How to take down an old evergreen tree? Can't afford a tree company.

It depends how tall the tree is and if there is anything like power lines or a house that can be damaged by falling limbs or the trunk.

if you can’t afford a tree service, you probably can’t afford the repercussions of a botched job.

Falling out of a tree is no joke!

Can you seriously NOT afford it or do you just not want to pay it. Several times, (when we were younger) we cut down pretty large trees. Not only was it hard work to do the cutting but then cutting up the branches and large limbs was very time consuming and tiring. Then the small general mess on our lawn. THEN what to do with all the wood. Don't know if you can burn fireplace wood in your area. We can't any longer due to air pollution. SO, this year we had a very large dying tree removed by a small tree removal company. Five men came with the proper tools, they all had a specific job, in a matter of a couple hours the tree was down and the yard was as clean as a whistle. Also, an old tree often has decaying matter in certain areas that are weak and suddenly break making it unsafe. Sorry for the long answer.

If the tree is big - it might take a pro.

Hi Tootsread,

Every professional I have seen starts at the top removing branches as they go down the tree, being very careful not to interfere with any power lines or structures that are in the way. They all have started in a bucket truck to get them safely to the top of the tree then they use a safety harness to move to the middle. Quite frankly, this is not really a DIY type of project. The tree probably won't support enough weight at the top for a person to try to climb the tree to even begin. Plus if there are dead branches, that makes it even worse. I'd suggest calling several local companies for a quote then see if you can work out a payment schedule that you can afford. You don't want to end up in the hospital or worse from trying to do something that is best left to the professionals. Wishing you the best.

I'm guessing when you say "old evergreen" you mean its big. My husband has worked with forest service sawyers for decades. Old trees can be brittle from bugs and rot. They are dangerous.

If you seriously can't afford to have this done by a professional then make friends with a professional tree faller who will do it on the cheap.

Or buy extra home owners insurance. You'll need the policy when you try to take down the tree or when it blows over in a wind storm.