New to stump grinding, have a few questions...

[Bafisher1986]

I just recently bought a Vermeer 252. I just started getting jobs and I have a few basic questions.

- How low do you take the stumps on average? 6 Inches down? If you go 6" and still see wood, do you take it lower?

- How do most people price stump grinding? By the foot or just by how long they think it will take? I understand everyone is different, just curious what people think and why.

- I've only done ash and oak so far. How do the softer woods grind such as pine or birch?

- What has been successful as far as trying to advertise? Advertising is expensive and I know not all if it is effective. What seems to work best?

I appreciate any info I can get. Thanks in advance.

 

[CanopyGorilla]

Company I work for charges by the inch. About $10 an inch give or take. Probly not driving out to a 3" stump for $30 bucks though. City of Missoula stumps we go 8" below grade, some houses we just go barely enough to get some dirt and grass on. Soft wood is softer.
Edited to add that we are mostly doing the removals before the stump grinding. And birch is a hardwood

 

[jefflovstrom]

I just recently bought a Vermeer 252. I just started getting jobs and I have a few basic questions.

- How low do you take the stumps on average? 6 Inches down? If you go 6" and still see wood, do you take it lower?

- How do most people price stump grinding? By the foot or just by how long they think it will take? I understand everyone is different, just curious what people think and why.

- I've only done ash and oak so far. How do the softer woods grind such as pine or birch?

- What has been successful as far as trying to advertise? Advertising is expensive and I know not all if it is effective. What seems to work best?

I appreciate any info I can get. Thanks in advance.

Since you post here in the 'pro' forum I will say what I want.
You start a business that you do not now how to run. You come here to ask how to run your business, and worst of all you have a crappy grinder.
Jeff

 

[Oldmaple]

Thread better placed in Arborist 101 but I'll put my 2 cents in anyway. I do mine more by time. Travel will kill you if you are doing a lot of little stumps by the inch and have to travel for each job. Have to have a minimum. If pricing by the inch entirely you will probably be high on a job with a lot of smaller stumps which might suit your grinder better than one big one. The first stump on a property is the one with all your travel costs.

 

[OLD OAK]

I just recently bought a Vermeer 252. I just started getting jobs and I have a few basic questions.

- How low do you take the stumps on average? 6 Inches down? If you go 6" and still see wood, do you take it lower?

- How do most people price stump grinding? By the foot or just by how long they think it will take? I understand everyone is different, just curious what people think and why.

- I've only done ash and oak so far. How do the softer woods grind such as pine or birch?

- What has been successful as far as trying to advertise? Advertising is expensive and I know not all if it is effective. What seems to work best?

I appreciate any info I can get. Thanks in advance.

#1 Your grinder is to small to be productive. i have the super jr 1625 with green teeth and it is slow. We only use it after we do removals.
#2 Around here most people charge by the inch. Although i know one ******** that will grind any stump for $25.00 #3 - 6 to 8 inch down seems good to me #4 Softer wood in good to have with a small grinder, try the green teeth it helped mine. #5 Newspaper add has worked for us, not great but overall ok.

 

[flushcut]

I just recently bought a Vermeer 252. I just started getting jobs and I have a few basic questions.

- How low do you take the stumps on average? 6 Inches down? If you go 6" and still see wood, do you take it lower?

- How do most people price stump grinding? By the foot or just by how long they think it will take? I understand everyone is different, just curious what people think and why.

- I've only done ash and oak so far. How do the softer woods grind such as pine or birch?

- What has been successful as far as trying to advertise? Advertising is expensive and I know not all if it is effective. What seems to work best?

I appreciate any info I can get. Thanks in advance.

First off sharp teeth are an absolute must with a small machine like a 252. I had one and sharpened the teeth almost after every other stump barring rocks. $3-3.50 per inch is a good target for stumps under 36" and you need to be around $4-6 an inch for stumps 36" and larger with the 252 to make any real money.

 

[rlsaloga]

Need Help

I have a tree service business in San Bernardino, CA I am looking for a tree service business in a non competing area of Southern California that I could ask some business questions about stump grinding.
Specifically, how much do you charge per inch or do you use a different method of charging?
What is your minimum charge?
How much do you charge for other things such as distance, ease of access, slopes, hills, being close to other trees or buildings?
What do you do about sprinklers that get damaged when stump grinding?
I have had a stump grinder for several years but only used it in connection with tree removals and I would now like to get some stump grinding only jobs.
Thank you. I appreciate your help.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Since you post here in the 'pro' forum I will say what I want.
You start a business that you do not now how to run. You come here to ask how to run your business, and worst of all you have a crappy grinder.
Jeff

:yourock:

 

[KenJax Tree]

Ok Jeff our towables are Bandit 3200 and self-prop are Bandit 2550xp are these up to your Cali high standards:msp_smile:

 

[jefflovstrom]

Ok Jeff our towables are Bandit 3200 and self-prop are Bandit 2550xp are these up to your Cali high standards:msp_smile:

Cool, our 672 is blown,, gonna get a demo tomorrow from Rayco, 4x4, remote, 31"cutter. I went and posted 'no parking' this am.
Jeff

 

[KenJax Tree]

I like Rayco grinders too

 

[jefflovstrom]

I like Rayco grinders too

I am unfamiliar with them, until tomorrow. Also looking at a Carlton 7500.
Jeff