CWatters wrote:
"MrCass" wrote in message
...

Is it true if you cut down a large old tree in the garden, will it
affect the foundations of the house? Its about 35 feet away but its a
big old walnut tree

Thank you

Yes it can.

It varies depending on the species, the soil type, size of tree,
distance and the design of the foundations.

Generally it's not a problem if the house is further away than the
height of the tree. Some trees half the height is ok.

This page has a table of safe distances for building a new house near
trees but much the same applies to removing a tree. They actually say
to include mature trees removed in last 10 years.

http://www.horsham.gov.uk/council_se...vices_3823.asp

I emailed HDC to find out where they got this table from, as it seemed to me
not quite correct in that willow is generally thought to be the worst tree
to put near a house.

They replied by return (impressive efficiency!) that "The guidance you refer
to has been taken from a variety of sources and is intended to provide very
general advice about the impact of trees on foundations. Willow is
considered to be a high water demand tree along with other trees such as Oak
and Poplar. The safe distance relates to the potential height of the tree
and the underlying ground conditions as much as the water demand
requirements of the tree species.

More detailed guidance and foundation design requirements can be obtained
from other sources such as NHBC..."

Now the NHBC does have some guidance (eg see
http://www.nhbc.co.uk/NHBCpublicatio...,15901,en.pdf).
Quote:

"On clay soils it is best to avoid planting trees nearer to your home than a
distance equal to three-quarters of the mature height of the tree. However
high water demand trees should be planted no closer to the home than one
and-a-quarter times the mature height. High water demand trees include elm,
eucalyptus, oak, poplar, willow and some common cypress species. On clay
soils it is best to avoid planting shrubs such as cotoneaster, ivy, virginia
creeper and wisteria closer than 3m to your home."

I am not sure about the guidance for reasons of water demand - but I would
be concerned about planting any tree closer to a house than its mature
height in case it fell on the house! And I really cannot see the reasoning
behind the list of shrub/climbers. How many times have you seen one of
those mentioned plants at least 3m from a house? Most of the time they are
planted against the wall!

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)