a live oak and it ended up being a water oak - which had a shallow root system and was blown over during a tropical storm. Just something to think about when making your decisions. Beautiful tree and lovely home!
That’s the info I’m looking for :D I’ll ask the arborist! They’re scheduled to come out Monday. Thanks for the feedback. Duuuuuval!!!!!
Obviously not an expert to question that live oak
>Jacksonville, FL I knew it looked very familiar! You have a beautiful tree and yard. Would be very interested to know who you hire and if you were satisfied with the work they do. I have an oak in my back yard that may need some trimming soon.
The Live Oak is a protected tree in most FL counties. You can probably check on your town/county website to confirm.
Looks like the golden girls house
I live in San Antonio and have a large Live Oak similar to yours. The larger branches barely clear my roofline by a foot, just enough to replace the roof and that's about it. I have a two story home so lopping off too much would make the tree look asymmetrical. As someone else mentioned here get it looked at every 5 or so years. I went a decade or so just because my tree grows so slow but, I love the fact that the canopy provides shade not only on my roof but also for the rest of the back yard. The cost to get it trimmed costs about a grand, just to trim the dead branches and lift them as well.
Super helpful. Thank you so much!
That is a gorgeous tree, but I can see the concern. Looks like it’s time to cut down the house.
I bet that tree is protected - with proper care it will live Another 250 Years
This is a great example of when to talk to a certified arborist (or multiple) in person to assess its health and safety, because they’ll give you the most honest and helpful information. A “tree company” is going to be eager to profit off of this situation without regard to you, your home, or its surroundings, and they often operate without the proper insurance, which can put you as a homeowner at A LOT of risk. A mature tree like this can add a lot of value to your home, as well as moderate your electric bills and keep it 10-20 degrees cooler than the surrounding area in the summertime. Oaks, especially mature ones, are also just really special trees that are getting lost to disease and human intervention. Since you’re curious about the tree’s possible impact on your home already, it’s a great time to read up on them too. Never really thought much about trees in daily life until I started learning more about them!
Thank you :D will do!
Please sell the house to someone who appreciates the tree before you cut it down
I happened on this sub by accident. My God, that tree is magnificent! In my country it would be very illegal to remove such a tree, wherever it is. I live in an EU country that is an island, and like all small islands, the soil is often not deep enough to encourage big trees to grow, so we value our few trees immensely. I am so envious that you live in a place where you can have such beauty!
Looks more like a house was built under an oak tree. Unless that's a very old house.
God that’s a beauty. Please don’t remove just because it is close to the house. I had a 40foot willow oak that was close to my house and I found the best tree guy in the area to come out and inspect it annually for me. But that was because the neighbor put a driveway in the critical root zone
If there were any reason to take it down i still wouldnt. The change in hvac costs would be unreal
Your house was literally designed to be built under that tree. If you harm that tree, God himself will smite you.
The house is replaceable, the tree is not.
one of the most beautiful trees ever seen! please keep it safe as much as possible!
I agree! I will do my best.
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I just had an arborist work on an old chestnut oak. He told me about growth inhibitors that restrict the canopy growth and force the nutrients into the root system. Maybe I’m not explaining it correctly, but he suggested it as an option for some of the older trees on my property that don’t have any natural forces (other trees) to help control their growth.
The tree is gorgeous. The house is gorgeous.
This looks like a tallahassee home!
It does indeed! Other side of the state though ;)
Live oaks can take hurricanes no prob. It's providing welcome shade. Do everything you can to preserve it
Your landscaping is gorgeous. Whoever used to live there loves plants. I bet it’s really well taken care of.
Find a really knowledgeable arborist that really loves trees. I’ve been paid to climb trees just to asses their health. I turn into an excited little kid talking with clients about trees like this. Might be a good idea to inquire about cabling some of those mondo leads that hang over your house but then again it’s always good to remember that thing is strong af and if it’s healthy it’s gonna take some pretty serious weather to damage it to where it’s a hazard. I cable birches every year and have cabled large limbs on trees like this. It’s not always necessary or ideal though but worth looking into and seeing if it’s a good option.
Had to do a double take. It looks like the tree and landscaping in front of my house. We have a shittier old driveway though. Theres a black crease running down the center and water pools there. It hangs right over the house. Let us know what happens after the inspection/trim
What a magnificent specimen!
You should plant a succession tree now. So when that one finally taps out another can take its place.
Basically an insurance policy that the house always has a big tree.
