What is the difference between grinding and removal?
Tree stump grinding shaves the stump 150 to 300mm below ground with a rotating carbide-tooth disc and leaves roots to decay over 5 to 10 years. Tree stump removal excavates the entire stump and root ball, taking 2 to 6 hours and disturbing 2 to 4 square metres of soil. Grinding finishes in 15 minutes to 2 hours; full removal needs half a day and a mini-digger for anything over 24 inches.
Grinding produces a neat pile of wood chips that backfill the hole. Removal produces a hole roughly the diameter of the canopy, plus a tonne of root mass to dispose of. Our deeper grinding vs removal comparison walks through every cost and side-effect side by side.
| Method | Time on site | Depth below ground | Soil disturbance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stump grinding | 15 min – 2 hr | 150–300mm | Contained — chip pile only |
| Full stump removal | 2 – 6 hr | 600–1200mm | 2–4 sq m excavation |
| Chemical killer | 5 min + 3–12 mo wait | Surface only | None initially; stump remains |
Which method should you choose?
Choose grinding (£85 to £300) for 90% of gardens — lawns, borders, patios, decking, parking, replanting grass. Choose full removal (£200 to £500 plus) only when replanting a new tree in the exact same spot, building foundations within 1 metre of the stump, or addressing oak-driven subsidence on shrinkable clay soil.
Three filters help you decide quickly:
- What is going there next? Lawn, paving, planting bed → grinding. New tree in the same hole → removal.
- How close are foundations? Over 2 metres away → grinding. Within 1 metre → removal.
- What species is it? Oak on clay near a wall → removal worth considering. Everything else → grinding.
For aggressive root systems (willow, poplar, sycamore suckers) some homeowners assume removal is required. In practice, grinding to 300mm plus targeted herbicide on regrowth handles 95% of these cases — at a third of the price.
What does each method cost?
UK stump grinding costs £85 to £300 per stump in 2026. Full mechanical stump removal costs £200 to £500 plus, sometimes £800 plus for large hardwoods needing a mini-digger. Chemical killers cost £10 to £40 but take 3 to 12 months to soften the wood and still leave the stump in place. Full price breakdowns by diameter, wood type, and access live on our stump grinding cost page.
| Job type | Typical UK price | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| Small stump grind (up to 12") | £85–£120 | Grind, backfill chips, sweep up |
| Medium stump grind (12–24") | £120–£200 | Grind, backfill, surface roots inc. |
| Large stump grind (24–36") | £200–£300 | Grind, backfill, full cleanup |
| Full stump removal (any size) | £200–£500+ | Excavation, root ball out, soil reinstated |
| Mini-digger removal (large oak/beech) | £500–£1,200 | Plant hire, operator, disposal |
The price difference is not arbitrary. Removal needs plant hire (£150 to £300 per day), an operator, two to three skip loads of soil and timber, and ground reinstatement. Grinding needs one machine, one operator, and a brush.
The honest recommendation
For the typical East Kent garden — lawn, border, or patio replacement — grinding is the right answer 9 times out of 10. It is cheaper, faster, less invasive, and leaves the soil structure intact. The stump is gone visually, the chips compost down within a season, and you can plant grass or paving within a week.
Full removal is the right answer only when the next thing in that exact spot is another tree or a load-bearing structure. If you are unsure which camp you fall into, send a photo and your plans for the area and we will tell you straight — including when grinding will not be enough. Get a fixed quote within the hour, no callout fee.
