A cut-flush stump is a trip hazard, a regrowth nursery and a mower-killer. Worse, it can sprout for years, willows, gums and most natives will resprout vigorously from a fresh stump. Grinding it out below grade ends that.
What stump grinding actually involves
A stump grinder is a wheel-mounted machine with a high-speed cutting wheel that chews the stump and surface roots into chips. We bring the right size machine for your site:
- Compact grinder: fits through a standard 80cm gate; right for backyard stumps in tight access.
- Self-propelled grinder: fast through medium and large stumps with reasonable access.
- Tracked / remote grinder: handles big stumps and rough ground, can crawl up driveways and through narrow side accesses.
Grind depth, how deep is enough?
- Surface grind (~50mm below grade). Cheapest. Fine if you're not replanting in the same spot and don't mind seeing mounded chip for a season.
- Standard grind (200–300mm). Our default, deep enough for replanting trees, laying new turf, or putting in garden beds.
- Deep grind (400mm+). Needed for paving, decking, foundation work or driveway construction. We'll grind as deep as your build requires and chase out the lateral roots.
What we leave behind
- By default: a hole filled with chip, raked level. Cheap, no extra trips.
- Optional: chip removed, hole backfilled with topsoil, seeded or left ready for turf.
- Optional: chip drop-back as mulch on your garden beds.
Cost of stump grinding in NZ
Price depends on stump diameter, species (hardwoods take longer), grind depth, surface roots, access and whether chip is being removed. Most residential single-stump jobs in NZ fall in a $180–$600 range, but big multi-trunk gums on tight sites can be more.
If you're getting tree removal at the same time, bundling the stump grind in usually saves on call-out costs. See our tree removal page.