How easy is it to remove a tree stump & what would you do in my situation?

IvyFlood

We inherited a large stump in our back garden but we are having landscaping done and paving will cover the area where the stump currently is. The stump needs gone asap as they are starting in 2 weeks.

It’s fairly rotten! The previous owners cut the tree down in 2007 when they bought the house so it has been decomposing since then.

Had an stump grinder person round to look at it and he quoted £240 but then went on to say he reckoned it could be dug out.

Anyway I booked them and they are coming tomorrow (Friday) but last night, after a lot of rain we've had, I started digging around it and discovered just how rotten it is and I’m starting to think that in a weekend I could possibly dig it out. Someone at work has offered to lend me a chainsaw as the ‘stump’ is still currently about 2 foot off the ground and around 60cm diameter.

I absolutely hate paying money for things I can do myself (doesn’t everyone) and I am really begrudging to pay but at the same time I remember just how much trouble I had when I attempted to remove a holly bush by myself and ended up having to call someone in to grind it out.

I’m concerned that if I cancel and attempt it myself, and I can’t do it, I’ll be a bit screwed!

grumbler

I always try to do as much as possible myself, but now, when you rushed and booked someone for tomorrow, I think it's too late to change your mind.

LV_426

I'd do that myself. What's the worst that could happen?

DanDare999

You won't need a chainsaw to remove it. Ideally it would have been about 1200mm tall.

It will involve a fair bit of heavy digging to expose and cut the roots then some effort to snap the tap root. It will also be heavy to remove it from the location.

A good few hours of hard heavy work involved.

IvyFlood

LV_426 said:

I'd do that myself. What's the worst that could happen?

Well that its still there and they can't pave over it

Eldi_Dos

Tend to agree, they have probably turned down other work to book you in for tomorrow so cancelling at this late stage is something that could stop them from earning a wage tomorrow.

If they cancel tomorrow because of bad weather come back on and you will get advice about best way to remove stump.

LV_426

IvyFlood said:

LV_426 said:

I'd do that myself. What's the worst that could happen?

Well that its still there and they can't pave over it

Then you get someone in with the right equipment. But you've reduced the amount of work they have to do.

IvyFlood

Eldi_Dos said:

Tend to agree, they have probably turned down other work to book you in for tomorrow so cancelling at this late stage is something that could stop them from earning a wage tomorrow.

If they cancel tomorrow because of bad weather come back on and you will get advice about best way to remove stump.

I doubt it. They were pretty quick to say Friday and they didn't know it was urgent. Its small job to them compared to what they are used to dealing with. 

IvyFlood

DanDare999 said:

You won't need a chainsaw to remove it. Ideally it would have been about 1200mm tall.

It will involve a fair bit of heavy digging to expose and cut the roots then some effort to snap the tap root. It will also be heavy to remove it from the location.

A good few hours of hard heavy work involved.

I'm no stranger to hard work. I have just finished digging 24 tonnes of earth and rubble from said area! Digging it out doesn't phase me at all - providing I can!

FreeBear

IvyFlood said:

DanDare999 said:

You won't need a chainsaw to remove it. Ideally it would have been about 1200mm tall.

It will involve a fair bit of heavy digging to expose and cut the roots then some effort to snap the tap root. It will also be heavy to remove it from the location.

A good few hours of hard heavy work involved.

I'm no stranger to hard work. I have just finished digging 24 tonnes of earth and rubble from said area! Digging it out doesn't phase me at all - providing I can!

When I did my patio, hired a mini-digger plus operator for the day (along with a dump truck). In the course of digging out the area, four tree stumps were also pulled out - No need for a stump grinder.

For various reasons, it turned in to a two day job, but it was still worth it in my opinion - Digging out by hand would have taken me a couple of years and wrecked my back even further.

IvyFlood

FreeBear said:

IvyFlood said:

DanDare999 said:

You won't need a chainsaw to remove it. Ideally it would have been about 1200mm tall.

It will involve a fair bit of heavy digging to expose and cut the roots then some effort to snap the tap root. It will also be heavy to remove it from the location.

A good few hours of hard heavy work involved.

I'm no stranger to hard work. I have just finished digging 24 tonnes of earth and rubble from said area! Digging it out doesn't phase me at all - providing I can!

When I did my patio, hired a mini-digger plus operator for the day (along with a dump truck). In the course of digging out the area, four tree stumps were also pulled out - No need for a stump grinder.

For various reasons, it turned in to a two day job, but it was still worth it in my opinion - Digging out by hand would have taken me a couple of years and wrecked my back even further.

Unfortunately we cant fit a digger down the side of our house (just a wheelbarrow hence the hand digging) otherwise we would have done it that way. I get what you are saying though as the attempted holly bush removal done my back in! But this stump is completely rotten - its just mushing away, and there's more rain today and tomorrow!