Stump Grinding prices??

[foggysail]

Foxy--- Running a business is a tough job. This is what I suggest for you. First establish an hourly rate for your work WITHOUT TELLING YOUR CUSTOMER. That rate should be no less than $75/hour. Next add to that cost, a charge for your machinery..... I can't give a factual number needed for machinery charge because it should be based on the cost of the equipment. Remember, equipment does not last forever and you had to pay an up front cost to purchase it in the first place. A swag should be a ratio for example, $25K--- $50/hour,, $50K----$100/hour. What ever it is, you MUST figure in that charge.

OK, so your customer has only 15 minutes of work. No problem, have a minimum 1 hour charge and add in transportation time at least for one way.

The guys who do THINGS on the cheap, FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And DO NOT GIVE YOUR CUSTOMER A COST BREAKDOWN or they will eat your lunch nickle & diming trying to figure if they are getting screwed. If they can get the job done for less, well.....wish them a nice day and get out of there. You run a business for PROFIT, not to be a NICE GUY!!!! And do not be bashful! If somebody has an 8" stump he most likely is not going to be bothered to have a pro grind it out of sight.

Ten years ago I had 5 stumps (4 pine, 1 ash) ground out. The guy said he was giving me a break because he was doing my neighbors. It cost me $500 and he would only accept CASH with no receipt!

Foggy

 

[climbhightree]

What is a good rate to charge by hour? Do you count the time it takes you to load and travel with the equipment?

Yes, definitely. Time starts when you leave the shop for first job...time starts for second job when leaving from the first. Your labor and time for loading and traveling isn't free. If your charging by the hour correctly, you have all your fuel cost, maintenance cost, equipment payment, labor, truck costs, profit all figured out into that hourly price.

Due to load up, travel, unload, and reload you need a minimum cost...for me it is a half hour, if it is close. Even when doing multiple stumps (and some small) I rarely bid an stump under that half hour price.

 

[foggysail]

1/2 hour is NOT enough!

 

[climbhightree]

1/2 hour is NOT enough!

It is for me...if it is close by. You don't know my rate...or my equipment. Plus, I usually save up stumps till I have a days worth...I would never load up for just a single small stump (I agree an half hour isn't worth it then).

 

[Hexa Fox]

It is for me...if it is close by. You don't know my rate...or my equipment. Plus, I usually save up stumps till I have a days worth...I would never load up for just a single small stump (I agree an half hour isn't worth it then).

Exactly what I am going to try and do. I am going to try to make $500+ in a single day in my neighborhood. This is a great idea. Save them up and try to grind many up in a single day. You are talking my sort of language now!

 

[BC WetCoast]

Our stump grinding pricing is based on $125/hr. When the salesman goes to look at the stump, he estimates the time required to set up, grind and clean up. Not only is it based on the physical attributes, but also the desires of the customer. They ask them what they will do with the area. If they are only planting grass then you only need to grind about 3" below the surface. If they are planting a new tree, you are going to have to remove the whole root mass, which will probably require digging. That all goes into the quote.

We don't do any work without a written contract (usually the customer signing the quote sheet).

You need to be sure there is enough work in your neighbourhood. Not sure what you define as a neighbourhood, but we are a large operation and we don't keep our grinder going steady working in an area with about 1 million in population.

 

[foggysail]

Our stump grinding pricing is based on $125/hr. When the salesman goes to look at the stump, he estimates the time required to set up, grind and clean up. Not only is it based on the physical attributes, but also the desires of the customer. They ask them what they will do with the area. If they are only planting grass then you only need to grind about 3" below the surface. If they are planting a new tree, you are going to have to remove the whole root mass, which will probably require digging. That all goes into the quote.

We don't do any work without a written contract (usually the customer signing the quote sheet).

You need to be sure there is enough work in your neighbourhood. Not sure what you define as a neighbourhood, but we are a large operation and we don't keep our grinder going steady working in an area with about 1 million in population.

GREAT, INFORMATIVE POST!!!!!!!!! AND OTHERS SHOULD PAY ATTENTION ESPECIALLY TO "CONTRACT!!!!!!!!"

Foggy

 

[Hexa Fox]

To tell the truth I have wanted a John Deere 3520 or 3720 for quite some time now. I bought a nice Craftsman Zero Turn last year instead. Because the 72" Mid Mount Mower Deck that this series is made to handle is much too large to get into some areas. Plus as many have mentioned I spent around half price on the Craftsman made by MTD with a 54" cut and in some areas even it is too big. So it would be a disaster with a Three Family Series Tractor.

Plus I am very much intent on getting one in the next year or so. I am targeting used because I can save some money and they stopped making the 2320-3720. They replaced each of them last year with a new version. The all have RIO Switches which you probably know will kill your Mid PTO when you try to back up. I heard this is one of the crappiest things ever. I heard sometimes it kills the tractor so hard that the entire unit stalls out.

