I was reading a tree report from a job in Savannah and saw a crazy root spread number

The report said a live oak we were looking at had a root system that stretched over 85 feet from the trunk. I always knew they were wide, but seeing that exact number from the soil probe survey really put it in perspective for planning the work zone. Has anyone else been surprised by a root measurement that changed your setup on a job?

3 comments

3 Comments

skyler_adams2mo ago

Yeah, always add a good ten-foot buffer to whatever the report says.

cameron9632mo ago

Totally agree on the buffer. Had a survey say a shed was eight feet from the line. Measured it myself and it was more like six. That extra few feet saved a huge headache with the neighbor. Now I just assume the paperwork is a best guess, not a fact. Always double check with your own tape measure.

wright.taylor1mo ago

Hold up, I gotta push back on this one a little. You're telling me you're gonna add a ten foot buffer to a professional soil survey? Those guys use ground penetrating radar and actual soil probes, not guesses. If their report says the roots go 85 feet, they probably mapped it out with multiple test holes and verified it. Adding ten extra feet just because feels like you're doubting their whole process. Plus, on a tight job site with a small yard, that buffer could push your work zone into part of the property you don't have permission to touch. I've seen guys lose contracts because they set up too far out and hit someone else's landscaping or a septic field. Trust the data, plan around the real numbers, and save your buffer for when you actually need it.