hourly rate for stump grinding.

[dan494]

I struggle to see how anyone can work full time just doing stumps. Most tree firms have a grinder but may get someone in for bigger stuff but how often does that come up? I can't see how you'd get say 10 stumps/jobs a week, every week without some serious milage and alot of contacts so you're just doing them and not pricing

 

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[Stumpy Grinder]

Yeah £11 a stump just seems too low?! Agree 450-600 a day is a good income & fair play if you're out doing that every day but with how many men /machines? Maybe with 3 or 4 jobs right next to each other you could but It's quite rural here & you'd have no chance. Just out of interest, how much for one 10" stump with easy access ?

 

I think it also relates to efficiency though? If you hire or even own a small 13hp machine you can never compete with a larger machine coupled with a skilled operator. What might take you all day could be done in an hour. Machine hire plus a day labour might realistically add £250 to the job?

I don't cut down trees, but if I did it might take me 3 times as long as you. Would it be fair for me to charge 3 times as much for the same job?

I try to be flexible on price but do have a rough guideline for minimum cost. £20 to turn up locally and £40 minimum so a 10" would be £60.

SG

[Richard 1234]

So, I can knock out 3-4 jobs such as you describe in a day and make up to £600 and that's too cheap?

 

 

It's decent money but if the competition is charging twice that to make it pay (higher overheads etc) why not push it up a bit you will still get the work probably but not be undercutting as much making others seem like they are overcharging when they probably aren't.

 

 

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[Stumpy Grinder]

It's decent money but if the competition is charging twice that to make it pay (higher overheads etc) why not push it up a bit you will still get the work probably but not be undercutting as much making others seem like they are overcharging when they probably aren't.

 

 

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There is one point worth clarifying here. As I don't generally cut trees down myself, most of the work I do is as a 'subby' for other tree workers, landscape gardeners, patio/driveway specialists, site clearance, foresters etc... So the price I'm quoting is for THEM and not the customer! Most know what I can do and I'm happy for them to quote on my behalf which means they generally make a bit too! I'm not VAT registered so if they are then that needs to be factored in. In fact, I often do much better out of this than if I quote privately as some of them seen to charge obscene amounts which I clearly see the benefit of! Basically, a lot of folk have come to realise that it is much more cost effective to hire me and my machines for the minimum time required as opposed to an expensive machine for the whole day which they then have to operate (and is generally in a poor state of repair with blunt teeth and no power!)

It's a 'win-win' situation for all concerned.

Of course I do some private work and I undoubtedly could charge a bit more in some circumstances, but I'm in a fortunate position where I don't rely on this income (yet!) so I'm happy to let the business grow and invest any profit back into it. In the meantime, my good name and client database continue to grow at an alarming rate without advertising! I will come to rely on this more in the coming years, and it could be passed on to my sons.

I don't want to be seen as a bad person, but it is my business plan and it appears to be working nicely.

Regards,

SG

[Richard 1234]

There is one point worth clarifying here. As I don't generally cut trees down myself, most of the work I do is as a 'subby' for other tree workers, landscape gardeners, patio/driveway specialists, site clearance, foresters etc... So the price I'm quoting is for THEM and not the customer! Most know what I can do and I'm happy for them to quote on my behalf which means they generally make a bit too! I'm not VAT registered so if they are then that needs to be factored in. In fact, I often do much better out of this than if I quote privately as some of them seen to charge obscene amounts which I clearly see the benefit of! Basically, a lot of folk have come to realise that it is much more cost effective to hire me and my machines for the minimum time required as opposed to an expensive machine for the whole day which they then have to operate (and is generally in a poor state of repair with blunt teeth and no power!)

 

It's a 'win-win' situation for all concerned.

 

Of course I do some private work and I undoubtedly could charge a bit more in some circumstances, but I'm in a fortunate position where I don't rely on this income (yet!) so I'm happy to let the business grow and invest any profit back into it. In the meantime, my good name and client database continue to grow at an alarming rate without advertising! I will come to rely on this more in the coming years, and it could be passed on to my sons.

 

I don't want to be seen as a bad person, but it is my business plan and it appears to be working nicely.

 

Regards,

 

SG

 

 

That does shed a different light on it.

I don't think anyone is saying your a bad person and possibly too far in the other direction as far as clients go!

I used to do the same but after 8 years it got to the stage of charge more and do less. I did lose a lot of clients but it did not matter as the higher rates from having less but better paying clients made up the difference and allowed for more investment which again allowed higher prices (well similar price but much faster) due to efficiency!

I also want to be able to pass on to my lads if they want in the future.

 

 

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