Storm damage and overgrown trees cleared off a Neutral Bay strata block

Neutral Bay · Strata · repeat client, 17 visits

The challenge

Ten trees were pressing on the roof and windows of an apartment block. One maple had storm damage, and another hung over the neighbour's yard. The overgrowth was blocking sunlight to the units, but ordinary heavy pruning would have stripped away the privacy screening between them.

What we did

• First visit: brought each tree back off the building, with at least 3 metres of roof clearance on the worst one. Removed the storm damage and dead branches, and lifted the canopy over the courtyard, all to council's conditions under a council permit, with William consulting the neighbours on the work.

• Selectively thinned and shaped the trees off the roof and paths, took the dead wood out of the street-front maple, removed a vine smothering one tree to let light through, and took out a weed tree.

• Return visit: two years later the block asked us back. We removed the oleanders and a magnolia pressing on the building, and treated the stumps with a frog-friendly herbicide so they don't regrow.

The result

The roof and windows are clear and light is back in the units, with the privacy screening kept. The committee told us everyone was happy, and the block has called us back 17 times.