Tree stump removal and grinding
Tree stump removal, done by grinding. We take the stump down until it is gone, ready for re-turfing, a patio base or a new fence post. The machine we bring depends on how wide your side gate is.
What it is
A stump grinder is a tracked machine with a rotating toothed wheel that chips the stump down to mulch. We grind down until the stump is fully removed, ready for a lawn to be re-turfed, a patio base to go over, or a fence post to sit beside.
The mulch that comes out of the grind fills the hole back up. You can leave it in place to rot down, or we can rake it out and take it on the truck if you want clean topsoil to return.
Stump removal or stump grinding? The same job, two words
People search for stump removal and tree surgeons say stump grinding, and it causes more confusion than it should. There are two ways to get a stump out.
Grinding chips the stump down with a rotating toothed wheel until it is gone, and fills the hole with its own mulch. It is quick, it works within a metre or two of a wall or a fence line, and it leaves the ground around it intact. This is what we do, and it is what nearly every domestic stump needs.
Digging out pulls the whole root plate with an excavator. It leaves a crater the size of the plate, it needs machine access, and on a mature stump it disturbs far more ground than the job is worth. It earns its place on cleared land where the ground is being turned over anyway, not in a lawn.
So if you have searched for tree stump removal and landed here, you are in the right place. Grinding is how the stump gets removed.
When stump removal is the right call
- You've had a tree felled and the stump is in the way of a lawn, a shed or a new fence line.
- You're selling the house and the stump is on the garden list.
- A previous owner left a row of conifer stumps along a boundary and you want to replant or rebuild.
- A stump is sprouting suckers every spring and you're tired of strimming them.
- You need clear ground for new footings or a drive.
How we do it
- Measure the access firstOur narrow-access grinder goes through an 760mm side gate. Standard machines need around 900mm plus. If we can't get through, we can sometimes strip a gate and put it back, or bring in a tracked machine on a trailer. We check before we quote.
- Locate buried servicesWe ask about cables, drains and sprinkler lines before the wheel touches anything. Customer-known services flagged in writing on the quote.
- Grind the stump out fullyReady for turf, a path base or a fence post. If you're going to build footings on it, we'll grind deeper on the quote.
- Mulch left or removedDefault is mulch left in the hole to settle. We can rake it clear and take it on the truck if you'd rather top the hole up with topsoil.
What we won't do
We won't grind a stump we can't safely reach. If the gate is too narrow and a tracked machine can't get in either, we'll say so and suggest the alternatives, usually hand-digging for a small stump or removing a fence panel for access. No surprise additions to the bill on the day.
TPOs and conservation areas
Grinding the stump of a tree that was lawfully felled doesn't normally need its own consent. If the tree was protected and still alive, the felling work itself needs Section 211 or a TPO application before any grinding happens. We handle the paperwork with your local council on your behalf.
What tree stump removal costs
We have gathered publicly available pricing so you can see the range before we visit. Below is what the main UK cost guides publish for tree stump removal, and then how we price yours.
What moves the price
- stump diameter. The guides' own rule of thumb prices by the inch for a reason.
- access for the grinder. A garden gate the machine fits through is worth real money.
- how many stumps. The second stump is always cheaper than the first; the kit is already there.
- roots near services. Grinding near drains, cables or a wall is slower, careful work.
How we price it
Priced per stump after a site visit. We won't put a menu price on stump removal, because the number moves more than a menu allows.
Two things the guides rarely mention. Species matters: conifer grinds fast, oak and elm are dense and slow, and that difference is real money on a big stump. And what's buried in the root plate matters: rocks, old concrete and forgotten wire blunt teeth, and teeth are the expensive part of the machine.
We'll put a written quote in front of you within two working days of looking at it.
See how we price every job, across tree surgery and fencing →
Reviews from tree surgery work
★★★★★“Josh has done a variety of jobs for us on several occasions. This has included helping us to manage a small woodland addressing storm damage, logging, chipping, and tree management generally. Plus a bit of hard landscaping and groundwork too! His work is always first class; tidy, efficient, on time and on budget. We are a return customer. Highly recommended!”
★★★★★“We recently had JM Tree services to carry out work on a large Oak tree and we could not be more pleased with how the work was done and how tidy they left the site when the work was done. We would highly recommend them”
Related work
Have a look at recent tree surgery jobs we've done nearby.
Tree stump removal across East Sussex
We cover about twenty miles around Heathfield, which takes in Hastings, Battle, Bexhill, Rye and the villages between. Each town page has what the ground and the trees are actually like there.
Stump grinding questions
Why does stump size change the price so much?
The guides' own rule of thumb prices by the inch, and it is honest. A wider stump is more grinding time, more teeth wear and more spoil to rake out.
Is it cheaper to grind several stumps at once?
Yes. Getting the grinder to you is a fixed cost, so the second and third stump always price better than the first. Tell us about all of them when we visit.
What's included in the price?
Grinding to below lawn level as standard, deeper if you're replanting, the spoil raked back into the hole or removed, and the lawn left tidy. Fixed in writing before we start.
Got a tree you're not sure about?
Fill in the quote form or give us a call and we'll come and have a look. No charge for the visit, no hard sell.