You’re thinking about
moving homes, so the costs involved are likely to be top of your mind.
Therefore, we thought we’d put together a little list of some of the expenses
most buyers never think about and most estate agencies don’t consider, but that
are often a very real issue when moving – the hidden costs of trees.
They’re majestic,
beautiful living things, they add character to a home, but while they dot our
landscape in countryside, towns and cities – so common that we hardly even
notice them – trees can cost you your home if you’re not careful and this needs
to be given the consideration it deserves when you move house.
From falling limbs that
could harm people and damage property to falling trees blown over by winds,
weakened by age, infestation or angle of growth – all these could lead to
lawsuits. Creeping roots that can crack and displace structures on your own or
your neighbour’s side of the fence, or movement and subsidence caused by
excessive moisture extraction. Untamed or poorly located trees can cause lots
of unexpected costs as they mature so it’s important that you are aware of the
risks before deciding to buy.
As professional tree
surgeons, ARB Approved contractors, and arborists, we can help you to avoid a
property with a money pit tree problem. We can identify the immediate and
future costs of maintaining the trees at your prospective home (and those on neighbouring
properties that may have an impact on yours) and provide you with a detailed plan
for minimising ongoing expenses.
Here is our 7-point
checklist for cost planning and expense minimisation when it comes to trees at
the property you’re thinking of moving to:
If your
property has trees in front, beside or at the rear that are taller than the
distance between them and your prospective home it would make sense to ask a
trusted local tree surgeon or ARB Approved contractor for a tree report. We produce
these for buyers and surveyors, as they provide a clearer picture of the impact
the trees will have on a property and those surrounding it. How fast will
it/they grow, is there any imminent chance of damage, and so on.
Trees
require pruning, insect infestations or infections/illnesses need to be
monitored and managed, root growth sometimes needs restricting, a clear-up
after a storm may be required, and the felling or relocation of a tree could be
needed. There are costs associated with the trees in your garden, but proper
maintenance can keep these costs down and a maintenance plan of action could
provide you with an annual budget figure to set aside for predictable costs.
- Advice on
light and space
Are there
too many trees for the space in your garden, are they too tall or do their
canopies block out too much natural light? These are all issues that can be
dealt with for aesthetic, landscaping and practical reasons, but, of course,
there are costs involved. Our arborists can provide you with information on
growth rates, healthy tree distances and a pruning, felling or relocation plan
of action to allow more light into your garden and new home.
Just as
you would factor in the costs of redecoration or refurbishment to make your new
house a home, it’s important to factor in the costs of a garden transformation
if you want to stamp your own mark on the property. Our team can provide you
with advice and costings on all landscaping matters concerning trees, bushes
and hedges. From location of new saplings to reductions, removals and
collaboration with landscape designers, we can help you decide what should go
where and what this will cost.
- Neighbour’s
problem trees
We help
home buyers to identify issues with neighbouring trees and to determine
solutions. Can you cut back overhanging branches, remove fruit before it drops
and goes rotten year after year on your lawn – and what about those roots
snaking towards the rear extension? We’ll provide you with an assessment of
risks and opportunities. To get a better view of what may be needed and what
can be done, take a look at another article we wrote a little while back called
The neighbour’s trees – your rights, their obligations and how to avoid
an all-out territory war.
As
mentioned earlier, you may decide that trees could be a nice addition to a new
garden, but where you put them and what you plant can be important decisions
with long-term ramifications for your property. Choose right and they will
flourish; choose poorly and they might either not survive the first winter or
their growth could cause damage to your property or structures and plants in
the garden.
If a tree
is growing close to your property this could give a lender’s valuation surveyor
cause for concern and lead to your mortgage application being rejected.
However, getting ahead of this issue with a tree report that you can hand to
the valuation surveyor could improve your mortgage prospects. Even if a problem
is identified, the clarity offered by a tree report could change a ‘no’ to a
‘yes’ with clauses in a mortgage agreement about the ongoing maintenance of the
problem tree.
Good luck with your move,
and if there is anything we can do to help you with your landscape planning or
tree costings, just give us a call.
To book a survey and consultation with one of our ARB Approved arborists for
advice on your trees or to book our tree surgeons to prune/maintain or fell
your tree(s), call us on 0208 292 8992.