Box Wood, transplanting

[Qweaver]

A friend has her house completely surrounded by Box Wood bushes that she wants to remove.  From 2' to 4' in diameter.  A man quoted her a pretty big price to cut them off but I don't think that would let her easily establish a lawn in their place.  I think I could put a heavy duty straps tightly around their bases and pull them out with my JD 110 Back Hoe.  I won't know until I try.  I may have to use the BH bucket and that would really make a mess.  But pulling them may do the same.  This could get to be a really costly job and I hate to charge a friend big bucks...but :.  If I could pull them and successfully replant on our land I could mitigate the price some.  I have never done this and am unsure if it stands a chance of working.  My first instinct is, NO.  I don't think the roots would survive the transplant. I also worry about getting into services going into the house.
Suggestions?

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

We have done this. We did it in the fall. I took a shovel and went around the root ball and cut the roots as far as I could.
Then I used the back hoe ( rear bucket ) like a crane. Also use a narrow strap and wrapped it around the base of the shrub in a way that it tightens itself as you pull up.
I transplanted them around a mobile home I rent. All 12 lived.

Had no problems. Good Luck.

[thecfarm]

I my part of the world,the tres are growing,this time of year. A strap would rip the bark off. Now if I did it in the fall,I might get away with it.

[btulloh]

You can probably transplant them with the BH bucket, but you're gonna have to make a pretty good hole to get them out and leave the roots intact enough to transplant. Transplanting boxwood is like most other species.  You need to have a root ball that extends pretty much to the drip line of the plant to guarantee success and at least 3/4 as deep as the width of the root ball.  If you've got access to a skid steer with pallet forks you can tilt them and pierce the ground on four sides, emulating a tree spade.  The bigger the boxwood, the bigger the challenge.  It can be done by hand, but be generous with the root ball. 

BTW - Are these English boxwood?  If not, it may not be worth the trouble to save them.