Look at this issue from another angle. What if these trees, clearly your neighbor's, were diseased and needed to come down. How would you feel if your neighbor asked you to pay part of the cost because some potion of the canopy overhangs your yard? In my area one can cut back every twig which overhangs the property line. The tree cutting crew can enter the neighbor's property to do so but at your own expense.

My husband bought a weed-eater with a tree trimming saw attachment. It was expensive, but only about 1/2 the cost you quoted of hiring it done. It works great and you might to have to use it more than once. Just an option. Glenda

That's tricky. My neighbors also have trees that hang over into my yard. They would, seeing as the trunks themselves are planted right on their property line, on my side of their fence. They take no care whatsover of the side of their yard outside of the fence, they don't even mow it and the trees grow unruly. I clip them myself since they're not remotely interested, and they tend to shade my roses if I let them get out of hand.
They don't want responsibility for this little two foot wide strip. I keep it mowed because we have kids and I don't want to deal with unsightly out of control weeds that snakes like to hide in - but of course they claim it so much as to allow their dog to use it for a toilet. Tell me how to make them pick up the dog poop so we don't keep hitting it with the mower, and so my kids don't keep stepping in it!

Destany, just get you a little garden spade or if you look in the toy section at Wal Mart or maybe Dollar General a small plastic play shovel. Just scoop it up and throw it back into their yard. It doesn't matter where it lands, maybe they will get the message. If they say anything about it, just tell them you don't like it either and better in their yard than yours. Glenda

I had that problem with a neighbor.I asked an attorney what I could do.He said tell the neighbor to trim the tree or you will get someone in to trim it and he pays the bill.I did and and he did trim the tree.

Ah, but this is his NEIGHBOR, whom he LIKES, who does business with his EMPLOYER. Harsh ultimatums are going to cause lots of problems. I think better to bite the bullet, at least for the time being. A conversation in the future when there's no money involved about what it takes to maintain their lovely adjacent yards might might convince him to share the costs of things that affect both yards.
Vanessa

I agree with Vanessa. People can get really hung up on who should pay for stuff like this, but if you have a good relationship with your neighbor and don't want to ruin it, then bite the bullet and have the trees trimmed. He's given you his blessing, plus it is your right to do so. Yes, it would be the neighborly thing to do, but he's not interested in your side of the yard. I live in a mature neighborhood with many large maples, pines, oaks, etc. I like my neighbors, too, but very few people trim their trees. I won't spoil the relationship over something like that. That seems to be the biggest bone of contention amongst neighbors and it won't change. So every 4 or 5 years my husband and I hire out a service to have the trees trimmed and we're very happy. Yes, I'd like financial help from them, but it won't happen and it isn't worth getting upset about. If having the trees trimmed will greatly improve the enjoyment of your yard, then do it. (And make sure you have them trimmed as much as you can because it does get pricey and a tree doesn't stop growing. If your neighbor doesn't care, maybe he'll let you trim the branches totally back to the trunk.) If we didn't take care of this ourselves we'd be living in the Black Forest. And you never know, you might encourage him to do the same thing. Our neighbors really like the way the trees look now and are going to hire their own company to take care of the overgrown mess in their yard because the wife can't grow anything! Yahoo!

It seems that you 3 choices here either pay the $600, go and get yourself a trimmer or leave it as is.

I have recently cut my neighbors trees that were overhanging on my property, and dropping pine needles into my pond. It was quite easy and cheaper then getting someone else to do it. But I already had the attachments for tree trimming for my weed eater. But this is a good option you can consider.

If you do not want to make enemies I think you might have to bite the bullet on this and pay.

You want to trim them back to the trunk or the stumps will look awful. I know this from experience.

Our neighbors finally had their trees professionally thinned and limbed up after ten years of my husband hacking at them. Some of the branches were 25' over our yard. They are mature conifers that never should have been planted on a residential property line in the first place. They are not hedge prunable in the first place. Some are 80' tall!

being in Land surveying....I have heard many cases of this. How much of the tree do I own, ect. Who is responsible for what depends state to state and how much can be cut depends state to state

First off....the statement above about the tree trimmers being able to come on your Property to trim the tree....I find VERY VERY VERY hard to believe.....there are very few people who can legitimately trespass on your property with or without your consent. I may be wrong, but I have NEVER heard of a tree trimer being one of them.

Most states allow you to cut what crosses your property line but only to your line. Most tree trimmers like to cut the branch all the way back to the trunk which may be on your neighbors side.....then its a problem.

Some states say you can only trim off a certain amount. You can not cut off half the tree. By doing so, it leaves the tree unbalanced and increases the risk of the tree falling.

Tree trimming laws very state to state.....talk to a lawyer in your state to find out what specifically can be done. Unless someone here is a lawyer in your state....take any legal advice from here for what your paying for it.

I think Vanessa said it best. Life's too short to make an enemy of a neighbor you like even if $600 is a lot of money.

Well my neighbor "Sid" came into my place of employment yesterday and said hello. I told him the estimate I got on the trees and he could not believe it said he told me to get a second quote from a guy he uses. A step in the right direction I guess , I proceeded to give him 2 complimentary cups of decaf and a half tuna in a pita...

Yes, it is a step in the right direction. Get the quote from his guy. Good luck.

you always catch more flies with honey then vinegar, Or coffee and tuna in your case..

Good Luck

My neighbor's landscaper planted a row of Leyland cypress on our property lne, my yard is only 60' wide and I read these trees can get 100' tall and 20' wide. If they get even half that size the'll be against the side of may house. There about 7' tall now and some branches are already encroaching. Can they be topped and sheared to stay a resonable size.