I just purchased the Guide for Plant Appraisal
book and I need some Help (Please)I don't know which formula will be best suited for the project I'm working on. I need to put a value on the trees as we are going to try to add it to the resale value of the property. The house will be demolished / removed. This is in an upscale neighborhood, there is approx. 15 mature trees of different species & sizes, some need pruning, cabling, fertilization. Only 3 of the trees would be considered close to specimen. It looks like the formulas will exceed the 15% rule. Since this is not for litigation or replacement what would be the best approach. Thanks,Ken

Reply to post by Ken Six, on April 30, 1998 at 23:55:04:

I would suggest the trunk formula method,properly applied, with the regional species rating guide. If you are not experienced in this, get some local help. The 15% rule is not a rule, only a guide, and in an upscale neighborhood, it may be higher. If your total value seems too high, you can always temper it by this reasonableness test. On some very extensive landscaped lots, the value may indeed be extra high. All of this is up to the appraiser, as the guide is only a guide. Hope I helped, not confused.
Very treely,
lew

Reply to post by lew bloch, on April 30, 1998 at 23:55:04:

I would echo Lew's comments and add that the existing structure appears to have no value or negative value as it contributes to the value of the property. In that light, the tree values can reasonably constitute a higher percentage of the value of the property.

Reply to post by lew bloch, on April 30, 1998 at 23:55:04:

Thank you Lew, Since a lot of arboriculture is on the job training and to quote Napolean Hill who said "Seek the advise of experts" and if Henry Ford was an Arborist he would hire a consultant. So, my next question would be does anyone have a regional species guide they want to fax me at 281-494-6680 and go on the clock and work with me on this? Thanks, Ken Six
Off# 281-494-6679

Reply to post by Kerry W Knorr, on May 01, 1998 at 18:40:29:

Thank you for the help, I'm working on the formulas now.
Ken

Reply to post by Ken Six, on May 01, 1998 at 22:54:50:

OK! I've got the Trunk Method Formula put into a computer program and all you have to do enter D.B.H. species rating, condition rating, etc. etc. plus seperate condition, species, location forms. The whole appraisal and report can be done in minutes. I realize I am the rookie here in this forum and this is old hat to some of you but this is very new and exciting to me, the possibilities are endless.I mean as far as tree care, comming back to Houston was at first like stepping back in time, like when people used to go to a doctor back in England or Scotland and he would say "I think you'll be needin' a bleedin'" like for a... sore throat any way sorry I went off on that.I would like to go over these formulas with someone to see if the calculations are correct before I start appraising all the trees in the state.
Thanks, Ken

Reply to post by Ken Six, on May 09, 1998 at 11:51:10:

Ken, I'm willing to look at what you have. I too have made a database that handles the calculations for me.

You can send your results via email, if you like. A dbf file would make it easy to get the information directly into my database, if you can do that. Also, send me a list of the calculations you used, and I'll look at those.
Russ