Today, I’m heading down to New Orleans, along with part of my family, to spend Labor Day weekend with my niece, Lauren. We are excited to see their new house and help her get some things done around there while we are there, like painting furniture and walls. I’ll have lots of fun blog posts to share when I get back! I’ll bet there will be baby and nursery talk this weekend too. 🙂
But today, since I share most everything that goes on around my house project-wise, I thought I’d share the latest with you. Last week I had 2 trees cut down in my front yard, so I documented it with pics. I’m not a huge tree cutter and tend to want to hang onto my trees for the most part, but sometimes a tree can be dangerous and too close to the house and when that is the case, I’m not at all afraid to cut one down. Such is the case with a huge pine tree that straddled the line with me and one of my neighbors. I talked to my neighbor about cutting down the tree, but he didn’t want to share the costs. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask, so I did. He gave me his blessing on taking the tree down, although didn’t really see the need. The tree was leaning towards my house and I have heard horror stories about big pines falling in storms, so I figured I’d better be safe and get it down. It might have stayed up for 100 years, but I didn’t want to take a chance on it falling. Plus, pine trees are so messy. I don’t love their pinecones falling in my front yard and the messy pine straw they leave behind.
So, goodbye big pine tree!
There was also another smaller cherry tree, one of 3 trees lined up across my front yard that also needed to go. It had dead limbs on one side and was growing into my beautiful pink dogwood tree, so it was time for it to come down too. I’m left with 2 pretty trees in the front yard, one pink cherry and one pink dogwood, so that’s a nice view for me. I got a recommendation from one of my friends who used a local tree cutter and she put me in touch with them.  I was very satisfied with the estimate I got to take down both these trees: $550 for both!
When you see the size of my pine tree, I think you’ll agree, this was a good price! That was a scary proposition to watch and I was a tree climber from way back, but you couldn’t pay me to do what this guy did.
So, here’s what I started with. 3 trees lined up in my front yard. There’s a pink cherry on the right and a pink dogwood on the left, which is just gorgeous in Spring. The pink cherry in the middle, however, has seen better days, with several dying limbs and it was growing into the side of my dogwood tree, so it was time to take ‘er down.
Here’s a good angle so you can see how close it is to my beautiful dogwood.
Growing right into the side, I definitely didn’t want it impeding on my dogwood growth and health.
This monstrous pine sits right on the line with me and my neighbor. It drops pinecones and pine straw and is not my favorite tree to have around. I’ve heard they have shallow roots and can uproot during storms, so it made me nervous, looming over my house.
As you can see from this angle, it is definitely leaning towards my mansion. 
 And we can’t have that!
This is a good shot of how big the tree is. Not a small feat to get this sucker down.
The crew of about 6 guys showed up to take my 2 trees down last Friday. They were thorough and knew what they were doing and I was very happy with how they handled it all. First, chainsaws took down all the limbs and they cut this cherry tree down to a stump.
Limb by limb and it was gone in just a few minutes. They brought in a small bulldozer to move around the trunk of the big tree and a big truck and wood chipper to get rid of all this wood. I could have kept some wood chips, but told them to haul it all off, please.
Cherry tree gone!
Limbs and debris that got fed into the wood chipper. They were here about 4 hours.
This big truck hauled off all the wood chips.
Next, it was time for the big one. That big pine is no joke. You can see those 2 guys and how small they look next to the tree.
The smaller guy took off up the tree with ropes and a gas powered chain saw. He had spikes in his shoes to climb the tree. As much as I loved climbing trees as a child, no way would I climb this thing. You have to be young and agile to do this. This guy knew just how to do it and I watched the whole process.
Limb by limb he started cutting them all off, working his way up the tree trunk.
Big limbs fell in the yard and the other guys drug them over and got them ready to go in the wood chipper.
Limbs fell all over the place.
Before long, the bottom limbs were all gone and the trunk was bare. He inched his way to the top.
Once all those bigger limbs were gone, then he picked a spot on the trunk which would take down the rest of the top of the tree. This was pretty amazing!
Timberrrrr!! Isn’t that what they yell when a tree comes down?
I did this in an animated gif program on Photoscape and got the whole top coming down. Incredible, isn’t it? Cutting both sides of the trunk with the chain saw, they had a rope tied to the top and 2 guys out in the road, insuring that it would fall where they wanted it to fall.
