Decapitation?

[Steiner]

Syracuse NY

Been reading the past posts on shrubs

Any advice on removing these large shrubs? I would like to do it by hand with a chainsaw mattocks and root chopper, but it looks like a large job for one guy. 3-4' from foundation.

Would renting a backhoe be cost effective to remove 6-10 of these large 5'-7' in diameter junipers? I want to save the customer some money and I am weighting the small backhoe vs. the backbreak. $375 a day vs $25 an hour labor?

Yes I am calling to get utilities marked.

Are these Junipers?

Thank you, you guys are a wealth of knowledge!

[Uranus]

Get yourself a choker chain and a 20 ft chain with hooks on both ends. Put your truck in the road and pull them out with the truck. Those will take about 5 minutes per stump to pull out. Stack them by the road until your finished. Toss a few in your truck and then (carefully) chop them up to reduce the volume. Toss in the rest and your dont. Worst case scenario 3 hours. Looks to be about 10 bushes in the pic. Might be two trips to the dump spot depending what you are using to haul them away. Oh dont forget to payup

[Focal Point Landscapes]

I wouldn't do it that way - greater likelihood of damaging sidewalks , foundations , plumbing , cables , etc , plus it doesn't look very professional , imo . I would use a mini skid or mini ex - both can pull the plant straight up with deliberate speed , so you can stop and chop a root if it looks like it might cause collateral damage . Does look like juniper , which usually have shallow roots that can run laterally for some distance - usually , the roots will break under pressure and you will have to chop them out with an ax even after you remove the plant.

[jrc lawncare]

Arborvitaes. They pull out easy. Like said above, 3 hrs max.

[Gmgbo]

Go with the chain, they dont have a big or strong enough root system to damage the foundation. Make sure you tell the client you will be pulling them with your truck.

[Steiner]

Thanks guys....

[cantoo]

Do you have a Steiner?
The chain will work fine just wear your hat backwards and put black magic marker on a couple of your teeth and you will look fine. Every time you get in the truck yell Yee Haw at the top of your lungs, rev the engine and hit it.

[bgent]

you can do that in 3 hours with a shovel and both your arms. just did it today on a very similar job

[Rizzo]

I cut them down to about 1 foot tall with a chainsaw then use small shovel to dig around the roots and cut them out using either the chainsaw if you have room or and axe/maul. Not a hard job at all...

[Steiner]

No but everyone calls me steiner:) Yee Haw!

I dont think I am into the whole truck thing, too close to main street and windows.

[JB1]

call a small wrecker.

[Rizzo]

A cordless sawsall with the long demolition blade also works well for cutting the roots below grade after you do a bit of digging. It can be tough swinging and axe into a hole and using the chainsaw if the dirt is to close can gum up the chain.

[cantoo]

Then use a small chain hoist. Just put tension on the tree and cut roots as you pull it out.

[Itzkcatz]

Come on a backhoe? just hook them up to a truck they pull right out. or start digging and pulling by hand.

[Rizzo]

Come on a backhoe? just hook them up to a truck they pull right out. or start digging and pulling by hand.

I agree, you will do more lawn damage and make double the work.