Stump grinding price

[debo1683]

Hey folks,
I know this is a regional thing ... but can you provide some info on what a far price for getting stumps ground out is? We have two, one is a white birch and the other a fir tree. Both about 18" in diameter and the quote we got was $175. This seems high to me, but maybe I am cheap. We have some other people coming out for estimates, but unless it gets close to the $85 to rent a 25 hp stump grinder, I am thinking about doing it myself.

I was just curious more than anything what people pay to have this done. I was under the impression it would be about $40 a stump. But I guess I was wrong ...

Thanks!

 

[flusher]

Do it yourself with a rental unit. That's what I did to remove a large almond tree stump about the same size as you're talking. Only took about 90 minutes to get it done. Cost $75 rental.

 

[RandyT]

My nephew does stump grinder and charges $3 per inch. Around here the tree companies got into a bidding war over stump removing and hit a point where they were charging 25 cents per inch. wouldn't even pay for the fuel for the machine, let alone the maintenance and wear and tear on the machine. Put several tree companies out of business and the quality of work went to zero. Some stumps were barely removed below ground level, instead of the the 6-8 inches below grade from years ago.

If you figure that the average stump grinder cost around $40-50 thousand, and burns 2 gallon of fuel per hour, and the time to sharpen the carbide teeth after a few stumps, or replacing the teeth which run about $12 dollars apiece and the average machine has 18-24 teeth you can start to see why the cost is so expensive.

 

[Carl_NH]

i've rented grinders for $150 a day and got about 10 stumps done 12-16" size. Then in 2006 had big stumps - 12 or so 30-48" that a fellow came in and did for $350. One was a three prong maple and the base after grinding was over 8' around chasing the roots. out.

in 2011 a fellow that does tree and stump work cam in and charged $350 for a 7 hour day and did probably 15 or 16 in total.

Note this is just the grinding not the cleanup. Took me a day to clean up after each one.

For small jobs like one or two stumps the travel, setup and moving around are part of the cost so per inch is typical with $2.50-3 average here.

 

[Whisper35]

That quote of $175 isn't bad. Do you know if that includes the clean too? That price would very good if it inclueds the clean up too. Grinding the stumps isn't as easy as it looks, but it usually doesn't take too long.....however the clean can be tedious depending on how big the stump actually is. You can only see what is at ground level. You only have 2 stumps so the clean up shouldn't be too bad. You'll need some topsoil to fill in the holes you will be making.

If you got the time though and don't mind doing it yourself, it probably would be cheaper, but it will take a while longer than if you have someelse do it.

 

[debo1683]

Thanks guys. We got more quotes coming, but based on this I will be leaning towards doing it myself. The quote did not include cleanup....

This company told us to put lime on the area ... is that a solid advice?

 

[muddstopper]

Lets add up the cost of you doing it yourself and renting a machine. Rental $85, are you going to hual it or are they going to deliver. Deliverywill probably be another $75 for delivery and pickup, it will take two trips and man hrs. Now you are up to $160. Pick itup your self and save some money you say, well how far is it to the rental yard and what kind of mileage do you get with your truck and dont forget your time. Say $20 and you are back down to $105. still think you are saving $70, well dont forget the tax that is added to the rental unit or the fuel for the machine. And also dont forget that you will pay for any damage done to their machine, hit a rock and they will charge you for a new tooth. Just because they charge someone for a new tooth doesnt mean they will put it on the machine. Most likely the teeth on the rental unit will we as dull as a Froe. This means you will be working you arsh off grinding out the 2 stumps you have and you aint even saving any real money. Pay the $175, the guy that quoted you that isnt getting rich at that price by any means. He had to buy the machine, maintain the machine and hual it to and from your property, plus try to make a decent wage to boot. I used to grind stumps, and I had a self propelled 31hp turbo diesel machine to do it with. I wouldnt even show up on a property for less than $100 and that was before gas prices took a hike. The actual time spent grinding your stumps might only be a few minutes, but wages have to start when you leave the shop and go on until you get back. Its not just the few minute you spend doing the actual work.

Now as for the lime question. the wood chips will decompose and rob your soil of nitrogen if they are not removed. This usually results in mushroom fairy rings in your landscape. Nothing wrong with them but most people dont like mushrooms growing their yards. If you soils are natually acidic, then lime wont hurt to be added, but it wont do much to help the wood chips decompose either. I would apply a high nitrogen fertilier to the affected area only. The nitrogen will help feed the microbes that breakdown the wood chips and help keep the fairy rings to a minimum.

 

[swick1]

Agreed mudstopper. I won't go out for less than $200 with my backhoe. It's just not worth the $20 in fuel to go anywhere and the minimum 2hrs needed to load up, drive, reload, drive home, and unload. The machine costs me $20/hr to run and the truck cost is about $0.50/mile. Not to mention cleanup costs on dirty jobs! If I worked for stump grinder guy prices I'd be better off working at McDonald's since there is no liability there.

 

[Carl_NH]

I agree - to do any job it costs at least $100 to show up - meaning. If a potential client calls - you call back, they ask whats the price to do xyz, you say well let me look at it but they press for a price over the phone.. Client says Ill think about it when you give them a $200 price - soem call back some dont.

It's really hard for the average person to understand the logistics of running a profitable business - quoting a job at $175 breaks down to the cost to do the estimate, loading the machine (15 min) driving time (20 min) then unloading machine (15) min then actual work grinding two stumps (60) Min, then reloading machine (15) min.

All the customer sees is the "time grinding" or whatever the task is not the hour to load, unload, travel. gas, and insurance - liability-medical expense and more.

 

[muddstopper]

dealing with the public mindset that they should only have to pay you while you are on their site is why I got out of business. Last job I quoted, the guy wanted a price to hydroseed a bank behind his house. It was 30 miles each way. Instead of me driving to look at the job, I just asked him how long and how high was his bank. I dont remember the exact sqft, but it was way less than what one load in my small hydroseeder would cover. I told him I would do it for my minimum price of $300. What??? he says, thats way to much for what he wanted done. Well call someone else then, was my reply. He says, thats no way to run a business and I should at least take a look at the work before I gave him a price. Look, I know how much area my hydroseeder will cover and my expenses remain the same whether I spray out a full load or a piece of a load so I have to stick to my minimum one tank load price. Again I hear, thats no way to run a business and I should at least look at the job before I give him a price. Why should I look at it, if its what you say it is, I know I can do it with one tank load of material. My price for one tank load is $300 and thats not going to change, so why drive 60miles round trip just to hear you say my price is to high and have to argue with you about it. Call someone else and see if you can get someone to do it cheaper but dont tell me how to run a business when you are to cheap to pay what it takes to get a job done. I hung up on him right there and took a torch to my hydroseeder. (yes i really cut it up and the engine is whats powering my wood splitter now). I refuse to work for nothing, I can go broke watching tv and laying on the couch and not even have to break a sweat doing it.