Shift in Stump Grinding Services Utilisation: Landscapers vs. Tree Surgeons

[Stefan Palokangas]

Hello Fellow Arb Professionals,

 

I'm Stefan, owner of Stump Grinding Direct, a dedicated stump grinding service based in Scotland. Over my many years in this business, I've had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of professionals from different sectors. But recently, I've observed an interesting shift in the utilisation of stump grinding services.

It seems to me that we're seeing fewer and fewer tree surgeons making use of professional stump grinding services, while landscapers' demand for such services has been on the rise. In theory, one would expect it to be the other way around, given that stump grinding is a natural extension of the tree surgery process.

 

A possible explanation for this trend could be that many tree surgeons have invested in their own stump grinders and have started to handle this aspect of the job internally. While this approach may offer more control over the entire process, it also comes with its own set of challenges like equipment maintenance, additional training, and increased time per job.

 

On the other hand, landscapers, whose main focus lies elsewhere, may find it more efficient to outsource this specific task to dedicated stump grinding services, ensuring a seamless and swift continuation of their landscape design and construction work.

I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this matter.

 

Have you also noticed this trend? How do you perceive the role of stump grinding in the broader arboriculture industry, and how do you think this shift will affect our field in the long run?

 

Looking forward to an insightful discussion!

 

Best, Stefan Owner, Stump Grinding Direct

[aspenarb]

Not sure how others roll, on the small amount of domestic work we do we price in stump grinding/removal as a separate entity. The majority of our domestic customers seem happy to leave the stumps and go with the saving, most likely the reason there is more for the landscapers as and when they come across them. Most of our commercial work is complete stump removal, developers are increasingly anti grinding because of the problems laterals cause them with service laying etc. In forestry stumps at best only get buffed off with a mulcher.

 

Bob

[Mick Dempsey]

1 hour ago, Stefan Palokangas said:

Hello Fellow Arb Professionals,

 

I'm Stefan, owner of Stump Grinding Direct, a dedicated stump grinding service based in Scotland. Over my many years in this business, I've had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of professionals from different sectors. But recently, I've observed an interesting shift in the utilisation of stump grinding services.

It seems to me that we're seeing fewer and fewer tree surgeons making use of professional stump grinding services, while landscapers' demand for such services has been on the rise. In theory, one would expect it to be the other way around, given that stump grinding is a natural extension of the tree surgery process.

 

A possible explanation for this trend could be that many tree surgeons have invested in their own stump grinders and have started to handle this aspect of the job internally. While this approach may offer more control over the entire process, it also comes with its own set of challenges like equipment maintenance, additional training, and increased time per job.

 

On the other hand, landscapers, whose main focus lies elsewhere, may find it more efficient to outsource this specific task to dedicated stump grinding services, ensuring a seamless and swift continuation of their landscape design and construction work.

I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this matter.

 

Have you also noticed this trend? How do you perceive the role of stump grinding in the broader arboriculture industry, and how do you think this shift will affect our field in the long run?

 

Looking forward to an insightful discussion!

 

Best, Stefan Owner, Stump Grinding Direct

Well that makes sense to me (more and more tree surgeons owning their own grinders) especially with the better pedestrian ones being very effective these days.

Turns a £750 job into a £1000 job for just an hour or so at the end of the day.

 

For the really big grinding jobs, you get in someone with a monster grinder.

[Steve Bullman]

2 hours ago, Stefan Palokangas said:

A possible explanation for this trend could be that many tree surgeons have invested in their own stump grinders and have started to handle this aspect of the job internally. While this approach may offer more control over the entire process, it also comes with its own set of challenges like equipment maintenance, additional training, and increased time per job.

I think thats the ONLY explanation. That trend started about 20 years ago. When I was contracting I don't think anyone I worked for didn't own a stump grinder of some description.

[doobin]

As stated, it’s a really easy to sell add-on service that costs you very little in extra mobilisation time. No brainer. 
 

The only other thing worth mentioning is interest rates being so low at the time. You could own a grinder on finance and the first add-on job per month paid the finance per month. Anything else is gravy. 

 

im surprised landscaper enquiries are on the up. Most just make a giant mess digging it out with the hired in mini digger. 

Edited May 18, 2023 by doobin

[Steve Bullman]

Are you still working 200 hours a day Stefan? It's possible there simply isn't any stumps left 😁

[Mick Dempsey]

The most obvious thing to do is go back through your old tree surgery clients.

Phone them up and ask why they’re not using you anymore.

[trigger_andy]

I’m not a professional and not pretending to be. 
 

Could a possible explanation be that the private customer has a limited budget and that at the time the cost of the tree removal has them maxed out? Having a stump left is not generally a huge inconvenience. A year or two down the line and they have the funds again the householder wants some landscaping done and a part of that work involves grinding out that old tree stump. 

[MattyF]

I think mick hit the nail on the head , stump grinding is easy money in comparison to the removal , one man and one machine… most money I’ve ever made in day was grinding stumps…. 78 conifer stumps done by 2pm with a big grinder with a blade to back fill to after it had taken four days too fell and clear them. 
when you think about it most landscapers struggle to do tree work efficiently I would imagine if they can’t dig it out they would come straight to a stump grinding service. 

[Conor Wright]

The majority of my work is rural (read easy access) so it's more cost effective to get a local digger operator to rip out the stumps. They usually have a dump trailer to bring in fresh soil and remove the waste, leaving me with a handy bit of raking and seeding/replanting etc. 

The odd grinding job I do get I either use my own little dosko grinder or hire a bigger tracked grinder in and operate it myself.

I imagine it's tough going, keeping yourself fully booked just stump grinding. With a downturn on the way (don't argue, it's happening!) A bit of diversification might be necessary. 

As an aside, I've been asked to leave a couple of high stumps recently as people want to have them carved. 

It may be a combination of factors, cost, more tree companies providing full services incl grinding and the uptick in private tree owners getting carvings or utilising standing stumps as features that is causing a slowdown in work.

Regarding the increase in landscapers using your services, it may be an insurance thing.