Is it okay to have a tree near house foundation?

[southernernernern]

Should we move the young Cedar Elm that's about 15-20' from the back patio? I've seen pics of these trees getting HUGE and would like to make sure it's in a good spot before it gets too big to move. Just planted it last fall. Thanks!

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by southernernernern

Should we move the young Cedar Elm that's about 15-20' from the back patio? I've seen pics of these trees getting HUGE and would like to make sure it's in a good spot before it gets too big to move. Just planted it last fall. Thanks!

We had a Cedar Elm NEXT to our flagstone patio at the big house. Never a problem in the five years we lived there. Patio was built five years prior to that...no idea how old the CE was...I didn't care for it...ugly in the winter for sure.
I think 20 feet away keeps you safe for many years.

[10scoachrick]

As long as we are waking up old threads, here's a story:


Condo townhouse owner is experiencing some slab cracking from roots of a Cottonwood growing THROUGH the common area of the condo complex and under her slab. The tree itself is on the fence line of a SFH "next door" to her townhouse. The Cottonwood is at least 30 feet tall and is likely about 15 years old.
To recap:
Cottonwood on SFH property(actually damaged the HOA fence as it was growing, another matter) is growing THROUGH common area ground(not owned by the condo owner except for 1/74th). The cottonwood roots seem to grow ONLY toward the condo as the tree base is on top of a retaining wall area in the yard of the SFH.
Cutting the roots(very carefully just outside of the slab) MIGHT kill the tree(condo owner loves the shade it provides HER condo). Some of the expose roots just outside of the condo slab are 4" in diameter or more!
This might not be a cheap project. I'm on the HOA board for the condos and would vote to cut the roots in the common area; but who pays??? Condo owner did nothing to create this problem. Should the condo HOA pay for the cutting? THEY did nothing to create this challenge, yet it runs through the HOA common area.
By the bye, thought Snovid might have clobbered the Cottonwood; but I've never seen it look more lush than it does this year!!! It has recovered remarkably.