How to calculate cost for stump grinding?

After cutting down a tree, the job isn’t completely done: There is still a stump left behind that needs to be removed. Cutting or sawing down a tree is a simple process but removing the stump is totally a different story. Tree stumps can be ugly and even dangerous. So stump grinding or removal should be a priority for homeowners. 

Depending on a variety of things, the stump grinding costs will vary, most notably whether you do it yourself or hire a professional.

By learning about the costs associated with stump grinding service, you will avoid unpleasant surprises later. It will also summarize the various costs related to the process, how grinding works, and the various factors that can increase or decrease the total price. Learn more about stump grinding prices with our cost guide below. This guide outlines some stump grinding cost information below.

How grinding works?

These machines, fitted with large spinning blades at the front, reduce even hardwood to sawdust. To create mulch and sawdust they grind slowly back and forth. They grind 4 to 6 inches below the ground. The grinder machine’s blades also work on the roots in the ground and clearing the area for a lawn.

After cutting down a tree, most of the people probably like to remove the stump from their yard. If you don’t, you will continuously have to mow around it. There are several different ways to remove a stump, but stump grinding is the fastest and most efficient method among them. Stump grinding is the preferable way to remove a stump, and the prices of stump grinding are depending on whether you do it yourself or professionals handle it.

DIY Stump Grinding vs. Professional Stump grinding

The first decision you need to make is whether to hire any company to remove your stump or to do it yourself. It may not seem like there is a huge difference in price between hiring professionals and renting a stump grinder. However, many important factors can influence the amount that it’s going to cost. For example, you need to keep in mind that time is money and if you would like to do your work quickly and efficiently, you need to find out the professional stump grinding company.

Professional Stump Grinding Prices:

In most cases, it is best to hire an experienced stump grinding company to grind away stumps on your lawn. It may cost more in the beginning, but imagine how much costlier it would be to rent a stump grinder first and hire a professional after you fail to grind a stump.

As per our research, the average cost to grind a stump ranges from $100 to $400. The most popular and effective method used by professionals is, to use a commercial grinder. It costs about $3 per diameter of the stump. Clearing large areas or multiple stumps takes a long time and costs about $150 an hour. 

When equipped with a commercial grinder, the actual grinding process can be a very short job, usually about 1 to 2 hours. However, the speed of the job depends on the user’s expertise and machine efficiency.

Renting a grinder for a DIY project:

The national average is around $100 to remove a stump on your own. It is slightly less than hiring a professional, but it takes an average of 3 to 4 hours to get the job done.

If you like taking things into your own hands, you might want to rent a stump grinder and remove that unsightly stump yourself. Keep a few things in mind before attempting to do so. First thing is, the stump grinder you rent probably won’t be powerful enough to handle the large stump. Rental stump grinders work best for extremely small, old, or very rotted stumps. They also do not grind very far below grade, so the result may not be exactly what you would have expected.

As far as if you rent a stump grinder for half a day you can expect to pay $75 to $150. If you need it for a full day, you will pay between $250 and $400. Is it worthwhile? That depends on how much your area’s professional stump grinding companies usually charge.

How much cost different companies charge for this service based on different criteria. For example:

By the Diameter of the Stump

If you are charged based on the diameter of the stump, you can expect to pay around $2 to $3 per inch of diameter. If you have multiple stumps in your yard, you should figure out the average diameter of the stump, multiply it by the number of stumps and then multiply that by the cost that is charged per inch. For example, if you have 50 stumps and the diameter is 10 inches, you have 500 inches to grind. If the company charges $3 per inch, your total bill will be $1,500.

By the Hour

Businesses only charge for stump grinding by the hour, if they are clearing large areas that have several stumps. The average price per hour for this heavy-duty stump grinder is about $150. Very few homeowners ever need to make use of this type of stump grinding service.

By the Stump

This is the most common way in which businesses charge for stump grinding services. To get to the total cost of stump grinding, you just need to know how many stumps need to be handled. In many cases, the company will charge around $100-$200 for the first stump and a reduced rate for the next additional stump. They might also charge $25 to $30 for each additional stump.

Mulch Cleaning:

The stump grinding process produces a large amount of mulch. In many cases, you can also reuse this mulch for compost or to bed a garden. However, professionals will clean up the mulch for you at an additional charge of around $25 a stump.

Small stumps vs. large stumps:

Large stumps take a lot of time to remove than small stumps. If you have small stumps to remove, the stump grinding company could charge by the hour rather than by the stump. The hourly cost for removing stumps is $88 to $175.

The stump grinding process is labor-intensive. On top of the time spent, the grinder rental costs are nearly the same as hiring tree services. Overall, you only save about $100 to $200 by removing them yourself. So selecting a professional Stump Grinding Jacksonville FL expert is a better option for you. If you are looking for a professional and affordable stump grinding company in Jacksonville Fl, Starke, and the surrounding area​s.