I'd have that tree removed by the second guy. He's absolutely right about topping. I really don't know about the roots being 'soft'.

I don't like cutting trees down in general, but I think that one has got to go, and soon, I am sorry that you will lose a good tree, but it's way, way too close to the house.

Let me add that I greatly appreciate the importance of shade. Our home faces the west; our front door would get so hot that we couldn't touch it! The whole front of the house felt blazing hot until the sun went down.

The tree we planted thirty feet away from the house less than ten years ago has completely changed that environment, casting more and more shade every year.

Plant another tree and nurture it.

Good idea. Wish we'd done that 10 years ago like you did! Our house faces south, and the tree provides amazing shade. If it goes, we'll miss it for so many reasons.

"I crawled around the basement during a heavy rainstorm the other day. I
couldn't see any cracks, and the worst I could see down under there are
a few minor drips running down the bricks. I've been told that's not
anything to worry about, but I'm not sure. That wasn't expert opinion;
just friends. However, the drips there could also coincide with where
the water has pooled up just outside of the house where puddles have
formed because of clogged gutters above."

Hello Val,

Not sure it makes the biggest difference, but is this a basement you have or a crawl space?

Also, there may be a way to split the difference so to say. Remove the one birch trunk now and plant a replacement tree outside the drip line. Come back in five years and remove the rest of the birch. That way you'll have a head start on a replacement.

Oh, boy... yeah, it's a CRAWL SPACE. Oops... haha! ;-)

I do like the idea of planting another tree now to get a nice start and just cutting back our current tree, one trunk included, at this point. I might call the 3rd company that quoted me (but that I couldn't meet with earlier) and ask their opinion about the sturdiness/safety of the tree at this time, and also talk to my neighbors to see if they're worried about the tree and how they would feel if I just cut it back somewhat now and remove it completely in a few years.

Great idea! Thanks. :-)

BTW, any idea if the market fluctuates much as far as tree trimming/removal prices go? I got decent quotes, and I'd hate to put removal off now if there's a good chance cost will double or something crazy in the next 5 years.

Has a certified arborist looked at it? Tree companies generally don't know anything at all--certainly the guy who wanted to top the tree (better known as tree mutilation) doesn't.

Whatever you decide to do, stay away from the first guy!! As previously mentioned several times, topping is NEVER a recommended practice. And the "large root will absolutely eventually crack the house's foundation" is inaccurate as well. The threat of tree roots and foundation damage is typically highly overstated - very few tree roots can damage a foundation if the foundation is structurally secure. Any foundation damage that may occur is typically attributed to subsidence or the shifting of the soil (especially clay soils) during alternating wet and dry seasons, NOT to tree roots. When tree roots encounter an impenetrable object or surface - like a foundation - they simply change direction. So using the term "absolutely" is misleading, a bit of scaremongering and indicates a lack of knowledge on this individual's part.

na na na..

na na na...

hey hey hey ...

good bye ... lol

get rid of it.. before you can not buy insurance for the house ...

personally.. i do not waste money by bifurcating the job into two very expensive jobs ...

plant a new tree after this one is gone ... making an obstacle course for the removers.. doesnt make the job cheaper or easier ...

when you replant.. do not go too large ... if you have read any of the other posts about such ..

where are you.. that a house like that.. does not have a basement .. and i wonder why??? ... are you in some storm belt.. which might answer why your insurance company is so interested ....

ken

Thanks for all of the opinions. I looked into it and found out that both companies I got quotes from already are tree companies and are not certified arborists. The third guy that quoted us turns out *is* an arborist, but they didn't coordinate when they'd be out very well and we missed them. I have a call in to him to hopefully get a professional opinion from an arborist that has been here to see it. Hopefully he gives me some solid info.

Rhizo_1 - Funny. I'd talk to the neighbors if I decide I might want to try to keep it cuz I'm torn between leaving or removing it so far, but if they're seriously worried I might lean toward removal more. They are fantastic folks. ;-)

Gardengal48 & Rhizo_1 & Laceyvail --- Thanks for letting me what you've heard about "topping" trees. Gives me a heads-up to stay away from that company.

Ken_adrian - I'm in the Midwest; maybe that's why insurance is worried about the tree. They had to retake photos recently to redo insurance, and they said it needs to be cut back 5'. No basement; I should have stated "crawl space" in my initial description. Thanks for pointing out the possibility of the job of tree removal being more difficult with another tree in the way. I think there's probably enough room to maneuver around, but I'll keep that in mind and check with whoever comes to do pruning or removal for their take on it.

agree with rhizo. Remove and replace with something more appropriate.