what is a normal price for stump grinding?

[Zombiechopper]

My parents have a 24" elm stump they want removed. It's sitting about 18" above dirt level. Has lots of root flare.

What is a ballpark range for removal? I want to make sure they don't get hosed if they ask for a quote. I'm also wondering if it would make more sense for them to buy me a carbide chain and i would handle it for them. I've done stumps before but only in situations where a farmer wants a gate through a fence line etc. Never had to worry about making it pretty

 

[muskybite]

I paid $40 for grinding a maple stump about the same size already cut close to ground in front yard.

 

[fearofpavement]

stump grinding prices vary all over the place and also vary regionally. The best option would be to call and get a quote or two. Some companies will do it for a lot less if they are already in the neighborhood. Also multiple stumps will usually get you a good discount per stump.

I would strongly suggest to leave your chainsaw out of it. That is definitely the wrong tool.

Try removing the stump with an axe, shovel and pick for a few hours and then the price for the grinder will seem like a wonderful deal. (check for gas and phone lines!)

 

[o8f150]

if i remember right around here they get 1.50 per inch

 

[oscar4883]

Its cheap compared to the hassle of doing it yourself. With one stump that size you will probably get it done on the cheap. Most guys have a minimum charge. In my area 100-150 bucks is pretty common for a minimum charge to come out. Some people charge by the inch measured at the root flare not the flush cut. Like most prices in tree care your region, and the number of drunks/crackheads in the area doing the work, make pricing things only a little easier than a shuttle launch.

 

[Arbonaut]

$40 min. to set up. $1.50 per inch. Plus, $1.00 per inch of stump height. ($18) Stump grinder contractor likes them flush cut.

You could knock that one out with a walk behind (rental). I don't think you will save money, though.

If you take out an Elm stump with a carbide chain and an axe, would you please post a video of that? Good times. Good times.

 

[OLD MAN GRINDER]

80-100 down here dep on root flair, would also have to cut down
18 in way to high, too much chips...but prices down here are a lot
cheaper than in the rest of the country...

Bob...

 

[Steve NW WI]

$40 min. to set up. $1.50 per inch. Plus, $1.00 per inch of stump height. ($18) Stump grinder contractor likes them flush cut.

You could knock that one out with a walk behind (rental). I don't think you will save money, though.

If you take out an Elm stump with a carbide chain and an axe, would you please post a video of that? Good times. Good times.

I've gone the rental route. I get one for the day (about $150), grind the stumps I have to do, and spend the rest of the day grinding for friends, charge em enough to cover the rental and gas money. It works OK for me.

You'll make much better time grinding if you get the stump close to the ground, I hit em with an old chain and aim for a couple inches above grade before grinding.

 

[Zombiechopper]

$40 min. to set up. $1.50 per inch. Plus, $1.00 per inch of stump height. ($18) Stump grinder contractor likes them flush cut.

You could knock that one out with a walk behind (rental). I don't think you will save money, though.

If you take out an Elm stump with a carbide chain and an axe, would you please post a video of that? Good times. Good times.

I have done it before with chainsaw and shovel but I didn't video it for you I know how much work it is to do by hand. My old man was talking to different places and he is getting prices anywhere from 100 to 500 per stump. If I do it I could end up owning a carbide chain out of the deal, all it takes is some work on my part. see where I'm going with this? They get the job done, I get a carbide chain that would be very useful for the stuff I do.

I'm visiting right now (we live 800Km away) and I didn't bring any saws with me. My Mum called my brother over yesterday and had him bring his MS170 to flush cut the stump. I talked him out of burning up his saw. Maybe I will see if I can rent a saw and stump grinder at home depot and get it done.

 

[zogger]

I have done it before with chainsaw and shovel but I didn't video it for you I know how much work it is to do by hand. My old man was talking to different places and he is getting prices anywhere from 100 to 500 per stump. If I do it I could end up owning a carbide chain out of the deal, all it takes is some work on my part. see where I'm going with this? They get the job done, I get a carbide chain that would be very useful for the stuff I do.

I'm visiting right now (we live 800Km away) and I didn't bring any saws with me. My Mum called my brother over yesterday and had him bring his MS170 to flush cut the stump. I talked him out of burning up his saw. Maybe I will see if I can rent a saw and stump grinder at home depot and get it done.

you can proly do it without a carbide chain if you approach it in sections. You'll need an axe to start with, strip off the outside bark. This will get rid of 99% of the dirt. Then when you go to cut, do a half noodle/half rip cut from the top, cut down but not straight, and not a full with the grain noodle, a 45 degree angle, and cut sections off around and around, like you were splitting a big round. work down to the ground. Now flush cut off the small sections. Go around and around, work your way to the heart wood.

Once you have the stump down flush to the ground, criss cross plunge cut down a few inches, staying inside a little around the stump. A nice grid. Pry bar out those sections, the last few whack them with the axe. They will pop, you only need a few inches down. Now spray it down good with weed killer. You should be staring at a bowl now, extending down into the dirt, but your chain has never hit dirt. Then get some shovelfulls of good rich topsoil full of soil microbes, fill it up, get it wet with water.

That's it, the ants will do the rest.

 

[struggle]

$2/$2.50 and inch to just grind with mininum of $50 if local to my area. Just to grind. Haul chips and bring dirt in double price.

I did a 17" stump today with haul away and fill for $125 which accounts for flare grinding.

$1.50 and inch no way would I do it that cheap:msp_scared:

 

[discounthunter]

the guy ive had do some for me does $25 stump /small-med,$50 large,minimum charge is $50. had another guy come out a long time ago(12ys?)that charged me $175 , 3hrs worth of work as many stumps as we could find in the yard.( we did ,i think 65?)

 

[dbittle]

you can proly do it without a carbide chain if you approach it in sections. You'll need an axe to start with, strip off the outside bark. This will get rid of 99% of the dirt. Then when you go to cut, do a half noodle/half rip cut from the top, cut down but not straight, and not a full with the grain noodle, a 45 degree angle, and cut sections off around and around, like you were splitting a big round. work down to the ground. Now flush cut off the small sections. Go around and around, work your way to the heart wood.

Once you have the stump down flush to the ground, criss cross plunge cut down a few inches, staying inside a little around the stump. A nice grid. Pry bar out those sections, the last few whack them with the axe. They will pop, you only need a few inches down. Now spray it down good with weed killer. You should be staring at a bowl now, extending down into the dirt, but your chain has never hit dirt. Then get some shovelfulls of good rich topsoil full of soil microbes, fill it up, get it wet with water.

That's it, the ants will do the rest.

I do it this way too and it works well. Also, you can use a mini-tiller or pickaxe to dig out the mound of dirt pushed up by the tree as it grew. If you till down the dirt to the original ground level or close to it, you can rake it back over the stump after you're finished and its like the tree was never there.