Gardening and Horticulture - Removing old Arborvitae

What is the best method for removing old Arborvitae?
They line the propery and were ruined by the winter storm we had this year. I would like to remove them and replace with some other type of privacy method. Maybe a privacy fence.

Shovel?

If you have a four wheel drive, attach a chain or strap at the base and pull them out. Just watch that when they pull over it doesn't hit the vehicle. If they're too tall, cut them down to about three feet tall.

I had the same problem and I wish I would have done what CliffLm said and ripped them out with a truck.

I needed to remove about six of them but I messed up and had them cut down to a short stump. Now every time I look at them I get xxxx off. I started digging them up but it's no fun.

If I was you I would either rip them out with a truck, but give them a little help by digging around the root ball. Or cut them down and have a stump grinder finish them off.

I removed one years ago. Cut it down. Dug out around the roots. Attached a chain to the root sytem and to the the trunk latch on my old Oldsmobile. Well, I got the stump out just fine. I was very proud, as I am very little. But, I bent the latch for the trunk. I was in a panic before my husband got home for work. I had to drive to the garage with my trunk lid up and, forunately, they were able to bend it back into shape so that the trunk would properly lock. My husband never knew about my problem. And, he never noticed the bush was missing. Moral of the story: If you pull the stump yourself, do it with a vehicle or piece of equipment that is up for the job. Too, you might not want your spouse around if your are trying to be Rambo.