Jul 21, 2021
Tree Removal
There’s a good chance you’re here because you know DIY stump removal means hours of back-breaking labour, and stump grinding requires powerful commercial machinery, so we’ve rounded up the 2021 rates for professional stump grinding in your suburb.
From Highgate to Crawley, Carlisle to Cloverdale, read on to discover what this service will set you back (and how to save money along the way).
There are dozens of reasons to remove trees on your property, but they all end up with the same problem to solve - an unsightly and awkward stump that’s got to go.
The primary methods of stump removal include:
Manual stump removal
Chemical stump removal
Unfortunately, digging a stump out of the ground isn’t as easy as grabbing the nearest shovel.
Depending on the age of your recently felled trees, your stump may have a deep root system that’s connected to the ground. Similarly, opting for chemical stump removal speeds up natural degradation, but is a long-term strategy so you’ll be stuck with a decaying stump month after month.
While many Perth homeowners choose to leave their stumps, this can lead to rotting stumps that develop fungi and mould that may attract rotting wood insects and pests that infect nearby healthy trees. Plus, who wants to relax in a yard that’s crawling with bugs and pests?
No thanks.
Instead of placing your yard at risk, we recommend opting for the tree service (such as tree pruning) that clears your land for new plants and home improvement projects. It’s fast, effective, and with the help of your local Treeswest stump grinders, it’s affordable too.
Stump removal, whether manual or chemical, can be a time-consuming and labour-intensive process. Not only does this require plenty of elbow grease, but there may be damage to the surrounding landscape, which can be off-putting for Perth homeowners who’ve worked hard on their gardens.
Stump grinding is the least intensive and most economical stump removal option, which grinds the stump down below ground level (up to 300mm below ground level), covering the area with soil, and planting over it.
The benefits include:
Improve the aesthetics of your yard
Unlock extra outdoor space
Avoid tripping hazards and accidents
Protect against pests and disease
Reduce and eliminate stump sprouting
Keep in mind, it does not remove or kill the tree roots instantly which will naturally decay, but may result in stump growths and offshoots depending on the tree.
DIY approach can be appealing to Perth residents who want to save money on professional services, but you’ll always need to weigh up the risks.
But is saving a few hundred bucks worth the hard yakka and increased chance of injury?
The answer to that question will come down to your landscaping experience, but if you’re looking to grind stumps on your own, you’ll need to account for the following expenses.
TREESWEST TIP: While the above prices are estimates only, it’s also worth noting that not all stumps can be tackled with a chainsaw. If you’re unsure how to remove your unwanted stump, contact a member of our skilled arborist team to organise your FREE tree care consultation.
While the cost of removing your stump will be influenced by a range of factors (which we’ll outline below), a simple way to calculate a rough stump grinding cost is to use the following formula…
Stump Grinding Cost = Diameter of stump (cm) x 3
For example, if your stump has a diameter of 50cm, your stump removal formula would be 50 x 3 = 150.
Or, $150.
It’s also worth noting you can save money by hiring commercial stump removalists to take out multiple stumps. As equipment is heavy and takes time to set up, you can save money by bundling your services.
Looking to bundle and save? Explore our Perth tree removal and Perth palm removal services to clear your land and transform your outdoor space.
Every stump poses a unique removal challenge across size and wood density, which is why it’s important to contact a handful of commercial companies (we recommend getting 3 to 5 quotes to find the best value) and compare their rates.
The reason there’s no flat industry rate for stump removal is because each job is different. For example, the obstacles facing stump removal in your Perth backyard could include:
Underground cables, lines or pipes
Narrow site access
Difficult or sloping terrain
Nearby structures like sheds, water features or garages
Naturally, dealing with these types of issues can make your stump grinding costs go up.
There’s also no standard body to regular stump removal prices, so you’ll get wildly different quotes from one arborist to the next. While companies can set their own rates, the price is generally impacted by the following variables:
Size of the stump
Site accessibility
Number of stumps
Whether you want to remove stump roots
Let’s unpack each contributing factor to help you understand what you’ll need to pay for.
Smaller stumps are typically easier to grind than larger stumps, although this depends on the type of wood involved (e.g. hardwoods are more dense than softwoods, like palm). If your stump is from a hardwood tree it may be more difficult to grind down, meaning you’ll need to pay for more labour and possibly more heavy-duty machinery.
Tree stumps on level ground and away from your home or other structures are typically less expensive than removing a tree stump on a challenging incline, or located close to a home’s sewage or power lines. Topography is important and complex sites generally require more planning and more time on-site, leading to higher prices.
This is fairly straightforward, but the more stumps you need removed from your Perth home, the higher your cost. Additional stumps may also require extra machinery or grinding equipment to ensure the job is completed quickly and with minimal disruption, leading to higher costs.
This service typically reduces visible stumps below ground level (standard regulations limit this to 300mm below ground level). This typically doesn’t remove the root system. If you’re keen to completely remove the root system, you’ll need to budget a little extra.
Stump root systems can vary from shallow to extremely wide and deep, massive taproots to peripheral tree growth. If your stump is connected to the soil via a non-aggressive root system you’ll typically pay less than an aggressive root system that retains stored energy to facilitate future tree growth. Dealing with stumps that are still “alive” adds to the complexity of the removal, and can increase your costs.
It can be a messy process. Once your stump has been taken from the ground, don’t be surprised if your yard is coated in layers of wood chipping, with the depression in the spot your stump used to be full of mulch and organic material. Debris removal is optional, but will increase your stump removal price.
In most cases, calling in your local Perth team can cost less than doing it yourself (as renting a chainsaw or heavy-duty stump grinder can quickly add up).
Although the prices can start as low as $65 and reach up to $800 for a large, hardwood tree stump, you can save money by shopping around. Perth contractors tend to write their own tickets and set their own prices, so don’t feel pressured into accepting the first quote you receive.
At Treeswest we understand you’re looking to shop around, so we offer FREE tree care consultations to understand your landscaping needs and offer a competitive quote. We’ll come to your Perth property, assess your stump(s), and provide a fully inclusive quote to help you keep costs down, and clear your yard of unwanted stumps.
Click here to schedule your FREE tree care consultation
