climbhightree
Branched out member
- Location
- Lebanon, Pa USA
Yeah right. Then why do I have to check on my jobs, after employees "finish" it (at least for awhile). Or get called out to re grind and reclean up someone's else incomplete work.
Is there any money in stump grinding??....
- Thread starter Sfoppema
- Start date
Yeah right. Then why do I have to check on my jobs, after employees "finish" it (at least for awhile). Or get called out to re grind and reclean up someone's else incomplete work.
Fivepoints
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- East of Huntsville, AL
I think he was talking about from a customer's prospective. Every customer knows when someone doesn't do a good job cleaning up.
VenasNursery
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Michigan
Hey not my employees and I do all my own grinding and haven’t been called back out in 3 years My old number 1 would do my grinding and 1 out of 20 jobs I too would have to go back. Lazy in a hurry or just flat stupid maybe all 3 he was!
Gorman
Branched out member
- Location
- Rhode Island
If you want to make money grinding you need a big grinder on a trailer with a mini. One or two guys blow through big stumps. Two man stump crew could gross 3k a day plus. But that usually comes with an operation that is producing lots of stumps from crane removals. Mucho production.
Luzl78
Participating member
- Location
- Colts neck
I have an old Vermeer tow behind. Just today stopped by my local bobcat dealer and got a price for a rg55 gas for 45,000 with remote or 43,000 without. It’s just ridiculous how much it costs for not much of a machine. Just so it finishes a job.
Old thread, but it peaked my interest.
I offer stump grinding with removals as long as it is able to be done at my convenience. When I have enough banked up, I just pound them out. I use a rental RG37, normally at a weekend rate. If the customer really wants it done in a rush, I will do it, but the customer absorbs the full rental fee and time. They usually decide patience is worth it, or they call someone else for the stump. (I rarely lose the tree removal based on not being able to complete the stump.)
As for cleanup, I get rid of excess stump chips only. I will get rid of the pile, but I don't dig out the hole more than a couple inches. Final grade and landscaping is the customer's responsibility. I do make sure the customer understands that the area will settle quite a bit and plan accordingly.
I offer stump grinding with removals as long as it is able to be done at my convenience. When I have enough banked up, I just pound them out. I use a rental RG37, normally at a weekend rate. If the customer really wants it done in a rush, I will do it, but the customer absorbs the full rental fee and time. They usually decide patience is worth it, or they call someone else for the stump. (I rarely lose the tree removal based on not being able to complete the stump.)
As for cleanup, I get rid of excess stump chips only. I will get rid of the pile, but I don't dig out the hole more than a couple inches. Final grade and landscaping is the customer's responsibility. I do make sure the customer understands that the area will settle quite a bit and plan accordingly.
Imo stump grinding isnt profitable. It makes getting to removal job more streamlined. I generally dont just do stump grinding. Hard to get proper money. By the time i do the estimate and send my guy or myself to do the job its low margin. Example 30" stump at ground level for $300, thats $10 per inch which is high for around here. Thats 2 hours to grind and clean up not to mention drive time. Not good margin, especially if i do it. I think you need a big grinder and do alot in 1 day to make money. And the final kicker, always hitting irragation and other crap that takes time to fix. I know you guys will say put it in your contract that it is the customers responsiblity to fix unseen things. But that doesnt sit well leaving a big mess of broken irrigation, landscape fab and wire for the customer to deal with. In general just a big hassle.
VenasNursery
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Michigan
If you couldn’t make money with a stump grinder no one would build or purchase them
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
That’s for sure. We have found stump grinding to be the most profitable service we offer; I ground all day today actually - in a ten hour day, I did $2450 gross by myself. That’s comparable to what a decent four man climber crew in this area typically does.
VenasNursery
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Michigan
Good day of good grinding
just not enough of them
But average $1200 to $2000 a week with full removals
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
That was a very good day of good grinding. We usually average $1600/day of grinding, with no cleanup - we have partnered with a small local landscaper to do our cleanups and mulching/seeding; its much more cost effective for us than to send our guys out to shovel wood chips all day.
Does the landscaper do the clean up for free? $1600 is that before or after you pay for the clean up.
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
He does not do it for free, we bill separately for it when someone wants it. Many of our customers do not, although it is always an option on the quote. The $1600 is before cleanups, that is only grinding.
Serf Life
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Maine Island
My sub is $250 minimum and there are a number of outfits. Relatively low overhead, and good for low physical strain, but so damn boring. For you folks with crews it seems like leaving money on the table to not have one though.
Thats a good idea. The clean up is tedious and time consuming. I plan on buying a much bigger grinder so maybe that will cut time and bring profitability up.
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
Cleanup is terribly time consuming, and for us, with paying a crew to do it, our insurance rates make us charge too much to be competitive.
A much bigger grinder should make a tremendous difference, more work in less time will greatly increase your profitability if you plan things correctly.
We do not grind stumps at the same time as we remove a tree, the grinder goes out separately later on. We group stumps together So that we can do a full day of grinding in one area and cut down on time wasted driving too. Our service are is quite large, about 50 miles or so from one side to another, so grouping stumps together makes a big difference too.
I have a guy that just does stumps. I keep plenty of his cards in my briefcase and hand one out with removal estimates or if someone asks. I have a grinder but very seldom take it out. It takes an extra trip and I can make way more just going to the next job. If one tree service in the state advertises "free stump grinding with every removal" then customers hear about that and expect it from everyone. And we all know nothing is free. I would rather be honest with them and just charge for the tree and not an inflated price and do the "free" stump.
Gorman
Branched out member
- Location
- Rhode Island
Know your area! Around here you’d live on ramen. Not much money in stumps but other areas there is.
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
Make sure there is a market for it in your area - perhaps rent a grinder a while to see how it goes, that way you’ll know if you can make a profit on it, or if it’s not worth the extra expense.
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
I recommend not “investing” your money at a casino. I also recommend not using TreeBuzz as a place to post back links to unrelated websites. Around here that is called spam.
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