Have you ever wondered why there are trees placed on top of buildings at construction sites? The people at Bonnette, Page & Stone in Laconia think you may have noticed an evergreen or pine tree on top of a building under construction and assumed it is the builder’s way of spreading holiday cheer. While this is partly true during the holiday season, there is another reason construction companies place a tree on top of a building. It's actually part of a long-time construction tradition referred to as Topping-Out, according to Kristin O'Brien at the construction firm.
The practice is believed to have originated in 700 A.D. in Scandinavia when placing a tree at a construction site was thought to appease any displaced spirits living in the trees in the area, says O'Brien.
In modern times, the tree's placement is thought to send a message to onlookers that the building has reached its final height. Sometimes, a flag may also accompany the tree. Topping-Out is a major milestone in the evolution of a building project as it celebrates the safe construction site and offers a wish for continued safety and good fortune for the rest of the project as well as for the future of the building and its occupants. It is widely observed in the United States and throughout Northern Europe.
Photo Caption: Bonnette, Page & Stone team members position a tree on top of the steel structure at Paugus Properties’ Elm Street future mixed-use building located in Lakeport, NH to celebrate the major milestone of the building frame reaching its final height.
Bonnette Page & Stone is a New Hampshire-based construction management firm founded in 1969 specializing in commercial, industrial, institutional and residential construction projects of all types and sizes.
Current Issue - April 2024