Why You Should Include Trees in Your Home Inspection
A home inspection is a crucial part of the home-buying process. Inspecting a home before you buy it can uncover needed repairs potentially saving you thousands of dollars. While the building itself is almost always thoroughly inspected before purchase, it is also important to inspect the landscape. Trees, as the largest natural part of a landscape, should be a regular part of a home inspection. Just as with the house itself, failing to evaluate the trees on your new property could cost you a lot of money down the line.
Why Include Trees?
The characteristics of urban environments place stresses on trees that are unnatural. Therefore, urban trees need management so they can remain healthy and safe around our homes. There are three main reasons why you should have trees inspected – risk assessment, tree health/aesthetics and potential cost savings.
Risk Assessment
Trees growing near homes will always carry some degree of risk. Trees can drop large branches or even fail completely under the worst circumstances, leading to property damage or personal injury. It is important to have trees inspected for structural issues so that problems can be corrected, before such an event happens. A proper risk assessment will examine trees for potential sources of failure and damage potential, and then detail how to manage risk.
Tree Health and Aesthetics
Trees cannot grow to maturity and provide the full multitude of their potential benefits if they are not kept healthy. Because urban environments present a myriad of stresses, many trees around our homes are in poor health. Aesthetics are one of the main benefits of trees. When trees are unhealthy, their physical appearance generally suffers as a result.
Cost Savings
If you wait until after purchasing a home to assess the landscape, you could be surprised to later find out that thousands of dollars in maintenance is needed to correct health and safety issues. Tree removal can cost up to several thousand dollars. Correcting issues through pruning or other remedies can be quite expensive as well. If you spot issues before a home purchase, you may be able to convince the current owner to perform needed maintenance before you buy.
What is Evaluated?
When trees are assessed during a home inspection, several factors should always be evaluated – tree health, structure, maintenance needs and species. Other factors, such as contribution to the property and appraised value can also be considered.
Health
Trees may have nutrient deficiencies, water problems, or insect/disease concerns. They also may be growing in a location that is not appropriate for the species or size, which can lead to stress. By evaluating tree health, remedies can be prescribed to correct issues before they become critical.
Why Include Trees?
The characteristics of urban environments place stresses on trees that are unnatural. Therefore, urban trees need management so they can remain healthy and safe around our homes. There are three main reasons why you should have trees inspected – risk assessment, tree health/aesthetics and potential cost savings.
Risk Assessment
Trees growing near homes will always carry some degree of risk. Trees can drop large branches or even fail completely under the worst circumstances, leading to property damage or personal injury. It is important to have trees inspected for structural issues so that problems can be corrected, before such an event happens. A proper risk assessment will examine trees for potential sources of failure and damage potential, and then detail how to manage risk.
Tree Health and Aesthetics
Trees cannot grow to maturity and provide the full multitude of their potential benefits if they are not kept healthy. Because urban environments present a myriad of stresses, many trees around our homes are in poor health. Aesthetics are one of the main benefits of trees. When trees are unhealthy, their physical appearance generally suffers as a result.
Cost Savings
If you wait until after purchasing a home to assess the landscape, you could be surprised to later find out that thousands of dollars in maintenance is needed to correct health and safety issues. Tree removal can cost up to several thousand dollars. Correcting issues through pruning or other remedies can be quite expensive as well. If you spot issues before a home purchase, you may be able to convince the current owner to perform needed maintenance before you buy.
What is Evaluated?
When trees are assessed during a home inspection, several factors should always be evaluated – tree health, structure, maintenance needs and species. Other factors, such as contribution to the property and appraised value can also be considered.
Health
Trees may have nutrient deficiencies, water problems, or insect/disease concerns. They also may be growing in a location that is not appropriate for the species or size, which can lead to stress. By evaluating tree health, remedies can be prescribed to correct issues before they become critical.
This has tree has poor branching structure, which can lead to severe issues as the tree grows.
Structure
Many urban trees develop poor structure, caused by the tree being out of its natural forest habitat. Such poor structure can lead to premature branch or whole tree failure, or may simply make a tree aesthetically unpleasant. Structural issues should be taken care of through structural pruning when a tree is young to have the greatest impact.
Many urban trees develop poor structure, caused by the tree being out of its natural forest habitat. Such poor structure can lead to premature branch or whole tree failure, or may simply make a tree aesthetically unpleasant. Structural issues should be taken care of through structural pruning when a tree is young to have the greatest impact.
Species
Different species have different management needs. Species also vary in what they contribute to a property. It is helpful to know what species you have on your property so that you can estimate future growth potential – e.g. if you have a six-foot-tall white oak three feet from your foundation, you can expect it to grow significantly and potentially cause conflicts in the future. Other species characteristics such as flowering and fruiting habits plus potential insects and diseases should also be detailed.
Maintenance Needs
Maintenance needs will be determined based on the structural and health evaluation of the trees, taking into account species characteristics. Trees may need pruning, soil management or pest management for health, safety or aesthetic reasons.
