What decides the cost of stump grinding
Stump grinding is priced by the job, not the hour, and the price follows a handful of things you can see in a photo. We don't publish a price list because a 20 cm ornamental stump on the front lawn and a metre-wide fig stump behind a 70 cm gate are not the same job; send the photo and you'll get a real number.
The six things that set the price
- Diameter. The width of the stump at ground level is the single biggest factor. Measure across the widest point, including the flare at the base.
- Height. A stump cut flush is quicker than one left at knee height. If we removed the tree, we cut it low for exactly that reason.
- How many. Several stumps on one visit cost less each than one at a time: the set-up is shared.
- Access. The narrowest point between the street and the stump decides which machine we can bring. Most suburban side paths are fine; steps, steep slopes and tight gates take longer.
- Roots and surroundings. Surface roots running under paths, paving or a fence need to be ground back too, and anything close by (retaining walls, pipes, irrigation) slows the work down.
- The grindings. A ground stump produces a surprising pile of chips. Left in the hole or spread as mulch they cost nothing; taken away, they take truck space.
What you're paying for
A commercial stump grinder, a trained operator, the services check before we start, $20 million public liability insurance in case something under the ground isn't where it should be, and a clean site when we leave. A hire grinder from the hardware shop is cheaper on paper; it also takes most of a weekend on a decent stump and leaves the pipes to chance.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Group stumps, or grind on the same visit as a tree removal.
- Keep the grindings as mulch.
- Clear the access before we arrive: move cars, pot plants and the trampoline.
- Tell us about buried services up front; finding them the hard way costs everyone.
Questions people ask us
Is stump grinding included when you remove a tree?
We quote it as an option on every removal so you can choose. It's a separate machine and a separate job, and doing both on the same visit saves a second set-up.
Why do stump quotes vary so much between companies?
Different machines (a small hire grinder takes far longer on a big stump than a commercial one), different depths, different insurance, and whether the grindings are removed. Compare what's included, not just the total.
Can I get a price without a site visit?
Yes, for stumps. Send a photo with something for scale and tell us the access width and the suburb, and Alex quotes it from the photo. Other tree work is quoted on site, within 24 to 48 hours.
Does home insurance cover stump grinding?
Not normally. Insurance sometimes covers removing a tree that damaged the insured home; the stump is usually yours.
Photo in, price out.
Spade or shoe next to the stump, suburb and access width. That's all we need.