Landscape values in dollar terms

[Reed]

I've been trying to formulate a cost/value adjustment for damaged live oaks in a moderately priced ($150K - $250K) restricted subdivision and due to the velocity of development and blind growth there isn't a forester or parks department base-line formula available in the forseeable future. Not even private value comparison or insurance-based claim history for the area yet.

On transplant species I have purchase and installation and warrantee price index but native trees damaged are fifty-year plus. My question is....would it be fair to calculate worth starting with installation costs of ten-year nursery grown and add .05 percent per year growth rate up to the chronology of the damaged oaks? I can and have factored-in remedial work costs but will result in trees with dubious and structural defects (picky neighborhood).

If I go with the established estimate property tax-appraisal value of 20% of total (harwood trees) and divide each tree in subtraction, it's going to precedent the standard real estate formulas of the municipality, resulting in a court action with major implications. I'll have real estate developers on my side and against me at the same time, along with the taxing entities ready to string me up to the highest phone pole.

In a pinch, for this area, I'd like to justify a minimal cost proposal for the city to re-imburse the owner for damage done....it would resolve it in a hurry and let me get my butt out of that community that's only a war waiting to start. Anyone have any ideas or methods that worked elsewhere?

Thanks.

 

[arboromega]

no idea, but would love to see the answer

 

[coffeecraver]

The book: Guide for Plant Appraisal

The plan:

A reasonable approach is to plant a survivable size plant for a site and determine the estimated years for the replacement plant (s) to reach an equivalent size (parity). Annual compound interest factors could be used for the total number of estimated years for plants to reach parity to determine monetary value.

For complex or large-scale replanting, fees to hire a landscape architect may be added to the cost to prepare the contract documents for reconstruction.

hope this helps

 

[Reed]

Seems reasonable but also says in too many words that a protracted costly response is the only route to equity. This situation and the tree are not that necessary...I hope.

I want to forgo that in favor of something everyone's in comparative agreement on. If I follow the general equation we're talking obscene amounts of money to rectify the tree that's seemingly not that important to the plaintiffs. In fact it's the city that's asking for a workable solution notifying this owner from the very incedent and explaining it's accident wishing to resolve it but not having an infrastructure available to do it with - that's where I came in. They have no adjustable or quantified liability concerning trees - for the most part, in these areas of rapid development. Like I said, things are happening fast and this small town is over-run with demand.

 

[Reed]

Submitting the damage report this morning, I'm calculating diameter inch dollars from retail specs on transplant specimens and multiplying by that caliper.

Seems a minor claim when compared to property appraisal formulas in the big city but I'm also rescuing the damaged tree. This will be the compensatory formulea this town will work with from here on out, until better rules are written.

There was zero malice and I commend the city in it's efforts to compensate immediately after the mishap. The only problem will be to surgically clear the mass of asphalt they applied immediately after the trauma. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

ow good luck with it, next time post details and we can talk about whether cost of repair or trunk formula or cost of cure would apply best.

You're on the right track with your basic formula but really an appraisal based on the Guide would not be hard for you to do.

 

[Sylvatica]

For the past few years, we have been charging $1,000 per caliper inch, installed, for certain hard to find trees which are 5" caliper and over, rootballs up to around a ton.

When the caliper gets up to and beyond the 12" range, and rootball sizes and/or certain mitigating circumstances such as long picks require the crane to be bigger than the 40 ton, such as the 60 or 80 tonners, than the cost factors goes up accordingly.

These kinds of prices used to apply only to rare introduced ornamentals (Jap Maples, Weeping Purple Beeches, etc). But now natives are very popular in my area, and a 35' Amelanchier or an 8" cal Cladrastis or Gymnocladus are commanding prices formerly paid for those ornamentals. In many cases, the trade is awash in the exotics while the natives of decent sizes are unavailable. And the supply and demand comes into play.

Quantifying devaluation from damage would be a bit more tricky.

 

[Reed]

It's odd indeed when I witness subdivision development in progress. This neighborhood was cleared 90% of native growth, bulldozed, trenched, re-levelled, utilitized, sectioned and concreted, then the architects came in and changed everything again, single family homes put in haphazard to the flow and native trees re-introduced. Half dead a year later.

Fake. The whole dream is a fantasy. Probably perfect for the fake families, SUV's, and plastic kid toys, quarter-million dollar homes with masonite exteriors printed like a photo to suggest native rock construction. However the city welcomes the new tax base along with the on-line future's traders and gift-shopping trophy wives.

Now they want the trees back. City is sensitive to this, thus the re-imbursement of the damage. I'm part of a mind to let the tree die and invent some sort of plastic replacement to honor the culture that's moving in. Charge whatever it takes. I can't spend too much time in these cultural wastelands - formaldihyde poisoning from the new cookie-cutter homes, perfection in cadence to the American way like white bread and soccer-sticker Chevy Suburbans. "We love trees and furry animals, let's go to Six Flags and pretend". If they want realism, let a cougar loose in the backyard plastic playpen while the 2.5 blond kids play with the Pokemon dolls.

