I live in BCS and have a 15 foot tall live oak in the back yard with about a 5 to 6 inch trunk. It's a nice tree but unfortunately where I'd like to locate a workshop in my backyard.

Is it realistically possible to move this tree with to another location in my relatively treeless back yard (i live on an acre) and have it survive? And what would such a thing cost? I see truck with scoops carrying trees around, so I'm wondering if that is a cost effective thing.

No. Much cheaper to hack it down and buy a new tree or 8. Especially with such a young tree.

Hopefully someone with pricing knowledge comes along because I am curious how much it would cost, but no chance it is cheaper than just starting over with a new tree.

Yes, a tree of this size can be moved. It would need to be done in the winter while the trees have gone dormant and less chance of shock (and death).

I'd call a local landscape company that has a spade with experience moving a tree of this size. As to the cost, I'm no help on that part.

Did a quick google search for 6 in caliper tree (what you have essentially)

95 gallon tree

Brazos Valley Tree Farm

Give them a call for new tree pricing. I agree that cutting and planting new would be easier/cheaper than moving a tree.

~egon

Depending on specifics of your property... If it's a typical lot, the spade used to move a tree that size will not get into your back yard.

Absolutely not cost effective to move the the tree. In fact it's cost prohibitive, all with a low probability of success.
I'm planning on planting several trees in the next few years and have been doing a deep dive on youtube, researching species and best practices for planting. Interesting, I've recently learned it might be better long term to plant a very small young tree than a "larger one" grown in say a 45 or 95 gallon pot. Apparently, there are studies that show planted yearlings will out perform the larger pot grown trees in terms of growth and size within a few years with much lower chance of failure.

That said, you could probably get a similarly sized Live Oak planted for $1000 - $2000. I doubt you could find someone to properly remove what you have for that amount, much less have them properly plant it and have it survive.

If your willing to do a bit of drive, there is a tree farm in Utopia that sells trees at near wholesale prices.
https://www.blanketcreektreefarm.com

A days drive might save you several hundred bucks.

Depending on if the tree is easy to drive up to, a spade may be an option. Allied Tree out of Magnolia did a bunch of work for us on several different golf courses and we paid nowhere near $1000 per tree.

Is that 5 to 6 inches in diameter or circumference? A 5 to 6 inch diameter live oak that's only 15 feet tall sounds like it need to go anyway ????

If you can get a tree spade truck to the tree I would say $1,000.00 for them to move it. Try 3F tree transplanting out of Chappell hill.
I just bid some 100 gal live oaks 4" caliper 15' tall or so for a little over $1,000.00 each planted.
So the bottom line is if it is a nice tree and you have access to it then move it. If not just cut it down.

cevans_40 said:

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Depending on if the tree is easy to drive up to, a spade may be an option. Allied Tree out of Magnolia did a bunch of work for us on several different golf courses and we paid nowhere near $1000 per tree.

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Can you clarify your post

Did you pay more to have trees moved ?
Or
Did you pay less to have trees planted ?

I am also thinking about planting some trees

Cut down, plant a new 15 gallon tree or three. In 5 years they'll be larger than your current tree as the cut roots will stunt growth for several years.

Tree sizes are measured by caliper which is diameter, not circumference at 4.5' above grade on mature trees. Smaller trees are usually measured lower like 6"-12" above grade.

neighbor down the road (with alot of money) had about 75 live oaks transplanted that were about that size.

I planted several 15-20 gallon that were 2 - 2.5 inch caliper and very root bound in the container.

4 years later and some of mine have almost caught up to his, just a matter of time the rest will. his are still same size as when planted ~ 6 years ago.