This is our tree

Feeny is absolutely right...I would hire a certified arborist and have them do all the large trees on your property...you will be amazed when someone who knows what they are doing shapes those trees! It will completely change the look of your property. Please hire a trained professional...the last thing those trees need is a hack job!

I agree with feeny and Dirt Digger. We have a similar looking Maple tree in our front yard. It is a "town" tree so we are not allowed to trim it ourselves or hire a professional. It was getting huge with too many low branches. While the town is supposed to periodically trim "their" trees, they neglected ours. I finally called the Public Works Dept. and they sent out the tree trimming crew. They cut off the lower branches and trimmed it so it is a much more pleasing shape and still provides great shade.

I love this idea!

Trees are a part of the overall value of your home. Just 3 days ago we had 4 or 5 men here at our house for 2 days, along with an arborist, carefully pruning our many trees, disinfecting their pruning equipment and painting tree cuts as they went along. At $3600 it was a sizable expense, but one we felt was very worthwhile. We won't have to do that again for many years.

Along with taking care of your trees, you should consider consulting with a landscape architect or designer to make a plan for improving your curb appeal. Then you can implement the plan as time and funds permit.

I should add that in the front of our house, which is old and three stories, we have two large silver maples. Both of them have been trimmed (long ago) so that their canopies begin at our roofline, and continue to spread almost twice the height of the house. The fact that your oaks are growing so much every year means that eventually, with careful pruning of the lower branches, their canopies may sit entirely above your second floor, giving a full view of the house and great curb appeal.

Thank you all. I will do more research on local specialists who can help with reshapping project. Carolyn, your idea of consulting the the landscaped with designer or landscape architect is great too. I have time to do it right.

The time you spend now doing research and checking licenses and references will ensure that the finished job is done correctly and beautifully.
Please post your thoughts and progress photos as you move along with this project.
Best wishes!

HI --- In the spring ,not now , get an expert to prune the tree to raise the bottom to open the view for the house ... never never cut down an Oak tree if it is healthy . You are lucky to have it and it will out live the house and all of us too.If you remove it ,--it will devalue your house by about 20 thousand.