Foundation and trees

[yanta61]

How far/close should we build a house away from oak trees. The oak trees are about 10" in diameter right now.




P.s. Any builders/contractors on here want to shoot me a quote on a house in Mineral Tx shoot me a pm.

[Stan R]

Oak Trees have a root spread equal to the spread of there limbs. You want to keep the roots away from the house foundation, or they will crack the foundation and cause the doors and windows not open and close properly due to heaving of the floor. The distance of the limb spread varies with each type of oak.

[Johnny Dangerr]

We have two 60 year old oaks in the front yard 25 feet from the house. Yes we had to do the foundation 12 years ago. I am not an expert but I would say 60 feet or more.
One way or another it will be years from now before you might have an issue...

[Sackett]

I'm an arborist, I own a tree service and do many, many root barriers.

If you're building a new home, great, do it right the first time! Have the contractor install a root barrier at least 5' from the slab. If you wish to avoid a root barrier, build the home 40' from any large trees. It's not the roots that physically damage the foundation, its the moisture they pull from the soil under your home. If you're building on clay based soils, you're at greater risk of foundation issues. If it's cost effective, a root barrier installed will pay dividends years down the road.

[mwk128]

I'm an arborist, I own a tree service and do many, many root barriers.

If you're building a new home, great, do it right the first time! Have the contractor install a root barrier at least 5' from the slab. If you wish to avoid a root barrier, build the home 40' from any large trees. It's not the roots that physically damage the foundation, its the moisture they pull from the soil under your home. If you're building on clay based soils, you're at greater risk of foundation issues. If it's cost effective, a root barrier installed will pay dividends years down the road.

^^Great advice. Root barrier or make sure the building won't fall within the drip line of the mature tree
-Practicing geotechnical engineer

[Tye]

I'm an arborist, I own a tree service and do many, many root barriers.

If you're building a new home, great, do it right the first time! Have the contractor install a root barrier at least 5' from the slab. If you wish to avoid a root barrier, build the home 40' from any large trees. It's not the roots that physically damage the foundation, its the moisture they pull from the soil under your home. If you're building on clay based soils, you're at greater risk of foundation issues. If it's cost effective, a root barrier installed will pay dividends years down the road.

This is correct. I've worked with my father who is a civil engineer and we have surveyed 1000s of houses for foundation problems in reference to plumbing leaks. Settlement due to the roots removing the moisture, which cause foundation settlement, is one of the major problems we find.

If you pour a slab next to trees, install a root barrier. However, trees can be negatively impacted by cutting the roots and may die. FYI

[dustoffer]

I've got 6 or 7 big live oaks within 10' of the foundation and one is actually touching the edge of the roof. I've had foundation problems, but not around any of the oaks, but with an add-on closet the prior owner had built--but he was a numbskull and didn't dig the foundation in properly, and also poured it over the cleanout between the bathroom and the septic. That foundation issue was an $8k fix.

[yanta61]

Thanks guys....I didn't even think about a root barrier..