Then, just the trunk was left. I missed how they got this down since I was inside the house, but the huge thud and shaking of my house told me when the whole trunk came down. I think they probably did the same method and cut it down at the bottom with the chainsaw, pulling it down where they wanted it.
Once I heard the thud from inside, I went to the front door to see it laying on the ground, the massive stump left.
They then cut it all up and chipped it too. Maybe I should have asked for a slice of wood, that might have been fun. Oh well!
Once they were finished, my front yard looked like this. They did a very thorough job of cleaning up and I was very pleased.
All that is left of the pine tree now. I may have someone come back and grind the stumps, but I won’t be in a hurry about that. This company didn’t do that part.
The front of my house looks a little cleaner now with the broken down cherry tree gone. Now my beautiful dogwood can take off and spread out like it needs to. I’ve got lots of big plans to landscape this house and I’m waiting for a guy that I know to come and build me a cute front porch and peaked roof with columns. He’s really busy, but I’m hoping he will get to me in the next couple of months before it gets too cold. I can’t wait to get that done too and it will add a lot of charm to the front of my house.
So, that’s the low down on taking down some trees! Have you had to do that at your house too?
I’m glad I didn’t have tons of trees to have to take down. Some of the houses we looked at before I got this one were full of awful pine trees close to the house and overgrown backyards. I’m so glad that I ended up with a yard that’s a blank slate and I don’t have to do a lot of tearing out.
Landscaping additions, yes please!
The Lutron giveaway is closed and the five winners have been announced and emailed!
My former husband has his degree in forestry so he knew how to fell a tree. We bought a house with an enormous hemlock in the front yard that blocked so much light. We also had telephone and electric wires that were near the tree. Much like your tree guys did, my sons and husband took down the tree, top to bottom and never disturbed the power or phone lines. It was an amazing (and very scary!) thing to watch. Best part was when it was finished we had some fantastic mulch and there was light in front of the house.
Oh, yes, Rhoda, what a timely post! We’re currently into day 2 of having trees across the road on our river property limbed up of all the wild limbs that block our view (& I’ve been taking photos too :)). One questionable tree with questionable ownership (ours or the city’s right-of-way, on top of the riverbank) – we’re having cabled from limb to limb to try to save it. If it were a pine, like you, I’d say take it down. Last year here in WV, the derecho wreaked havoc on so many 100+ year old trees – sycamores, giant oaks – many just snapped, & folks are being proactive when they’re close to homes, lines, taking more & more down. I get nervous with the wild storms, and just pray that our remaining trees will be healthy & stay upright.
I love that gif programmed photo – is that a special feature on your camera, an app, a video, or an after the fact, merging various shots?
HI, Rita, that is a gif program in Photoscape, a free photo editing service. You download it and then use it on your computer. I pulled all the photos in and merged them into one with this free program. Pretty cool!
Thanks, Rhoda…I really like the effect! And holy moly, that tree was tall. It amazes me how some people have no fear on some things!
You definitely did the smart thing taking down that big old pine tree. With all our rain this summer, I’ll bet it won’t take much for trees to tumble down. Can’t wait to see the front porch!
I had a tree cut down and many branches cut on the others in my yard in July. It is amazing how they climb the trees and cut those big pieces down. After having to deal with Hurricane Sandy, I felt it was better to protect my family and home with doing this. There are reports that we are moving into a really big storm season. It also changed the look of the front of my home. I am really liking the new look. The light that now comes into the front yard is amazing.
Hi Rhoda, first of wow you really got a good price for having the trees taken down. We had two taken down a few years ago and it was 1000.00 a piece. I love everything you have done to your home and I am very happy for you!
Suzan
Hi Rhoda,
You definitely made the right decision on taking down the pine tree! During Hurricane Hugo our neighbor had five huge pine trees fall across our road, narrowly missing our house, and taking down all the power lines and blocking the “one way in, one way out” road to our neighborhood. It was a week before we had power, and neighbors got together to cut our way out of the neighborhood! Thanks and safe and fun travels this weekend!
