Stump Grinding Business? Should I?

[Bird]

In October 2005, I called a tree service from the yellow pages about taking down a big old weeping willow tree and a smaller hackberry tree. I was very pleasantly surprised when he said he lived nearby and would take both of them out for $200 some evening when he finished some other job early. He had 3 helpers and all of them obviously experienced so it didn't take them long. When I asked him about grinding the stump he said he didn't do that but had a friend who did and he'd have the friend call me. The friend called, came out a day later and ground that one big stump for $75. In visiting with him, he mentioned that his machine cost $14,000 and it was one that could hydraulically pull the wheels in close enough that he was able to go through a 4' gate with it.

 

[bontai_Joe]

The reason these machines need a LOT of maintenance, as mentioned above is the environment they run in. While grinding, they are subjected to constant intense vubration, especially if hitting stones around the roots. They are bathed in dirt and dust, the motors usually run under a heavy load and the cutters loose teeth. And this type of work requires new customers every day, because it's a once and done type of job. Even garden tilling has repeat business each year. I mention this because it is a hassle for any small starting business to generate new customers every day. Much easier to have a service that has repeat business like lawn maintenance, or gutter cleaning, or garden tilling, or house cleaning as examples.

 

[AlanB]

The reason these machines need a LOT of maintenance, as mentioned above is the environment they run in. While grinding, they are subjected to constant intense vubration, especially if hitting stones around the roots. They are bathed in dirt and dust, the motors usually run under a heavy load and the cutters loose teeth. And this type of work requires new customers every day, because it's a once and done type of job. Even garden tilling has repeat business each year. I mention this because it is a hassle for any small starting business to generate new customers every day. Much easier to have a service that has repeat business like lawn maintenance, or gutter cleaning, or garden tilling, or house cleaning as examples.

Depends who your "customer" is.

My customer would be the tree services (but I would probably deal direct with the "paying" customer)

Our true hands on experience doing it, was that people asked the tree guy how to get rid of the stump. Tree guy either gives them a price (our case where we were running for him) or hands them your card. Most folks do not want to work hard to resolve these issues. As long as you are "fairly" priced, you will have all the repeat business (from the tree services) that you can stand.

As to the size of grinder, the machine we ran was a similar design to the one you pictured, but I think it was a 40 hp deutz diesel, and even then we ran out of power.

He traded that off for one that is a trailer in itself, let me see if I can find the picture of his new one.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/95654-al-bs-house-rework-3.html

Go to post 25, pictures of the new one "in action"

He definetely likes that style better.

Good luck, I agree with Bontai Joe in that a customer base is important, I think we disagree a bit, on who and how much repeat business you will get.

I will say that the day Joey was doing mine, 3 folks drove up and asked him to do theirs while he was out that way......

Finding the work was not the problem, charging enough to make the nut on that equipment while keeping it running is.

 

[Big Al]

Off topic, but I drive by the Vermeer plant on a semi-regular basis when visiting jobs (I'm a construction manager).

Very impressive. I've always been impressed with Vermeer equipment -- I used to run a Vermeer trencher/vibratory plow when laying telephone lines in college.

 

[OKnewguy]

Man, I think this is the most replies that I have ever received from a thread I started. Thanks everyone. The arborist site has lots of good info, thanks for that reference. I have been reading up a storm on that site. Alan, that was some stump. Here in ok we have some trees that large, but not that many, probably the largest are the pine (stump wisea0, and they are soft. If I am going to do this, it will be with a smaller machine like the one pictured. If things take off, I will then look at upgrading. Bird, I feel like I know you, you really get around the site!
Again thanks for all the replies, I appreciate them all.
Dave

 

[bontai_Joe]

Alan,
I hadn't thought of hooking up with some tree guys to get work and referrals. Makes perfect sense to me to do that, now that I've read it.

 

[Todd_C]

OKnewguy,

I sold my TC 30 to a coworker, who has a stump grinding business. He has a 35hp Deutz (sp?) grinder that he uses for his side business. This unit sells for about 15k. My friend makes $65 an hour with a $100 min. There are some days that he makes 1K per day. He said he averages $300-$400 per day in the summer. He hauls everything on an 18 foot trailer and he uses the TC 30 to pull the grinder in place. He said he couldn't make a living alone with this business, but if you are willing to provide other services (landscaping/mulching/tilling) you may be able to do it.

 

[workinallthetime]

i had signs on my truck for my lawn,lanscape and tractor business never got a single call from them. most of your power companies here in oklahoma pay the homeowner when they remove a stump treea nd leace it up to the homeowner to get it done. you might be able to get with the comapny in your area and give them some business cards to help boos sales. i have 3 frinds who went through this same deal and left the stumps up to me to dig with my backhoe. craigs list is an excellent source of advertising so are the vynal signs on the side of the road especailly where they are doinfg tree removal for high line maintenance. persoanlly i would buy a skid steer and the atachment to do it from so you could get into back yards and hill sides.
good luck the money is there for the taking

 

[VABlue]

You may never get a call from the sign on your truck, but there is something to name recognition when a person is perusing the yellow pages. The more your name is seen by the public, the more business you'll get.

 

[OKnewguy]

Joe, tod, workin and blue, thanks for taking the time to reply. I have been extremely busy and had not had a chance to check the tread in a couple of days. Just out of the wood work I got 2 tile jobs and also some other general handyman stuff. Anyway, I thank you all for the food for thought, I currently am in a holding pattern, and am trying to figure out what to pursue, this handyman stuff, or the stump biz. The handyman stuff just seems to come up out of the wood work, alot of friends know that over the years I have remodeled 3 houses and now that I am somewhat free, they are wanting me to take care of odds and end projects (mostly small, kind of hire a husband type stuff). I do belief that the stump biz might have some pretty good opurtunities though. Who knows I might eventually do both, maybe between the two, it will be a good way to keep things rolling.