Construction woes

[TLHamel]

Expansion of a home. Long-time client of a company I sub for. We began hearing inklings of this project back about 18 months ago and began by removing a few mature trees close to the house, including the largest white pine I've ever taken down. Absolutely beautiful tree, shame.

Anyway, the company owner and I advised the client that we needed to be a part of the planning process FROM DAY ONE. We needed to attend meetings with the builder, excavator, landscaper, masons, etc. I recommended orange fence barriers to mark CRZ's and zero-tolerance for breaching zones or otherwise damaging trees. Written reports and quidelines regarding work around the trees to be signed by each contractor, etc, etc, etc.

What we basically ended up with was a verbal walk-around with the client who assured us that he would relay and enforce everything we explained to him. We never once met with any other contractor (except once when the landscaper saw a hollow spot in an oak and was convinced it would fall on the house).

So, you get my point. Here are some photos from the site taken about five weeks ago...

This white oak is now about %70 dead. Green arrows show live growth. This tree is probably 100 years old, give or take, and we had removed some moderate deadwood twice over the last five years. The oak on the left (yellow arrow) is probably in the 70 year range. It has also lost a few lower branches, the most recent was removed prior to start of construction last fall. We'll keep an eye on this one.

Also, notice the "vista pruning" of birch and pine in the background.

 

[TLHamel]

Here's a view of the white oak's personal space. Excavation, rock wall installation, the red line is where someone trenched to aid in rainwater runoff during construction. Prior to start of construction, I personally advised the CRZ radius for this tree be set at a minimum of five trunk diameters. Certainly not ideal, but a fair compromise. Well, you can see they maintained about two diameters... AND NO FENCING EITHER.

Oh, the two trees in the back marked with yellow arrows are actually set back quite a bit into the woods. However, one day we arrived onsite to find the masons/concrete people had rinsed all of there tools and basins down the slope and directly onto the root zones of these trees!

 

[TLHamel]

Here's a view from the south, looking north.

 

[TLHamel]

North side of the property, looking west.

 

[TLHamel]

Here is the south side of the property, looking west. The red line highlights a 30" DBH red oak. See any problems here?

 

[TLHamel]

Red arrows show 4" diameter roots. Many more not pictured. At least someone used a sawzall to clean up the broken/crushed ends.

 

[TLHamel]

This shows the real story with this red oak. This is looking east. Again, here I recommended a CRZ radius of no less than five trunk diameters. Well, this is less than two. Instability, anyone? Blue arrows indicate where root flare enters the soil.

 

[TLHamel]

West side of house, looking north.

 

[treedimensional]

Insanity would be a better word. I hope he has some residual funds for tree removal down the road.

It is difficult when asked what to do and there is no one listening!

 

[TLHamel]

Last one for good measure. Dump truck damaged white oak. This is the neighbor's tree on a shared driveway. I don't know who did the bark tracing.

Goodnight!

 

[treedimensional]

AH We call that bulldozer blight here! The pic of the roots finished with the sawzall, is that root depth normal for that area? It looks like there may have been a grade change in the past.

 

[TLHamel]

Quite normal in that area, sandy soil.

 

[treesandsurf]

Keep fighting the good fight Taylor. It's a tough battle as trees almost always take a low priority in the construction/planning phase.

Too bad it's human tendency to only realize what we have until after it's gone.

jp

 

[treehumper]

In hindsight it might have been worth making an alternate recommendation of removal of the trees that would be affected by the encroachment within the 5x CRZ. This would have allowed you to remove these trees for a more affordable price than what it will now cost. At least this would've saved you and the homeowner future grief and the case could be made for the initial proposal. Basically a, "You've got two choices here, remove 'em now or remove 'em later if you don't want to protect them."

The good news is you've got plenty more work with this client.

 

[TLHamel]

Yes, funny how we removed a large, mature white pine and two mature oaks before construction began. Now that the work is done, the client will do "anything" to keep the remaining trees viable. He refused to take down the 70% dead oak. Quite frankly, I'm surprised at the sudden extreme decline of this tree. I believe the root severing and other construction activities were only the straw that broke the camel's back. The recommendation I offered was to aerate and mulch immediately, water regularly, and prune out dieback this fall. He'll end up with an oak trunk with one branch attached to it.

 

[Raven]

Sure is a nice house though, with a good lake view to boot.

 

[guymayor]

[ QUOTE ]
Now that the work is done, the client will do "anything" to keep the remaining trees viable.

[/ QUOTE ]This happens a lot down here. Guilt seems to drive all reason out of people's minds. Or is there other psychology at work here?

 

[NeTree]

Proof positive.... you can't fix stupid.

Large amounts of root loss, soil compaction, and god knows where they've been emptying and rinsing the mixer, eh?

 

[scott_baker]

Sadly as we well know this sort of thing is the norm.

Shortsighted and narrow thinking and...a failure of the design team IMO.

Hope there is no "Green Building" bragging going on here because they are now disqualified...by me....and TJ

 

[treehumper]

Guy, the owner I think is trying to prove he made the right decision by doing whatever to save the trees plus, man's desire to control his environment.