stump grinder:to buy or not to buy

[kimmartin]

hi i have a good sc 252 with auto sweep for sale 2001 , 850 hours from new twin wheel kit with sharp pro teeth £3900 kmstumps 01992 625987 email [email protected]

[skyhuck]

hi i have a good 252 with auto sweep for sale 2001 £3900 km stumps

 

Could be interested, where in the UK are you?

[kimmartin]

hi i live in hertfordshire j 25 m25

[Dean Lofthouse]

hi i live in hertfordshire j 25 m25

 

You might be a bit out of your confort zone going down there Skyhuck, being a country bumkin an all.

 

One thing is, at least they dont speak a foreign language, and they're not green in colour.

[kimmartin]

hi i have placed some pictures on the ad page ,also have converted the cutter belt and pullies to the later version no nasty polly chain

[kimmartin]

has any one used a predator 28 are they reliable ect

[wattie]

Dont buy one!!!!!!!

 

Always had stump grinders from a Little David for those old enough to remberber them cutting wheel at the rear to desko and now Vermeer 252 nice machine, however I think unless you price the stump work as a sep issue and not a "part of the service we offer" then its hard to make good profit given the following.

 

1; May need Trailer

2; May need extra Van,pick up,lorry to tow it

3; Need to spend hours on the grinder sharping teeth if you dont just throw them away Between £1.25 and £2.25 per each

4; If above " yet another course"

5; May have issues getting rid of stump grinder waste.

6; Cost of machine to buy as most have money tied up in lots of machines most firms tend to buy one machine and hope it fits all they work.

 

I have found over the years that yes you may not be able to arrange to get the stump ground out on the same day as the tree coming down and yes a bill does land on your desk. But with a good subbie who only carries out grinding who has various machines and forward plan it all works out and we make money

 

Exarmple; Old client - We felled five conifers one holly Total £1900 plus vat no grinding - After a few mouths the garden was going to be landscaped and stumps in the way - Quoted £800 plus vat (pop in took mins to look at) subbed out the work which cost me £400.00.

 

So given that I made £400 for almost nothing, where by if we did it Two men. Van Trailer. Wages,Fuel, running and buying cost of machine

 

Would not have cleared £400.00 profit and lads where doing what they are good at the same time " Tree Work " and earning at the same time.

 

 

A bit long winded Sorry lads:blushing:

 

Regards wattie

[Mesterh]

Exarmple; Old client - We felled five conifers one holly Total £1900 plus vat no grinding - After a few mouths the garden was going to be landscaped and stumps in the way - Quoted £800 plus vat (pop in took mins to look at) subbed out the work which cost me £400.00.

sounds like a good price (for you) 5 stumps at £800+ If only it was like that all the time

[wattie]

Was a good price big stumps, landscaper had clear all round with a mini digger so running roots and had to ground deep to change levels. also good client likes the way we work and look after them, so yes not quoteing against anyone.

 

Yes would be nice all the time but always make money when we sub it out.

 

Thats why i am thinking of saling my 252 with only around 400 hours on it.

 

Regards

 

Wattie

[THE88MAN]

Thanks for all the input on this one guys,appreciate it.as a stump grinder novice the conclusions i'm drawing are like your opinions,mixed.i hire one when i need to basically not as an extra but as a seperate job,at the end of the day i have to arrange it,collect it,look after it,fuel it and return it,so it has to be worthwhile,hardly being richard branson i do feel if i owned one i would be taking stumps on too cheap just for a bit more lolly rather than charging it out properly.gonna stick to the occasional hire for now and stick to jobs i know how to price.many thanks,steve