My neighbors’ tree – what would you do?

[sstug]

My neighbors’ tree hangs over my driveway and is extremely close to my power lines and the corner of my house. They have always maintained the tree well and just had someone out yesterday to trim it back. I actually heard her tell them about my wires and house.

So when I left for work in the morning I was confident they would cut it back for clearance. But when I got home I noticed the branches were still too close. So I went next door and she called the guy who did the work, then let me speak to him. He insisted he did cut the branches back, and if he had to come back out again I would have to pay ($100 - $125). He said if you cut too much off the tree loses the aesthetic value…but I’m more concerned about a winter storm with heavy snow or ice ripping down my power lines! He was adamant that he did the job right and I told him I would call the city yard to see if they would come out and tell me if the tree was too close. He got very defensive and told me he was a professional doing this since 1979, etc. and went on to say that I am probably looking straight up at the branches and it is deceiving.

Well, this morning in the bright sunshine I looked again from my 2nd floor window which is pretty much eye level with the branches. The tip of one branch is about 6 inches from the wire and less than 3 feet from the corner of my house;. and others are just about a foot above and extend about 3 - 4 feet past the wires. I admit these are not thick branches.

I know from previous discussions after the recent storms that any tree limbs over my yard I have the right to cut (and I will be responsible for any damage they cause). But they are good neighbors and I would never want to damage their tree or make it unbalanced.

So now I am at a loss of what to do. The guy was very uncooperative and I would not pay him a cent to fix what I feel his did poorly in the first place. So I may need to hire someone else to cut it back. Or am I being paranoid and should I trust this guy knows better than me?

If I do nothing I may be okay this winter, but I think the squirrels will have a nice little bridge to my roof in the spring time!

How would you handle this situation?

 

[bogey21]

Don't let the fact that the guy is ignorant warp your judgement. Pay the money and get it done. It will give you peace of mind.

George

 

[Passepartout]

I agree with George. Peace of mind is worth far more than a hundred bucks. I'd have a discussion with the neighbor first, though, so they are on board. You might even have your city arborist (tree guy) consult on this as well. Who knows, the neighbor may even bring some pressure on the original guy to do it gratis or at a reduced fee.

I had a neighbor's tree intertwined with my power lines and kind of told her that if it caused a problem with my power, she would be held responsible. The tree was entirely on her property, so overhang and proximity to my house wasn't an issue. Next thing I knew the tree folks were there.

Good Luck!

Jim

 

[BevL]

I'd definitely be calling the city. At my parents' condo, the strata council insisted that a tree be cut way more than the fellow that was doing it wanted to. The thing ended up dying, the city noticed it and they barely escaped a hefty fine.

A weird experience but true.

 

[Phydeaux]

A photo or two would certainly help. Go snap a couple shots and post them up.

 

[sstug]

A photo or two would certainly help. Go snap a couple shots and post them up.

LOL - I have a couple photos but couldn't figure out how to post them!

Anyways, I appreciate the comments...I was planning to hire someone myself and just pay to have it trimmed back.

The "professional" told me the city was the wrong place to call, it was the electric company I need to talk to. But I called the city hall and they directed me to the building dept - inspectional services. He was very helpful and said that no wires should hang over my service line and I should just cut them back myself.

Now begins a new saga trying to find a tree person to do the job right. I have become very cynical when hiring any contractors since I seem to get burned every time (even the good ones - they never show up or return calls). But I will be sure to have them consult with the owners of the tree before lopping off a big chunk. I will call the neighbors tonight to discuss, then start searching for a tree service.

Thanks for the support, I was beginning to question if I was just being "high maintenance"...

Sheila

 

[Nickfromct]

Not sure how it works in Mass, but in CT the power companies will trim back trees if they are too close to the power lines. Had the power company trim back some branches for me earlier this summer.

 

[sstug]

Not sure how it works in Mass, but in CT the power companies will trim back trees if they are too close to the power lines. Had the power company trim back some branches for me earlier this summer.

Here they only do it if the tree encroaches on the power line along the street. My issue is with the service line leading to my house. Since it's on my property, it's my responsibility.

 

[rickandcindy23]

My mother-in-law has a very old, beautiful maple tree, which she pays an arborist to trim each year. She actually has two matching trees, 60-70 years old.

There was a mini-tornado last spring in her area, and one of her very healthy, large branches fell off and went right into the neighbor's roof. The insurance companies didn't bicker at all. The neighbor's insurance company paid, and the neighbor was mad about it, because she had to pay the deductible of $1,000, but there was other damage to her home, and to mom's as well. Gutters tore off the roof, and there was water in both their basements.

Ultimately, that tree breaking on your house is your insurance company's problem, so it's your problem. So you should do what you must to get that thing away from your house and power lines.

 

[slip]

I had a neighbors tree fall on my house about 15 years ago. It was just like
Cindy said. I had to pay my deductible. Paying to get it trimmed now is
a lot less of a hassle.

 

[sstug]

Yes, I appreciate the warnings about the insurance implications. That's why I decided it's best to hire my own guy to trim it. I guess there's not much I can do if a healthy branch breaks off. The houses are so close together where I live and this one would probably damage my house and/or car. But I don't think I can justify cutting of the whole branch (it's a big branch from near the bottom of the tree that slants right over my driveway). I did suggest that maybe the whole branch could be cut, but they didn't seem to like the idea. I will defer to the tree guy I hire (and ask him to convince my neighbors more should be cut). But I will say I now always pull my car further up into the driveway because I was tired of the birds in the tree decorating my car for me.

