stump grinding

[Rich Rule]

I have both a mattock and the digging bar. Sometimes you cant get a swing of a mattock in.

 

I use a spike/breaking bar aswell as a mattock... my response was a reply to the suggestion of welding an old axe head to scaffy pole. surely it is easier and cheaper to go to the supplies shop and buy a mattock.

[arbormaster]

i would say (IMO) most costumers would prefer having one company to carryout the whole job of felling and stump removal. it less hassle for them. I do more tree surgery than stumps but i don't really market myself for the stumps its more of a sideline at the moment.

 

I used to hire a handle bar type machine but soon got sick of pushing it side to side so i got as old rayco 1620 but thats now seen is day and Ive just got a bandit 2100. got the first stumps lined up tomorrow for it.

 

Its like most start up businesses, unless you have a contract you ain't going to be run off your feet straight away. it will take time to get your name about and for people to see your advertising and work.

 

Good luck with it

[little ed]

would agree with arbormaster

that customers like a service to be done by one contractor. as a result i find i get more jobs due to people giving a price for the tree and then adding on silly figures for the stump because there a middle person to it. i try and put all my stumps together then go out on a saturday morning once or twice a month dependant if they can wait, most people are fine with it.

[The Rutland Arborist]

If you've got a lot of work colleagues who are tree surgeons with out stump grinders then that would be a good start. One of my friends owns a big Rayco and does all the big stumps for me and most of the stumps for a few other tree surgeons in our area. He regularly gets 2 days a week stump grinding, and does 3 days tree surgery for someone!

So if your well networked i think it can be well worth it. People charge appx £400 per day for grinding, which is £1600 per month. That will easily soon cover the cost of the grinder. Obviously you'll have to replace teeth and wear & tear!

Stump grinders get a heck of a lot of abuse so i would think about getting a as new a one as possible.

[winger]

Cheers lads thanks for the advice:icon14:

[Peter]

Unless you know the industry and know lots of contractors I dont think stumpgrinding is quite the easy route into tree work that people sometimes seem to think it is.

It can be very hard work, contractors will expect high standards, and as you are the last operation on site a lot rides on your work.

If you intend to offer a complete service you will need more than one machine, see Stumpbusters for evidence of that. If you are offering a niche service then you need either a small portable machine such as the alpine magnum, so you can get in places where other machines cant, or you need a really powerful machine for site clearances and such where an ordinary stumpgrinder just wont cut the mustard.

Anyone can buy a pedestrian machine and a trailer and grind stumps, the question is why should anyone use your service rather than someone else's or their own machine?

[Zenfordinner]

How much do stumpbusters charge anyway? Is it per inch? Presumably they've got a minimum charge.

 

Our local Stump Buster's charges £60 +vat as a minimum call out. He is reasonably priced, and a lovely fellow to boot, most accomodating with times etc.

[Bundle 2]

I dont want to get your hopes up winger...I think alot of what is said in the posts makes good sense and sound advice. There are no guarantees in life. However, I might disagree a little with others in that I know an operator in norfolk whos work consists entirely of grinding. Having said that, he has eeked out a niche market . You must research your market ahead of time I guess.

[nickc]

There is a business for stump grinding thats all I do now.

 

You can get away with a small grinder but to be honest you will be limited to the stump you can do unless you hire in big machines and then you dont make any money. Big machines need to work all the time to make money. A lot of tree surgeon I work for would rather make money on the trees and dont seem interested in stumps or dont like doing them. I even work for some who have there own machines and would rather pass the work to me.

 

I am happy to give you more pointers if you send me a PM.

 

Cheers

 

Nick

[benedmonds]

The guy we use for big stumps, is not busy. He's been doing it for years but always talking about giving up.