Tree service
Stump Grinding Cost Calculator
Prices stump grinding, where diameter and depth set the time and access sets whether it is possible.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Hours times crew times rate, plus equipment and the call-out, with the grinding time driven by diameter and target depth. Grinding is usually priced by stump diameter measured at ground level, sometimes with a depth element, because a wider stump takes disproportionately longer and a deeper grind means more passes. Depth is specified by what the ground will be used for: a few inches suffices for appearance, more is needed for turf, and replanting in the same spot needs more again.
What moves the number
- Stump diameter at grade, which is the usual pricing basis.
- Target depth, set by what the ground will be used for.
- Access for the grinder, including gate widths and ground conditions.
- Whether chips are removed or left and the hole backfilled.
Where this one goes wrong
Rocks and buried debris destroy grinder teeth, and a stump in a rocky area or one that has had fill placed around it can cost more in teeth than the job earns. Probing before quoting, and pricing accordingly, is the protection. Buried utilities are the serious version of the same problem: a grinder cutting below grade will find a shallow service line, and the locate call applies here as much as to digging. Access is the other practical limit, since grinders are heavy and a stump behind a narrow gate or on soft ground may need a smaller machine and far longer, or may not be reachable at all.
Before you quote
- Call the utility locate service before grinding below grade.
- Probe for rock and buried debris, which destroys teeth.
- Confirm gate widths and ground conditions for the machine.
- Agree the target depth against the intended use of the ground.
Questions
About this calculator
How deep should a stump be ground?
It depends on the intended use. A few inches below grade suffices for appearance, more for establishing turf, and replanting a tree in the same position needs considerably more. Agreeing the depth against the use rather than defaulting to the minimum avoids having to return.
Do I need a utility locate for stump grinding?
Yes, because a grinder cuts below grade and will find a shallow service line. Gas, electrical, water and communications all run through ordinary gardens at depths a grinder reaches. It is free, it is required in most places, and hitting a line is a serious matter.
Why do some stumps cost more to grind?
Diameter disproportionately, plus rock and buried debris. A stump in stony ground or one that has had fill placed around it chews through grinder teeth, and that cost can exceed the job. Access matters too, since a grinder behind a narrow gate may need a smaller machine and far longer.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 5 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $145.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $60.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 5 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $145 |
| Parts and materials | $60 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $880 |
| Labour | $725 |
| Before tax | $880 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $880: $725 of labour, $60 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $73 | $520 |
| $109 | $700 |
| $145 example above | $880 |
| $218 | $1,245 |
| $290 | $1,605 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 5 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $145.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $60.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.