Contribution to Property
Does the tree provide shade? Fruit? Wildlife value? Aesthetics? Is it a good fit for the property, or will it outgrow its space? Questions such as these can determine what your trees bring to your property individually and as a collection. The current benefits of trees on a property can be compared to what you would like to get out of your landscape so that you can develop an appropriate maintenance and planting plan.
Appraised Value
Trees are often appraised for their value in case of loss. If a tree is killed by lightning or illegally removed by a neighbor, for example, you can potentially recover the lost value of the tree. You can also have your trees appraised to determine what benefits they bring to your property in terms of energy savings, flooding prevention and air pollutant removal, among other benefits. However, it is much more difficult to appraise trees after they have been damaged or removed. Therefore, it is a good idea to appraise your trees as soon you purchase a property. Our Resources page covers tree appraisal in greater detail.
Who Performs the Inspection?
An arborist who is an ISA Certified Arborist, Board Certified Master Arborist and/or Registered Consulting Arborist should perform the inspection. You can read more about those qualifications at the links provided. The International Society of Arboriculture provides great info on why you should have an arborist with credentials inspect your trees. Basically – stick with the experts.
What is Included in the Inspection?
You should receive a written report detailing all tree aspects evaluated, as described above. The report should help prioritize management tasks in terms of tree health and safety so that you can decide which issues need immediate attention.
Different species have different management needs. Species also vary in what they contribute to a property. It is helpful to know what species you have on your property so that you can estimate future growth potential – e.g. if you have a six-foot-tall white oak three feet from your foundation, you can expect it to grow significantly and potentially cause conflicts in the future. Other species characteristics such as flowering and fruiting habits plus potential insects and diseases should also be detailed.
Maintenance Needs
Maintenance needs will be determined based on the structural and health evaluation of the trees, taking into account species characteristics. Trees may need pruning, soil management or pest management for health, safety or aesthetic reasons.
Contribution to Property
Does the tree provide shade? Fruit? Wildlife value? Aesthetics? Is it a good fit for the property, or will it outgrow its space? Questions such as these can determine what your trees bring to your property individually and as a collection. The current benefits of trees on a property can be compared to what you would like to get out of your landscape so that you can develop an appropriate maintenance and planting plan.
Appraised Value
Trees are often appraised for their value in case of loss. If a tree is killed by lightning or illegally removed by a neighbor, for example, you can potentially recover the lost value of the tree. You can also have your trees appraised to determine what benefits they bring to your property in terms of energy savings, flooding prevention and air pollutant removal, among other benefits. However, it is much more difficult to appraise trees after they have been damaged or removed. Therefore, it is a good idea to appraise your trees as soon you purchase a property. Our Resources page covers tree appraisal in greater detail.
Who Performs the Inspection?
An arborist who is an ISA Certified Arborist, Board Certified Master Arborist and/or Registered Consulting Arborist should perform the inspection. You can read more about those qualifications at the links provided. The International Society of Arboriculture provides great info on why you should have an arborist with credentials inspect your trees. Basically – stick with the experts.
What is Included in the Inspection?
You should receive a written report detailing all tree aspects evaluated, as described above. The report should help prioritize management tasks in terms of tree health and safety so that you can decide which issues need immediate attention.
A map of your trees should also be included. At Planned Forest Solutions, we provide GIS maps that you can view on your computer, phone or tablet. This allows you to look up the characteristics of each tree on your property while you walk around your yard. We can also provide printed tree maps of any size.
A map of your trees should also be included. At Planned Forest Solutions, we provide GIS maps that you can view on your computer, phone or tablet. This allows you to look up the characteristics of each tree on your property while you walk around your yard. We can also provide printed tree maps of any size.
If you’re planning on doing construction, your arborist can advise you on the suitability of preserving specific trees for construction. A detailed tree preservation plan can be prepared for trees chosen to remain.
What Should You do After the Inspection?
If your inspection find high-risk trees, you should have an arborist reduce the risk as soon as possible. This might include tree removal, pruning of dangerous branches, or other remedies. If a dangerous condition exists on a property you are looking to purchase, you may want to ask the current owner to pay to remedy the situation.
You can also use the inspection report to develop a long-term management plan for your property. Having such a plan can save money in the long run by helping proactively take care of tree issues before they become severe.
If you are considering a home purchase, reach out to us at Planned Forest Solutions to learn more about how we can help. Read more about our qualifications on our About page, and find our contact info on our Contact page.
What Should You do After the Inspection?
If your inspection find high-risk trees, you should have an arborist reduce the risk as soon as possible. This might include tree removal, pruning of dangerous branches, or other remedies. If a dangerous condition exists on a property you are looking to purchase, you may want to ask the current owner to pay to remedy the situation.
You can also use the inspection report to develop a long-term management plan for your property. Having such a plan can save money in the long run by helping proactively take care of tree issues before they become severe.
If you are considering a home purchase, reach out to us at Planned Forest Solutions to learn more about how we can help. Read more about our qualifications on our About page, and find our contact info on our Contact page.