Need a Quote

[beav700]

I need help from you professionals. I'm looking to buy a house that I really like but the house is surrounded with about 15 tall pines and hardwoods. Many of them overhanging the house. The trees are about 60-70' tall with average trunk diameter of 20". Some trees are 10' away from the house, some 20'.

The house have moisture problems due to being in the shade all the time. The siding and the basement walls are always green and there is a mold growth up in the attic and walls. Ridge vents were installed and other means of ventilation but nothing works. Roof is covered with pine sap and needles all the time. There is simply no sun reaching the house (maybe two hours). The only area that has open sky is facing north which is useless as here up north, the sun is always at the south side. The power is constantly interrupted by falling branches which breaks the lines on a windy day. The lines are 110v insulated wires running from a transformer.

I'm trying to get an idea just how much would it cost to have those trees dropped. I have people who would cut it up when on the ground and take it away for firewood (even pine). All I'm looking for is getting the trees down on the ground without damaging the house or the power/cable/phone lines. I can't get a pro out there to price it as there is no access to the house anymore. When I was there I took bunch of photos which I will post below. I know it's hard to price anything by looking at pictures but I'm looking for rough estimates. Is it $5000 or $25000. Like I said before, there is about 15 trees that need to come down (3 dead trees) and there are power lines going in between some of them and also main power lines by the road. Even if the tree can be pulled away from the house and dropped in one piece, it will most likely fall on some kind of power line or main road with heavy traffic. IMHO most have to be removed by climbing a tree and lowering sections using ropes. Maybe half could be accessed with a crane. The last photo shows a dead tree (white colored) that fell on other live tree and it holds by one thin branch. If it falls, it will hit the power line that was reconnected just two months ago after other tree fell on it.

If I end up buying the house I will get a local guy in Pocanos, PA to do the proper estimate and removal but don't know if I want all this hassle with all the trees. There are other homes on the market, but this one is priced low because of the overgrowth. Here are the photos. Thank you very much for all your help. Sorry for such a long post.

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[beav700]

Thanks for your replay. I moving to this area to have those trees. I'm trading 5 minute commute in the city for 45 minutes just to live in the woods. But the area around the house is always damp. It's on a slope as you can see, but when you step on the ground, it's wet all the time as the house is 200' from a stream that creates a lot of fog at night when temperature drops. The area the has open sky dries quickly but what is in the shade stays wet all the time. I will have 46 acres of woods around me with with hundreds if not thousands of pines. All I want is some sun light at the cost of 15 trees so that I can have 1/4 acre of grass and dry home.

 

[fishercat]

i could see 2 or 3 trees need to go maybe.

not 15.

i think you need to get a hold of an excavator in the area and find out what is going on.you may be built over an underground spring or have septic issues.

that is what i would do before i started dropping any trees.

 

[randyg]

Lines can be dropped and spooled to one end or the other to drop that many trees. From $250 to $750 give or take per tree to put on ground, depending how close to power by road/close to house? Mold IN walls? Mold IN attic? Building inspection by reputable co. would be a must. You can't get an estimate from local tree co. WHY???? Good luck!

 

[treeseer]

Treeco and fisher are right--those trees are not causing your moisture problem. Trees can suck up and exhale 200 gallons per day each, so their removal may make things worse!

I'm not an RE guy but that is not "overgrowth", and it's doubtful the house would increase much if any in value after cutting. Also keep in mind that when trees near houses are cut, new "edge" trees increase risk to the house.

Never understood the drive to have a 1/4 acre of grass at such a cost.

 

[Mike Cantolina]

I know it's hard to price anything by looking at pictures but I'm looking for rough estimates. Is it $5000 or $25000.

Closer to $5000.

 

[RVALUE]

If the moisture problems are INSIDE the house, they are not tree related. They are a sympton of a more serious problem that a competent home inspector could find. Springs, sewer, HVAC, Insulation, Attic vent, etc..... all possible problems.

Be smart.

 

[capetrees]

It's called neglect. I'm doing a job similar to this in about 30 minutes. The trees have grown over the house to the point the shade is causing roof problems and they are putting the house in peril. Easy job if they kept up on trimming and removals years ago. As for the shade contributing to the damp conditions, my money says yes. If it were septic issues the home insection report would point that out. And the septic system will be on the down side slope of the lot. Open it up and grown your lawn. I would take as many out as far away from the house as they are tall in case they fall in the future. With 40+ acres to enjoy, whats a half acre of clearing? As mentioned, have the lines dropped and drop the trees easily. Cost? Don't know the rates around PA but I would estimate $300 per tree but that is dropping and cutting/chipping, no cranes or stump removal.

Good luck

 

[NCTREE]

Hey beav if you want I could stop out some weekend and give you a price. I live about an hour away from the poconos. If the trees just need to come down and you don't need the debris hauled away I'd be willing to travel for work in the winter. It doesn't seem like the trees are hard to get down.

I agree the moisture problem has nothing to do with the trees. they can cause mold and mildew problems on the outside of the house if it's not getting enough air flow and sun though. Also take in affect that this year in pa has been super wet that might be causing some of the moisture problems.