 

[geekette]

Do what you need to do and be sure to keep good communication with the neighbor.

"Here's what I found out ..."
"Here's what I'm going to have done ..."

It's their tree but it is on your property. Maybe you don't want to cut the big branch but maybe "your experts" believe it should be done.

Work it out with the neighbor. no one wants to ruin a tree but humans come first. electricity before blossoms and bird crap. If the tree is correctly pruned, it will survive to grow back.

our problem here in indy is brutal tree cutbacks by teh contractors the elec comp hires. topping trees, cutting way more than necessary, clear cutting in some cases where it is not necessary. many lawsuits later, they are still brutal, but, at least you get notified when the butchers are coming, And, they neatly stack the decent firewood of what they chop off your previously-perfectly healthy tree.

 

[Zac495]

I would definitely discuss it with your neighbor first. I wouldn't ask, but I wouldn't tell either. Keep a good relationship just knowing that in the end, you will do it your way.

 

[pjrose]

Our power company cuts the branches that are too close to the wires, even up our very long driveway. It's cheaper for them to do preventative trimming than fix damage later.

Several years ago in a big ice storm about a dozen of the neighbor's trees came down in a domino effect, causing thousands of dollars of damage on our side of the line - even though they were her trees, we and our insurance company took the financial hit.

 

[KauaiMark]

How it works ini Calif.

Here in my part of Calif, if the tree hangs over the fence, I can and have cut anything I can reach on my side.

 

[Talent312]

Our city owns the local power company.
Neither will cut anythng past the right-of-way.
They say, "If its in your yard, its your problem."

 

[Passepartout]

Around here, the power company will cut trees away from power lines, but with absolutely ZERO regard to aesthetics or tree health. I see the results with trees with a huge 'V' cut out of the crown so that power lines can go through them, and lopsided trees where a whole side has been removed. Better to pay an arborist to do it right. You'll like it and the tree will be healthier too.

Jim

 

[djs]

If you do decide to hire someone, how about involving your neighbors in the hiring process and the work that will be done. Be in agreement, but hopefully if you are both on the same page and something goes wrong it won't come back to bite you.

 

[SDKath]

I guess I am confused. Why would the OP have to pay the $125 to have the guy come back. I think it should fall to the neighbor to maintain HIS tree and if the person he/she hired didn't do a good job, it's their responsibility to get someone out to fix it.

Kath

 

[bogey21]

I guess I am confused. Why would the OP have to pay the $125 to have the guy come back. I think it should fall to the neighbor to maintain HIS tree and if the person he/she hired didn't do a good job, it's their responsibility to get someone out to fix it.

Kath

IMO $125 (after consultation with neighbor) is a reasonable price to pay for neighbor harmony, getting the work done the way you want it done, and eliminating mental aggravation.

George

 

[sstug]

I guess I am confused. Why would the OP have to pay the $125 to have the guy come back. I think it should fall to the neighbor to maintain HIS tree and if the person he/she hired didn't do a good job, it's their responsibility to get someone out to fix it.

Kath

I would have to pay the guy to come back because my neighbors didn't offer to insist he come back and do the job right. They did tell the tree guy up front about their tree being close to my house and wires. They never thought to look to see if he fixed that when he left. In some ways it really is a matter or opinion, and perspective. In the tree guy's opinion the branches are not too close...but I do believe if it were his house he would have a different opinion.

My neighbors did the right thing and had the tree pruned back. It's just not done to my satisfaction based on the proximity. I'm also thinking ahead to the spring when the tree continues to grow.

So since I have the right to cut branches hanging over my property, and will have to pay the insurance claim/deductible if there is damage, it becomes my responsibility to pay. I would have preferred that my neighbors offer to get it fixed, but they didn't.

My original post was mostly based on my disappointment that a professional tree guy would pay more attention to the beauty of the tree and ignore the safety issues or possible damage to someone's property. Maybe even more so at the rudenss of this so called professional and his immediate reaction that if he came back he would have to charge me. It's the way he said it, not the cost itself, that turned me right off.

I did leave out one detail...my neighbors called him immediately because next week he is on his way to Florida for the winter. So this may play into why he had no intention of offering to come back and take a look. I think this may also be why he didn't do a thorough job and cut back from my wires.

I was very clear with my neighbors that I do not want to do any damage to their tree. My plan is to include them in any decisions and ask anyone I hire to also talk to them before cutting. But I will push to have the tree properly trimmed well away from my house and wires. I have no intention of causing friction with my neighbors.

I would agree that $125 would be a reasonable price to pay...but I am sure it will cost me much more than that. First I would never trust the same guy to come back based on my conversation with him. Second I will not pay him a penny to do the work he was already paid to do.

So I will hire someone else and probably pay more. We have other tree work to do in the yard so it will be worth my while in the long run.

I just don't know how to find a new tree guy who will be reliable. I guess I thought with all the people out of work and no one spending any money the service levels would improve all around. It just seems to keep getting worse...