Thanks, I didn't submit my proposal yesterday to the city so I'll ammend it today - increase it. The only way to play this game with these people is to act like them. Charge more than the dermatologist's bill to their eight year old.

 

[Sylvatica]

Stripped raw subdivisions - don't you just love the way their promotion agents come up with names for the "neighborhoods" which are exactly the names of whatever they have wiped out or displaced in order to put up the McMansions? "Quail Glen", "Orchid Hollow", "Pheasant Chase", "Old Meadow Farms"....etc, etc, ad nauseum.

More accurate would be "Sticky Lookin' Half-Dead Tree Glen", "Stressed Site Hollow", "No Topsoil Left Hydroseed Heaven."

 

[Guy Meilleur]

ow I agree with all you say but you msut not get mad but get even. Aggressively appraising the lost value of the trees is the way, but if you don't have sound basis for your $ value it can bite you in the butt. The builders' lawyers are among the meanest. Fortunately they are also the most ignorant but be very careful--there are always exceptions to that rule.

Why not call in an RCA for a second opinion or at least an hour of consulting about what you are doing?

 

[Treeman14]

Dang Oakwilt, life's to short to live it in cynicism and bitterness. You need help, dude. :angel:

 

[arboromega]

i read a manefesto in the paper like that a few years back...

although id have to say i agree since i take care of trees and landscapes for places like oakwilt just described

 

[treeman45246]

Oakwilt I have the Trunk formula based on the Guide... in an excell format. If you would like I can send you one via e-mail. Species values are for Ohio trees, so you will need to establish species values for your locality, but that shouldn't be hard to find.

 

[coffeecraver]

This may be less costly


1) calculate the removal cost,including stumps.
2) estimate the amount of dirt to fill the holes,
3) then labor to do it.

Ok let's say that the largest tree you can obtain is 6"
That tree could cost you about $1300.00.
To have that tree installed your total may be about 2500.00
Multiply by the number of trees in question.

Now add these two figures together.

This number should be more than fair.

 

[NeTree]

Originally posted by oakwilt
It's odd indeed when I witness subdivision development in progress. This neighborhood was cleared 90% of native growth, bulldozed, trenched, re-levelled, utilitized, sectioned and concreted, then the architects came in and changed everything again, single family homes put in haphazard to the flow and native trees re-introduced. Half dead a year later.

Fake. The whole dream is a fantasy. Probably perfect for the fake families, SUV's, and plastic kid toys, quarter-million dollar homes with masonite exteriors printed like a photo to suggest native rock construction. However the city welcomes the new tax base along with the on-line future's traders and gift-shopping trophy wives.

Now they want the trees back. City is sensitive to this, thus the re-imbursement of the damage. I'm part of a mind to let the tree die and invent some sort of plastic replacement to honor the culture that's moving in. Charge whatever it takes. I can't spend too much time in these cultural wastelands - formaldihyde poisoning from the new cookie-cutter homes, perfection in cadence to the American way like white bread and soccer-sticker Chevy Suburbans. "We love trees and furry animals, let's go to Six Flags and pretend". If they want realism, let a cougar loose in the backyard plastic playpen while the 2.5 blond kids play with the Pokemon dolls.

Thanks, I didn't submit my proposal yesterday to the city so I'll ammend it today - increase it. The only way to play this game with these people is to act like them. Charge more than the dermatologist's bill to their eight year old.

Makes ya sick, don't it?

 

[Reed]

Okay, I want to apologize a little for that tirade. Read it back and after meeting a few of the neighbors there today I'm willing to concede the part about the cougar playing with the kids (although it does seem to balance-out the reality a bit).

Treeman, my formulas are fifteen years old. Used to be ASCA but like many affiliations the dues got out of hand. I would appreciate Ohio's figures and ammend for area. Thanks.

Was asked by a landscape architect (AALEA) if these trees were oaks, then which type. He was born/raised here. That says a lot don't you think? See why I pressured over the top? Patience goes so far. I'd like to point Rocky at him and say "sick 'em". He had a Hummer, I was leaking motor oil and rear-end grease all over the brand new avenue.

People are busy I guess. Making these mortgages, hundred thou in two vehicles, cosmetic surgeons, Alaskan cruise ships and Disneyworld every year. I was dabbled on the edge of opulance whilst growing up and met more after marriage. I think I'll stay with the common folk from now on. The Cattleman's Gala is one sour competitive social event compared to Conjunto with some drunk Mexican nationals happy to be alive out here in the cedar hills of Tejas.