 

[beav700]

Thank you for all the replies. I did get the Home inspector (HouseMasters) out there and was told that the shade is the problem. In 2005 they installed new roof after having the house for 11 years and the new roof has proper venting with ridge vents, side vents and it's well insulated. But the roof is almost always wet. The septic tank and the drain field are down 20' below the house on the down slope. Like I said before, the house is in the deep valley about 200' from a stream that drains from 800 acre very shallow lake (wet land). The water in the stream is really warm (not a mountain stream) and at night when air temperature drops, the entire valley is in the fog. This happens almost every night. The valley has about 30 homes, all with large clearings and none have this problem as the sun light dries them out. I spoke with four neighbors and all recommended tree removal. I don't think that there is a spring underground since the well is 280' deep. The house is modular home built by local company that has great reputation. Everything was build and installed by the book. It's just always dark around the house even on a sunny day. The house sits on the southern slope of the valley and if it wasn't for the trees, it would have the sun all day long. Below is picture of the roof and the stream.

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[beav700]

On a personal note, I'm somewhat surprised to see most recommending to keep the trees. I always thought that tree service guys will try to get me to cut as many trees down as possible to get more $. I was ready to fight the local tree guy to keep many trees thinking he would push me to clear two-three acres. You guys actually care about the trees. I now have a lot more respect for the trade. Specially after watching some of the youtube clips from Reg and seeing what you do. Not an easy job. Thanks for trying to keep our little planet green.

 

[treeslayer]

All I needed to see was the roof pic. Lose some trees.

PM me, I'll come out for a flat rate and climb/drop trees all day. take a couple days, but looks like easy work to me.

Plenty of good climbers on here from PA though.

 

[John464]

roof should always get some sun throughout the day. i would probabbly cut all trees within 30ft from the house. If keeping the trees is a better option, top them, yes I said top them.

 

[fishercat]

we have always said...........

it's hard to tell tree stuff by pictures.it is something that always needs to be seen in person,on site.i would at least lose the dead looking ones and the ones right next to the house.any leaners as well.you have a couple that look like they are searching for sunlight.

i have tried to talk many customers out of removing trees and i am a tree removal business. they were nice trees that could have been pruned or thinned.no reason to take them down.wished i had them in my yard. i also don't like the idea of taking trees down just because of all the leaves in the fall.this is friggin' New England.it's known for leaves.

 

[TreEmergencyB]

where at in the poconos i grew up out there and still got to see my dad often

 

[Dalmatian90]

I don't think that there is a spring underground since the well is 280' deep.

Not unusual at all. I don't know if you could put in a shallow well today by code where I live. Shallow wells are much more susceptible to contamination from septic systems, etc.

I don't know about the Poconos, that layout in my area would scream "ledge" and "springs." Sunlight isn't going to fix a high water table, you need drainage and I'd be more concerned about talking to folks who install french drains to dry basements and excavation contractors to lay tile then to arborists if you want to fix the property.

That's just my opinion based on the pictures and my experience with terrain in Connecticut, not the Poconos.

 

[zopi]

If there is mold growing in the house, you need to get it in the contract to have the current owner pay for abatement costs...the real estate market isn't
so good anywhere that you should have to pay for that sort of stuff....don't be afraid to walk away.

 

[beav700]

The only area that has mold is on the plywood of the attic (roof plywood). The mold is present only on the western side of the attic. This is where the roof never gets any sun due to 6 large pines overhanging the roof. The basement is bone dry as well as the living area. The northern yard that is exposed to the sun is also nice and dry. The problem is with western and southern side where 70' trees grow 10' from the house. That area stays moist all the time. Just kicking all the needles that are on the ground reveals all the water trapped underneath.

Why am I trying to convince you guys that the trees are the problem. I want more sun light on the house, period. I need about 15 trees down and trying to figure out just how much will that cost me. I might decide to clear five acres a year from now. It's my land (well, not yet). I'm just trying to add up all the costs before getting this property. I will assume between $5000-$7000 for taking down the trees. Sound reasonable?

Another photo showing the part of the house that is always in the shade and that has the mold up on the attic. The siding and the woodstove chimney is all green from moisture.

 

[clearance]

It's called neglect. I'm doing a job similar to this in about 30 minutes. The trees have grown over the house to the point the shade is causing roof problems and they are putting the house in peril. Easy job if they kept up on trimming and removals years ago. As for the shade contributing to the damp conditions, my money says yes. If it were septic issues the home insection report would point that out. And the septic system will be on the down side slope of the lot. Open it up and grown your lawn. I would take as many out as far away from the house as they are tall in case they fall in the future. With 40+ acres to enjoy, whats a half acre of clearing? As mentioned, have the lines dropped and drop the trees easily. Cost? Don't know the rates around PA but I would estimate $300 per tree but that is dropping and cutting/chipping, no cranes or stump removal.

Good luck

I'm with cape, nuke all that stuff and enjoy the rest.

 

[treemandan]

Thanks for your replay. I moving to this area to have those trees. I'm trading 5 minute commute in the city for 45 minutes just to live in the woods. But the area around the house is always damp. It's on a slope as you can see, but when you step on the ground, it's wet all the time as the house is 200' from a stream that creates a lot of fog at night when temperature drops. The area the has open sky dries quickly but what is in the shade stays wet all the time. I will have 46 acres of woods around me with with hundreds if not thousands of pines. All I want is some sun light at the cost of 15 trees so that I can have 1/4 acre of grass and dry home.

I will come up there and cut every and any tree you want down. Just from the pics I would say a couple grand. Where are you at? You can look around the site to see who I am. and good luck ,I hope it works out.