The Large Oak Trees Have To Go

If you have a house that needs a lot of work, prioritization is key.  It has to be a ‘first things first’ operation.  After assessing everything we had to do, the top priority was the roof.  Nothing ruins a house faster than water damage and we had several locations needing attention.

We decided to put a metal roof on as a replacement for the existing shingled one.  That episode will be my next blog.  However, you’ll find with old houses, that before you do the thing you plan to, something else has to be done first.  So, we moved the roof down to number two on our list and decided that we needed tree cutters first.

Our new home had two towering oak trees which hung over the roof.  One of the large holes in the porch actually came from a falling oak limb.  They had to go.  Besides the fact that I’m fearful of falling trees from a storm, I certainly didn’t want the new roof damaged after such a huge expenditure.

We called Michael’s Tree Service in Cullman.  After looking them both over we agreed on a price for one and a half trees to be removed.  The second tree was split with half over the house and the other half toward the front yard.  They agreed to take down the house half and I would cut the other at my leisure.

The crew showed up at 8:00 A.M. the next morning with all the required equipment.  They cut a road to the work area, just to get their bucket truck in.

They did a great job and didn’t drop a single large piece on the house.  This was one of those jobs guys like to watch, so I have a series of photos as the trees got smaller and smaller.  If you have a tree cut, take before and after pictures.  It’s amazing how fast we tend to forget how things were.  It’s nice to look back and see how much has changed.

The crew even hauled off the logs and debris.  I was pretty impressed that the entire job only took about six hours.

The takeaway from this is twofold.  One, if you’ve got a small oak tree growing beside your house, cut it down now.  The longer you wait, the more it will cost.  If you want a large tree, plant it far enough away that the home wouldn’t be damaged if it fell.  Second,  if you need tree work done, I would recommend Michael’s.  They did a good job, safely, and cleaned up the mess.

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.  Romans 4:4