Tree Worries.

That tree species appears to have one of the more aggressive root systems and is listed as causing pipe and foundation damage.

You'd need to speak with an arborist and structural engineer.

All for saving the environment but how can it be fair to you when the neighbour sticks a tree with invasive roots right on your boundary, and you then have to allow them your land for it to grow on, spend more money to work around the tree to make use of the land you paid good money for in a period where there is national housing crisis.

My arborist did say the tree is matured and roots a pretty deep & established.
I will have to ask my builder if a raft slab is on the table as they mostly do waffle pods.

A raft slab still needs to cut roots for the trenches of the concrete edge beams and typically these beams can go 500mm or more deep.

I have seen arborist reports within planning applications online where they specified concrete bored piers or screw piles to "bridge" a waffle slab over the roots. The rationale is less roots get cut, but that would depend on the species of tree if its possible to do.

"accidentally"?

i always wonder how fines like this go to solving the issue.

Ponzutwo

All right, you called me out with the word "accidentally" but on the other hand it wasn't deliberate either on our part.

It was more of a case of a dumb excavator operator who should have stopped when he encountered a large root that was coming from a big gum tree, but instead kept going and chopped through a few roots. There is actually a process you need to employ which involves an arborist, some special careful cutting and some type of tree bandages and hugs and kisses for the tree if you encounter roots. Ripping them with an excavator definitely is not a go to method for tree lovers.

Fast forward a few days, there is a old retired neighbour who just hates the fact that their neighbour is building a home. I kid you not, we got a stop work order during demolition when one of the labourers took of his mask for a cigarette and he called work cover.

Anyway, Lane Cove Council get called, we have a meeting onsite with 9 people, Council are telling us that we have killed a child ( they literally said that - we cut the arms and legs off a child) we get a stop work order, have to get an arborist report they say . Council refuse the first report which says the tree is fine, as this guy had beaten them in court previously, get a second one (this one says the tree can't be saved and is in imminent danger of falling on the neighbours house). Council orders this 70 year old massive gum tree to be cut down over one tree root, we get 3 fines, owner gets two fines. Work was on hold for months. We get ordered to plant 5 new trees to replace the one they lost.

It was quite an experience.

We are definitely taking more care around trees from now on!