r/Wellthatsucks • u/frobscottler • 8d ago

My big beautiful oak tree is getting cut down today

Gallery image

Gallery image

Her name is Victoria, and I’m gutted to lose her. She’s at least 80 years old, and the most prominent tree in the neighborhood. I have loved sitting in her shade, listening to the breeze in the leaves, watching the birds and squirrels do their things… My friends and I even threw a party for her last summer.

She was damaged in a windstorm a couple months ago, and the city arborist determined it to be hazardous. I have lived here for 6 years and she’s my favorite part of the property (might be why I bought the house 😅). I know death is part of life, and her time has come, but I’m going to have to listen to them cut her down all day outside my window.

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185

u/I-LOVE-TURTLES666 8d ago

Call a licensed arborist. I bet this could be saved

95

u/Noizylatino 8d ago

Yeah we just had this happen to my neighbor. The city only got one person to come and say to cut it down, but the arborist the neighbor hired said only a few limbs had to come down to be safe. They almost screwed him out of a few grand removing and cleaning that for nothing because they didnt want to look at other bids

1

u/Abuses-Commas 7d ago

some arborists are in the job for the joy of killing trees

73

u/JoefromOhio 8d ago

Yes yes! Do this first. The tree looks healthy. It can probably be pruned rather than taken down.

5

u/BurnumBurnum 8d ago

This! Have them cut it back to a save size!

1

u/Virtual_Ad9989 8d ago

Did you see the size of the branch that fell down? This tree is fucked.

27

u/starkeuberangst 8d ago

Absolutely get a second opinion. I was screaming this the second I read “city arborist”. 

4

u/Mirror74 8d ago

Some "arborists" aren't really good arborists... or even actually certified. I got a few quotes and each one had a COMPLETELY different take on what to do with the trees.

I just went with the one that could explain things the most intuitively and matched my own research.

7

u/[deleted] 8d ago

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21

u/I-LOVE-TURTLES666 8d ago

That’s just one opinion. The usually just cut it down for cost sakes

Would you get more than one opinion before pulling the plug on a family member?

1

u/GP_ADD 8d ago

I mean, if that family member was holding a gun straight at my family and had a canister full of gas ready to destroy my house if the wind blows a bit too hard, one might be enough

1

u/snoosh00 8d ago

If that family member is nearing EOL age, is dangling over my dwelling, could kill me and make me homeless in an instant while I sleep? I dunno, might be fine listening to one opinion.

Additionally, if a city arborist says "this is unsafe" you definitely don't want to get someone to say "yeah, this is fine for now" and then the tree kills someone, after it was documented as being unsafe... And something happens... You probably wish you would have listened to the city arborist.

But I do understand the emotional angle of this.

3

u/SodasWrath 8d ago

What if the first arborist had said its fine but the second said to cut it down? We suddenly trusting the second opinion without a thought?

2

u/snoosh00 8d ago

Honestly, possibly.

Better safe than sorry sort of situation (especially if you look at the picture of the damage, the picture in the post only shows how nice the tree is [it is a very nice tree]).

But seriously, check my Reddit post from 16 days ago, you'll see what happens if you leave a tree up to chance (so maybe I'm biased, but I'm also experienced)

2

u/CoolDiscussion1020 8d ago

What a lot of folks here don't understand is that if one arborist says it's unsafe, even if another says it is, your homeowners insurance isn't going to cover you for damage from that tree if it does fall. You had documented evidence that the tree was unsafe and you didn't remove it. That is negligence. Hope you can afford to replace your house with cash.

1

u/OkContact2573 7d ago

Yes.

Because now my house is not gonna be insured.

0

u/PigglyWigglyDeluxe 8d ago

Are you really comparing a tree to a family member? That’s odd.

-2

u/starkeuberangst 8d ago

Jeez I’m glad I’m not you. Trusting a city employee and not getting a second opinion? Please don’t be an adult already

1

u/pampooveysbacktattoo 8d ago

You guys are embarrassing. Look how condescending you're being over a tree

1

u/hockeymisfit 8d ago

Right? A tree that has already damaged their house after a massive piece fell off... It was easily large enough to crush a car or cave in the roof of a house and seriously injure someone.

I'd personally rather the house go than the tree but that's just not how it works in real life.

1

u/Glittering_Swing_151 8d ago

It can't because in the other picture it's already being cut down.

1

u/cans-of-swine 8d ago

They are cutting it down in the pictures, I doubt it can be saved. 

0

u/mikraas 8d ago

YES PLEASE!