When you try to go full reverse with my Craftsman it disengages the blades. It is not a big deal but is annoying sometimes. Another thing I noticed is it is a 24 HP Kohler and it guzzles gas.

 

[Hexa Fox]

I have been wanting to invest in a tractor and pay it off and some implements regardless of how tough it is to pay for them. I honestly think that the Winter we had last year would have been enough for me to pay for the tractor if I would have had it and a Snow Blower. It would be just my luck that I would set myself this year for a heavy snow year and not get a single day of snow that accumulates to anything.

 

[Hexa Fox]

Our stump grinding pricing is based on $125/hr. When the salesman goes to look at the stump, he estimates the time required to set up, grind and clean up. Not only is it based on the physical attributes, but also the desires of the customer. They ask them what they will do with the area. If they are only planting grass then you only need to grind about 3" below the surface. If they are planting a new tree, you are going to have to remove the whole root mass, which will probably require digging. That all goes into the quote.

We don't do any work without a written contract (usually the customer signing the quote sheet).

You need to be sure there is enough work in your neighbourhood. Not sure what you define as a neighbourhood, but we are a large operation and we don't keep our grinder going steady working in an area with about 1 million in population.

Well my grinder is only going to put me under $4,000 minus the cost of the tractor. I know this grinder is very powerful the only downfall to it is the more HP you have the better it works. I was told by a guy with a John Deere 3320 that it works great but he would not mind having a little more HP. For anyone that knows the 2720 and 3320 are about the same. Then when you go from the 3320 to the 3520 you gain about 5 HP at the PTO.

I would say that there are a few thousand houses around here where I can drive the tractor. I am going to try to get the worked scheduled before I even go out and buy the grinder and tractor. Right now is a good time to help people spread mulch too so it would not hurt to have a FEL.

 

[climbhightree]

Your grinder may only cost $4,000,but your not just charging for that...it doesn't run by itself. You have wear and tear on your tractor. So our have more than 4 grand invested.

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[BC WetCoast]

I just had a look at that machine. If you are planning on using a stump grinding attachment on that tractor, I hope you are a good mechanic, because any of the attachments I saw (all 3rd party) looked too light to do any amount of significant grinding. Will be fine for the occasional stump, but will get beat to **** if you try and grind a lot.

Second problem I see is getting that tractor into back yards. Don't know where you live, but here if you can't the machine through a 36" gate, 1/2 your market is gone. Also that machine will have problems if you have stumps where you would need ramps to access the machine. We carry 6' ramps with us which allows us to get up over 18" retaining walls and 1-3 step stairways.

If you look at all the major stump grinding machines, Vermeer, Bandit, Carlton or Rayco you will note that they are way beefier in the components. Even at that, cutter wheel bearings go fairly frequently, electrical systems get beat due to the vibrations.

I would not spend $4000 on that stump grinding attachments (although the only ones I saw were $6k). Better to spend the money on a real grinder and not wreck you grass cutter, saving it for what it's really intended for - grass cutting.

Maybe AA has his Steiner up for sale?

 

[Hexa Fox]

I just had a look at that machine. If you are planning on using a stump grinding attachment on that tractor, I hope you are a good mechanic, because any of the attachments I saw (all 3rd party) looked too light to do any amount of significant grinding. Will be fine for the occasional stump, but will get beat to **** if you try and grind a lot.

Second problem I see is getting that tractor into back yards. Don't know where you live, but here if you can't the machine through a 36" gate, 1/2 your market is gone. Also that machine will have problems if you have stumps where you would need ramps to access the machine. We carry 6' ramps with us which allows us to get up over 18" retaining walls and 1-3 step stairways.

If you look at all the major stump grinding machines, Vermeer, Bandit, Carlton or Rayco you will note that they are way beefier in the components. Even at that, cutter wheel bearings go fairly frequently, electrical systems get beat due to the vibrations.

I would not spend $4000 on that stump grinding attachments (although the only ones I saw were $6k). Better to spend the money on a real grinder and not wreck you grass cutter, saving it for what it's really intended for - grass cutting.

Maybe AA has his Steiner up for sale?

Really? Because everyone I talked to said it works way better than most grinders out there. They say the only problem with it is having the power to make it work. Of course I do not expect it to work as good as a $60,000 piece of equipment. This guy said he has a 3320 and claims it is awesome for everything he has used it on. I am looking for a 3520 or 3720 and just going from the 3320 to the 3520 you get five more HP at the PTO. Here is the link: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/184886-woods-stump-grinder.html

 

[Hexa Fox]

I just had a look at that machine. If you are planning on using a stump grinding attachment on that tractor, I hope you are a good mechanic, because any of the attachments I saw (all 3rd party) looked too light to do any amount of significant grinding. Will be fine for the occasional stump, but will get beat to **** if you try and grind a lot.

