Stump Grinding Business: Equipment, Stump Grinding Cost and Profit

Stump grinding is one of the best margin jobs in the tree industry. One person with a grinder can do five to ten stumps a day, the equipment is affordable compared to a bucket truck, and almost every removal leaves a stump behind. Here is how to run a stump grinding business, alone or as part of a tree company.

What stump grinding costs customers

The most common way to price is per inch of diameter, measured at ground level across the widest point:

• $3 to $5 per inch in most US markets
• A minimum of $100 to $150 per visit, because the trip costs the same for a small stump
• Discounts for more stumps: many companies drop to $2 to $3 per inch after the first stump at the same address

So a 24 inch stump at $4 an inch is $96, which you round up to the $150 minimum. A 40 inch oak stump is $160. Five stumps in one yard might be $500 to $700. Large stumps, palm stumps and stumps with surface roots spreading in every direction cost more.

What changes the price

• Access. Can the grinder fit through the gate? Most walk-behind grinders need about 3 feet
• Depth. Standard grinding goes 6 to 8 inches below grade; 12 inches or more for a new patio or sod costs extra
• Surface roots. Chasing roots across the lawn adds time
• Cleanup. Leaving the grindings in the hole is cheapest. Hauling them and filling with topsoil is an add-on, often $50 to $100
• Underground lines. Call 811 before you grind. It is free and it is the law in most states

Equipment

• Walk-behind grinder for small jobs and tight gates: $5,000 to $12,000 new
• Self-propelled or tracked grinder for more stumps per day: $15,000 to $40,000
• Rental at $150 to $300 a day is a good way to test the market
• A truck and a trailer, teeth for the grinder ($15 to $40 each, and you will replace them often), safety gear and a tarp or shield to keep chips off cars and windows

Starting a stump grinding business on its own

A stump grinding business can be a one person operation. The best sources of work:

• Tree companies without a grinder. Many small crews leave stumps behind. Offer them a wholesale rate
• Landscapers and pool builders who need stumps out before they start
• Homeowners who had a tree removed months ago and want the yard back
• After storms, when every block has a downed tree

Adding it to a tree service

If you already remove trees, offer stump grinding on every removal quote as a separate line. A large share of customers say yes when they see the price next to the removal. It turns a $1,200 removal into a $1,400 ticket for an extra 30 minutes.

Let customers price their own stumps

Stump grinding is easy to quote without a visit. A customer can count stumps and give you a rough size. A calculator on your website that asks how many stumps and adds root removal or haul-away gives them a range at night, and you show up to grind, not to quote. Try the free tree removal cost calculator, which prices stump grinding too.

A worked example

Three stumps in a backyard in Davie: 18, 22 and 36 inches. Through a 4 foot gate, grindings left in the holes.

• 76 inches total at $3.50 an inch: $266
• Above the $150 minimum, so $266 it is
• Optional: haul grindings and fill with topsoil, $90

The quote: $266, or $356 with the cleanup.

How much a stump grinding business makes

A solo operator doing 6 stumps a day at an average of $150 brings in $900 a day before costs. Teeth, fuel, insurance and truck costs might take a third of that. A used grinder bought for $8,000 pays for itself in about two months of steady work. The limit is not the work, it is the phone. Most stump jobs are small, so you need a lot of them, which means answering every call and replying to every web lead fast. See how to stop losing tree jobs to missed calls.