I am planning on building an expansion to my house. Due to lot constraints, I will need to build within about 1-3 feet of the roots of a 30-40' fir tree (18" diameter). My architect says building so close is certain to kill the tree. I would like to know if the portion of the house foundation near the tree is post on piers, rather than a full foundation, will the tree survive? Ultimately, there will still be a portion of the building under half of the drip line of the tree. Joe
piers is a good idea, you can really limit the amount of damage vs severing all the roots which indeed would be a very bad idea. try contacting a local ASCA registered consulting arborist for advice. a quick site visit and brief discussion might be all thats needed for the proper advice. and are there any xity ordnances protecting the trees? you may be obligated to try to save the tree vs just having good intentions on your own part. http://www.asca-consultants.org/