Second problem I see is getting that tractor into back yards. Don't know where you live, but here if you can't the machine through a 36" gate, 1/2 your market is gone. Also that machine will have problems if you have stumps where you would need ramps to access the machine. We carry 6' ramps with us which allows us to get up over 18" retaining walls and 1-3 step stairways.

If you look at all the major stump grinding machines, Vermeer, Bandit, Carlton or Rayco you will note that they are way beefier in the components. Even at that, cutter wheel bearings go fairly frequently, electrical systems get beat due to the vibrations.

I would not spend $4000 on that stump grinding attachments (although the only ones I saw were $6k). Better to spend the money on a real grinder and not wreck you grass cutter, saving it for what it's really intended for - grass cutting.

Maybe AA has his Steiner up for sale?

Like I said I plan to try and accumulate some business before I go out and buy this equipment. Also one of my friends backed up what you are saying. He said "you are going to be surprised at where people expect you to get your equipment". He told me that sometimes people have a stump they want removed in there backyard where they only have no gate and the only gate they have is only big enough for a person and not even a small garden tractor.

However a lot of people around here have a really large gate or no fence at all. I do not know how big it is but they are like ones you see on farms. One you could literally fit a tank through with no problem. However I never said I did not expect to run into this sort of stuff.

 

[swatbwana]

So when people are talking "per inch" they are talking diameter? If that's the case its pretty astounding that a unit primarily used to measure distance is being used where really what guys need to measure is volume (surely depth of grind is going to be relevant to a client)

I know depth of grind is relevant to my wife...

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[treecutterjr]

Like I said I plan to try and accumulate some business before I go out and buy this equipment. Also one of my friends backed up what you are saying. He said "you are going to be surprised at where people expect you to get your equipment". He told me that sometimes people have a stump they want removed in there backyard where they only have no gate and the only gate they have is only big enough for a person and not even a small garden tractor.

However a lot of people around here have a really large gate or no fence at all. I do not know how big it is but they are like ones you see on farms. One you could literally fit a tank through with no problem. However I never said I did not expect to run into this sort of stuff.

I've got a Carlton 2500-4 for sale. $4500 fits through a 36"gate sounds perfect for you

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[Hexa Fox]

I've got a Carlton 2500-4 for sale. $4500 fits through a 36"gate sounds perfect for you

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I really need to invest in a tractor. Another big thing around here is snow removal. You're the gentleman who talked on the other stump grinding post. You said you try to charge by inch in diameter rather than by hour right?

 

[treecutterjr]

I've been doing it this past couple months and I'm liking the results. You just estimate from the top down. If I would charge $250 for a 6ft stump or $200 or what ever then I break it down into inches and now I can give Joe blow an ideaoff what his stump costs before I ever get there.
The people are right about depth and root flairand other circumstances, but you are already in the ballpark. That ll be an extra 50 because of blank blank blank.
It also eliminates time wasters. I had a guy call with a 6 foot stump. That's 72 inches roughly. I told him around 200$ give or take. He said will you do it for $100. No. Bam. Daves me ride. Saved him some time and we're both happy.

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[Hexa Fox]

I've been doing it this past couple months and I'm liking the results. You just estimate from the top down. If I would charge $250 for a 6ft stump or $200 or what ever then I break it down into inches and now I can give Joe blow an ideaoff what his stump costs before I ever get there.
The people are right about depth and root flairand other circumstances, but you are already in the ballpark. That ll be an extra 50 because of blank blank blank.
It also eliminates time wasters. I had a guy call with a 6 foot stump. That's 72 inches roughly. I told him around 200$ give or take. He said will you do it for $100. No. Bam. Daves me ride. Saved him some time and we're both happy.

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Thanks for the input.

 

[defensiblespace]

With all due respect to those who disagree, there is nothing wrong with asking how much to charge. I would rather my competitor ask that question than seriously underbid me. Then everyone looks like a jackass. This forum is for passing knowledge along, not belittling others who don't know the same info that you do.
As for how I charge, by the inch is only part of the equation. If you are just charging by the inch, you are getting burned on large stumps, because the square area get exponentially larger. Measure the stump at the base, not where the cut was made. Use the chart I attached to base your prices off of. I acquired this chart on arboristsite years ago from reading another thread like this one. It was one of the best pieces of info I got off this site. There are several prices for each size stump. You can choose a price based on whether stump stump is cut high or flush, how long it has been cut for, the difficulty of getting to it, and what kind of tree it was.