Tree service
Stump Removal Cost Calculator
Prices stump removal, which is a bigger job than grinding and is sometimes the right one.
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, disposal and the call-out. Full removal means excavating the stump and its main root plate rather than grinding the visible portion, which needs a machine capable of lifting it, a hole to backfill, and the disposal of a large and heavy root mass. It costs several times grinding and leaves a substantial excavation, which is why it is reserved for situations where grinding is not enough.
What moves the number
- Stump diameter and the extent of the root plate.
- Machine access, since excavation needs something to reach and lift.
- What happens to the hole, including backfill material.
- Disposal of the root mass, which is heavy and bulky.
Where this one goes wrong
Grinding is the right answer for most situations and removal only where something is going into the ground. If the area is to be paved, built on, or planted with a new tree in the same position, residual roots matter and excavation may be necessary. For lawn, landscaping or simply tidiness, grinding achieves the same visible result for far less. Be clear about the excavation too: full removal leaves a hole that needs filling and settles afterwards, and a customer expecting a flat lawn immediately will be disappointed. Utility location applies before any excavation.
Before you quote
- Establish whether anything is going into the ground before recommending removal.
- Call the utility locate service before excavating.
- Explain that the hole needs backfilling and will settle.
Questions
About this calculator
What is the difference between stump removal and grinding?
Grinding reduces the visible stump to chips below grade and leaves the roots in the ground. Removal excavates the stump and main root plate, leaving a substantial hole. Removal costs several times more and is only necessary where something is going into that ground.
When do I actually need full removal?
When the area is to be paved, built on, or replanted with a new tree in the same position, because residual roots interfere with all three. For lawn, planting beds or appearance, grinding gives the same result above ground for a fraction of the cost.
What happens to the hole after removal?
It needs backfilling, and it will settle over following months as the fill consolidates and remaining organic material breaks down. A customer expecting an immediately flat lawn will be disappointed, so it is worth explaining and worth topping up later.
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.