That stump? Gone by lunchtime.
Ground 300–400 mm below the surface, ready to turf, plant or pave. Any stump, including the one another contractor left behind. Send a photo with something for scale and Alex will price it from the photo.
- Since 2004
- Any stump, anyone's
- 300–400 mm deep
- Mulch kept or removed
- $20 million insured
- 22+ yrsArborists since 2004
- AQF 5Two consulting arborists
- $20mPublic liability insurance
- RFSVolunteer Deputy Captain and trainer on the team
- TAFEChainsaw operations teacher on staff
- 5.0★Google rating (22 reviews)
Stumps, roots and the leftovers of other people's tree work
Any stump, anyone's
The stump from a tree we removed, or one another contractor left behind years ago. Old, rotten or rock hard.
Palm stumps
Cocos and date palm stumps are fibrous and heavy. Grinding is the clean way to get rid of them.
Several at once
A row of old conifers or a cleared block: one visit, one price.
Roots under paths and paving
Surface roots lifting pavers or the driveway, ground back so the surface can be relaid.
Ready to turf or plant
Ground 300–400 mm below the surface, deep enough for turf, a garden bed or paving over the top.
Mulch kept or taken away
The grindings can stay in the hole, be spread as mulch, or go in the truck. Your call.
Photo, price, grind, done
Send us a photo
A photo with something for scale (a spade, a shoe) plus the narrowest point of your side access. That's enough for Alex to price a stump, and he calls back almost as soon as it arrives.
We check for services
Before grinding we check for pipes, cables and irrigation near the stump, and ask you about anything you know is buried there.
Grind
The grinder chews the stump and the top of the main roots into chips, working down to 300–400 mm below the surface. A typical backyard stump takes 30 to 60 minutes.
Mulch or take it away
The grindings can be left in the hole or spread as mulch, or removed. Tell us which you want.
Settle, then plant
Back-filled grindings settle as they break down. If you're turfing straight away, top up with soil first.
No council paperwork
Once a tree has been legally removed, grinding its stump doesn't need council approval.
Why grind a stump rather than dig it out
Digging out a big stump means excavating a hole wider than the root plate, often with a machine, and it disturbs everything around it. Grinding works from the top down and only removes the stump and the top of the main roots, so paths, fences and garden beds nearby are left alone. The roots left deeper in the soil break down over the following years.
What to know first
- Buried services: tell us about irrigation, stormwater or cables you know are near the stump.
- Suckering species: some trees send up new shoots from their roots after the stump is gone. We'll tell you if yours is likely to.
- Settling: the hole is back-filled with grindings, which settle as they break down. If you're turfing straight away, top up with soil first.
What affects the price
- Diameter and height of the stump
- How many stumps
- The narrowest point of the access
- Roots under paths or paving
- Grindings kept or taken away
- A tree removal as well
A proper tree company, not a bloke with a hire grinder
Stump grinders can be hired by anyone. Pipes, cables and neighbours' fences are what go wrong when they are. Here's who you get instead.
- 22 years in business. Above All Tree Services has been a Sutherland Shire family business since 2004, now seven full-time staff plus casual crew, with cranes and elevated work platforms for the hardest jobs.
- Two AQF Level 5 consulting arborists. Wayne Back and Joshua Baber hold the Diploma-level qualification councils ask for when they want a "consulting arborist", and write arborist reports councils accept.
- Wayne teaches chainsaw operations at TAFE NSW part-time, and is a volunteer Deputy Captain and trainer with the NSW Rural Fire Service.
- Licensed for the dangerous bits: elevated work platforms over 11 m, Electrical Close Approach for work near service lines, and rail, ARTC and Sydney Airport inductions.
- $20 million public liability, $10 million professional indemnity and workers compensation. Ask any contractor for their certificate of currency; we'll hand you ours.
- A member of Arboriculture Australia, trusted by Bayside Council, strata managers and schools, and we call back almost as soon as your request comes in.
Questions people ask us
How much does stump grinding cost in Sydney?
It depends on the stump's diameter, how many there are, how wide the access is, whether roots run under paving and whether you want the grindings taken away. Every stump is quoted; prices aren't published. Send a photo with something for scale and Alex prices it from the photo, usually straight away. What affects the cost explains it.
How deep do you grind?
300–400 mm below ground level. That's deep enough for turf, garden beds and most paving.
Will the tree grow back?
Most eucalypts and ornamental trees won't regrow once the stump is ground this deep. A few species, such as camphor laurel, privet and some wattles, can sucker from roots left in the ground, and we'll tell you if yours is one of them.
How wide does the access need to be?
Tell us the narrowest point of the side access when you ask for a quote. Most suburban side paths are fine.
Do I need council approval to grind a stump?
No. Once a tree has been legally removed, grinding its stump doesn't need approval. Removing the tree itself may have: your council's rules.
Is grinding better than digging the stump out?
Digging out a big stump means excavating a hole wider than the root plate, often with a machine, and it disturbs everything around it. Grinding works from the top down and only removes the stump and the top of the main roots, so paths, fences and garden beds nearby are left alone.
Can you remove the tree as well?
Yes. Above All removes trees of every size across Sydney, and the stump can be ground the same day. Call Alex on 0412 908 673 for a quote on both.
Where do you cover?
Across Sydney, from a base in the Sutherland Shire: the Shire, St George, the inner west and eastern suburbs, the north shore and northern beaches, the Hills and western Sydney.
Send a photo, get a price.
Put a spade or a shoe next to the stump for scale, tell us the suburb and the access width, and Alex will come back to you.