So you’ve called out a professional stump grinder to get some work done on your property- what’s going to happen next? What does stump grinding look like? Today, I’m going to give a brief rundown of what our typical stump removal job looks like.
We start with a cost estimate of the stump removal job. Most people believe there’s a “flat rate” we charge for each stump completed- but it’s actually much more complicated than that. There are a lot of factors we take into account when providing a client with pricing for their specific project, including
SOIL TYPE
Many of the areas around Clayton, Smithfield, and eastern Raleigh are prone to having rocky soil, as opposed to loamy, soft dirt. More severe & rocky soils can lead to some challenges while grinding & may need a little extra attention. The soil can really change what your stump grinding will look like.
HEIGHT FROM GRADE
The height of your stump will also affect your estimate. When we measure a stump at “grade level,” it means we take into account the portion of the stump that may be buried in dirt, oftentimes looking like a mound around the base of the tree.
DIAMETER FROM GRADE
The diameter of the stump should also be measured at the base of the stump flush to the yard. This measurement gives us a good idea of the true size of the stump and eliminates any surprises during the removal.
We offer our free estimates in a variety of formats- from a scheduled in-person appointment to virtual estimates using email, Facebook Messenger, and even via. text message. This enables us to work with what’s most convenient for our clients & their busy schedules.
Scheduling is not only dependent on our availability, and our client’s schedule, but also on responsibly placing 811 Locate requests.
So many times we have been called out to properly grind a stump another contractor didn’t go deep enough on; causing a plethora of issues for the client. For a stump to be ground the right way, we have to grind the stump 6-12’’ below grade, causing potential issues with underground utilities if the appropriate due diligence isn’t completed.
We place NC811 locate requests for our clients, and keep them (and us!) safe from any potential accidents or service interruptions.
Once all locate requests are completed & scheduling has taken place, we are finally ready to get started! Thankfully, 811 requests only take about 3-4 business days to complete, so we are oftentimes able to get out within a week to begin & complete our jobs.
Here’s a job we completed for a local construction company in Benson, near the McGees crossroads area. As the listing date was fast approaching, we came in & got stumps ground to help add the perfect finishing touches to this gorgeous restored home.
Once the stump is ground, there are several options on what happens next. In most cases, we backfill the hole with grindings and leave the area looking nicely tailored & neat. Some clients, however, want all of the grindings removed, a service we offer for an additional fee. This client wanted the grindings left, and we made sure to have the area looking nice & neat for the sale of this home.
Stump Grinding looks like this…
Just like that, we’re done! Hopefully, that answers your question of what stump grinding looks like.
Most stump jobs we can complete within a day- sometimes even just a few hours. That of course all depends on size, soil type, & the number of stumps. I hope this has been informative to anyone out there looking to have stumps ground, & gives you an idea of what your average stump grinding job entails. Keep a lookout in the next couple of days, & I’ll be diving into another topic/giving another showcase of the jobs we’re completing at the moment.
Until next time,
Brent