Wow! Those are some amazing pictures! I can’t imagine climbing up a tree like that, even when I was really young! I think you made a good investment. You’ll have peace of mind, much more light, less mess…..a win all the way around. I’m going to show this post/video to my kids today. They’ll be impressed! :-0
Rhoda, that was an excellent price for taking down those 2 trees. We sought some quotes for removing a tree from our yard and it was much higher. Luckily it was near a power line and the company took it down for us! I cannot wait to see what plans you have in store for your yard!
We just had 14 trees done exactly the same way you did.Don’t worry,I love trees too and we still have over one hundred.
Our stumps are still there but on PINTEREST it says you can drill holes and put epsom salts in the holes and the stumps rot out.Pinterest even has cute things to do to them while they rot!
That’s what we are going to do,or at least try it and see. All of ours were close to the house or leaning, and huge!!!
It cost a considerable amount but seeing those guys work,it was worth it.
I had a tree come down on my home in the Hurricane 2 years ago, and last year I lost 3 pines to the storm and my neigbor had a tree come down on her home, we shared the cost of the 3rd tree on the property line to be taken down, shame on your neigbor for not splitting the bill and such an inexpensive one at that.
Have a great time in New Orleans and looking forward to seeing all the work you accomplish there. Is it a boy or girl baby that will be the new member of your family?
I have so many tree stories I wouldn’t know where to begin, so I will just say that I’m in agreement about the price you received. Wow!
I can’t wait to see the little porch you have built! I know it will be adorable and add so much to your house.
$550 was a steal! In NC we’re overrun with pine trees falling everywhere during bad storms and we’ve had to have several removed over the years. You got a great deal. I’m new to your blog, btw, and really enjoy it. We have a 1963 brick ranch that we are redoing bit by bit so I really love watching your projects and so appreciate the fact that you do them on a budget like most of us! Safe travels to N.O.
Rhoda, I agree that in certain places a pine tree is gorgeous, but not next to your home. My moms home has a back deck totally surrounded by pine trees. What a mess! With all the tornadoes we get around here, I’ve often feared the two huge water oak trees falling on our home too. If they fell there would be nothing left! $550 is definitely worth it for peace of mind. Cant wait to see your new landscape and porch! Have a good time on your trip 🙂
Hokey smokes, that was a big pine tree! And not even very attractive. Good call on taking it down.
Rhoda-I think you have the right attitude about your neighbor–it didn’t hurt to ask, but remain gracious when he says no to sharing the cost. The tree looked healthy enough, so I can see his point of not over-worrying too much.
Sometimes it really does pay to listen to that little voice prompting you to do something–who knows what headache down the road you were spared from by removing that tree! 🙂
Can’t wait to see the plans you have in store for your yard! Thanks for being such a fun part of my morning coffee routine.
our neighbors have at least four HUGE pine trees right on the property line (unfortunately mostly on their side) that drop straw and pine cones in our yard all Fall. HATE it. They believe in the ‘natural overgrown’ look of the property (e.g. they do zero yard maintenance/work) so they don’t really care that we rake and rake and rake. Grrrrr.
“The smaller Hispanic guy took off up the tree …” really???
It is deleted, did not intend to offend.
It wasn’t offensive and I do believe in being “politically correct” (which to me means not using terms the subject would find hurtful.). You didn’t use some derogatory term for people of Hispanic descent. Maybe she didn’t like the size comparison!
Nancy, I’m sorry you don’t see it as wrong-but it is.
I teach in a very multi-cultural classroom. When you single someone out by their ethnicity- and it is not called for- it is derogatory. I’m sure some people don’t mean it in a bad way, but fighting stereotypes and labels is an ongoing process. As progress is made and more people realize that it is indeed an issue, more sensitivity is used-which then leads to the end of stereotypes and name-calling. Win-win all around 🙂
I’m not going to debate this with you. Obviously you think you know better than everyone and there can be do difference of opinion.
Political correctness is ridiculous! Calling someone white is not an insult or derogatory. As it is not derogatory to call any other person Italian or Polish or German, etc. It is only stating a FACT! Get it? Facts are REAL things; not made up insults. Wow! I am in fear of what our children are learning in school! I truly am.
Willing to share who did the work?
Rhoda…have fun in New Orleans. You are coming on a somber day for us here though…but it’s also a day of rememberence. Have fun!!!!! 🙂
Wow! I would have been a nervous wreck watching that! They did a great job and I can’t wait to see your new front porch and landscaping!!