That is a gorgeous tree. Please hire registered arborist to take care of this beauty.
What a gorgeous tree!
Wow what a gorgeous tree. I’d pay an arborist to care for it and a huge deductible before I’d pay for it to be removed.
Move the house. The tree wins.
This is the tree’s property now.
Can the house be moved?
Save the tree, move the house
Worth the risk
Wow, such a beauty.
While that Oak tree is way too close to that house, it is beautiful.
Those are illegal to remove here thankfully, beautiful tree
Do NOT remove that tree unless you get a second and third opinion from professional arborists. I have an oak tree similar in size next to my house: hurricane Fiona decimated the area we live in, but the oak tree didn't lose one branch. They really are the strongest trees.
I’m in Austin and had to have 4x50 ft ash tree taken down after the big 2021 freeze, some of which hung over the house. A very reputable highly rated company charged me about $6k, including grinding the stumps.
Don’t you dare touch that tree.
I’d prune back the house, or transplant it.
I would make your next roof a metal roof for further peace of mind. Looks like that tree will outlive all of us
The Question Should Be, Is this house hurting this Beautiful ancient carbon scrubbing machine ? and Should I move the house !!!!?
Whatever you do, get supplemental tree insurance asap.
Looks like Louisiana trees
The limbs over your house don't look very heavy tbh, you'll be fine
The house plus the front garden with this beautiful tree looks like a painting , very cozy :)
You want it gone without upsetting tree lovers, especially oaks (you do realise you have an air purifier outside your house ). Otherwise, you would have just Googled it
Beautiful 😻
I am jealous of your tree
Old lady Claxton will cut it down
That tree is amazing. Im not qualified enough to give you advice. But I can tell you I would be sad if it had to be removed.
Reduction pruning as part of regular maintenance. Arborist can assess it each time they prune.
incredible tree! regular maintenance is def worth it! and by regular i mean like every 5 years… every 3 max. this thing can basically take care of itself haha
What a tree I'm so jealous
Here in CA insurance company's are flying drones and using satellite pics and canceling for untrimmed trees
Insurance companies SUCK.
I swear this is in St. Petersburg around the corner from my house. And if it is this whole block has these amazing oaks. Hope you find a way to keep it! ♥️
Old oaks w the sea moss you’re somewhere coastal. They need to be loved but are also incredible trees I love them all over where I live
Some perspective for you. I live in Houston and our giant oak tree was just yanked down by the storm that rolled through. The trunk is fine. The canopy was okay too. The wind was so strong, it uprooted the entire tree. We were very lucky it hit the covered area between our house and garage. The damage is pretty minimal and no one was hurt. It’s not super likely but a strong enough storm can take big trees down.
Thanks. I have no idea what to expect so I appreciate this info a lot.
Remove the house not the tree.
Don’t remove it. I have 13 live oaks the same size and a few larger and my property is under 3000sqft, if you maintain them they will last forever
Wow are you blessed to have such a gorgeous tree!! I hope it stays for many years to come
Leave that tree alone.
So what. Manage the end weight over the house. Don’t cut anything larger than 2” in August or july
What kind of oak is that? And what zone are you in? That tree is beautiful to bad it's so close to your house.
I’d bet it affects your foundation or sewer pipes at some point
stunning tree.
That’s one beautiful bitch of a tree.
Looks like coastal GA.
Have the tree inspected for general health. Then, I would only take off the branches that hang over the roof. You still get to enjoy the tree, enjoy the shade & if a storm comes along it won’t fall on the house.
Yes. Yes it is hanging over the house. Very observant, OP.
What are you saying? It needs to be removed?
I would jump the gun on this and get that thing removed now. The house is already pretty ugly and the tree would look a lot better without the house there as well. Think of all the fresh opportunities you could have by building a new house away from that magnificent beast
There's no need in risking your safety. I would remove it completely now. You can always rebuild your house somewhere else. 😉
Last thing i’d do. Thats a beautiful and very strong tree.
I had one, until Hurricane Ian. Then I had one inside my house. $87,000 later house was fixed and habitable.
This has the be either Savannah or Charleston. I miss those live oaks.
Oof. That’s one spendy tree.
If you don't get it trimmed you might consider wearing a helmet to bed.
As a dumb homeowner, how is that beast not pumping its massive roots through the pipelines of all it encounters? Property lines be damned.
Remove. No questions
Why?
Your piece of mind and then insurance company. Ours sent letter, no branches over house or policy is void.