Stump grinding is quoted separately from felling because it is a different machine and sometimes a different visit. The price is driven by the diameter of the stump and how easily the machine reaches it — not by how tall the tree used to be.
What drives the cost
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Stump diameter | The main driver — measured across the cut face |
| Access | Gate width, distance from the vehicle, steps |
| Depth needed | Deeper for paving or a shed base than for lawn |
| Ground conditions | Stones and old rubble slow the machine and wear teeth |
| Number of stumps | Several in one visit is far cheaper than several visits |
| Chip removal | Leaving it on site costs less than carting it away |
The practical consequence: a wide, low stump in a tight corner can cost more than a taller one in the open. Diameter and access, not height.
Measure your gate before you ring
It is the single most useful number you can give. Grinders come in a range of sizes and the narrow machines will pass a standard side gate, but if the only route to the back garden is a 700mm gate, or through the house, or up steps, that rules out the larger machines and changes what can be achieved.
Orchard stumps and honey fungus
Worth a specific note in the Vale of Evesham, where a great many gardens sit on former orchard ground or contain old fruit trees.
Grinding does not remove the whole root system, so it is not a guarantee. But taking out the stump and the main root plate removes the largest food source, and it is a sensible precaution before replanting anywhere near the spot.
If you are replanting fruit in the same place, there is a second issue: replant disease. Putting a new apple where an old apple stood often produces a tree that never thrives. Moving the new tree a few metres, or changing the soil in the planting pit, is the usual answer.
What grinding actually leaves
A hole roughly where the stump was, full of woody chip and soil. Most people mix it back down, top with soil and turf or seed over. Expect the ground to settle over the following months and to want topping up once.
If you are planting into that spot, dig the chip out first and backfill with soil. Woody chip takes nitrogen from the soil as it breaks down, and anything planted straight into grindings will struggle.
When the stump can simply stay
- Nothing is planned for that spot.
- It is in a border or behind a shed, out of the way.
- It is low and flat and will rot down on its own.
- The budget is better spent on the tree work this year.
- The tree was healthy when felled and there is no disease concern.
That last point is the qualifier on everything above. A stump from a sound tree that is not in anyone's way is not a problem. A stump from a tree that was dying is a different proposition.
Decide before the tree comes down
Ask for the stump to be quoted alongside the felling even if you have not made your mind up. Knowing the number costs nothing, and it is the cheapest moment to say yes.
One thing to check on a protected tree
A Tree Preservation Order can cover the stump as well as the standing tree, and consent to fell does not automatically include consent to grind the stump out. If you are dealing with a protected tree, confirm with Wychavon District Council that the stump work is covered by whatever consent or notice you have. There is also often a replanting condition attached, and where the replacement goes is easier to decide while the ground is still open.
Got a stump that needs dealing with?
Tell us roughly how wide it is and what's planned for the spot. We'll arrange a free quotation.
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