Here's an update to a very old post.... Tree is getting really bad (rotted) and needs to come down soon or it's likely landing on my shed/building. Had a pro come out and he will take it down in 2 weeks or so. He's going to climb it, rope off some of the rotted trunks and piece it down... He said it was not an easy job with how rotted it was. I bet only a third of the tree will yield any good firewood....
Better to be safe than sorry, appears to be a few things there that could get damaged. I don't like paying to have trees taking down either but I have had to do it
Last winter I paid the pros to drop trees that were too close to the house, blacktop drive, and septic system. It sucks to pay a pro but it sucks to pay the insurance deductible if I screw it up. I'm just an amateur.
I don't like paying either, but this one is more than I can handle. Exactly right... This tree is coming down. No dought about it. Do I want an insurance claim for the shed/building or pony up the money for a pro? Either way I'm paying. Even the pro's I had quote it, said its so far gone, it's a difficult tree to cut safely.