When purchasing a stump grinder, a buyer should consider the type of work they’re likely to get, stump grinding contractors say. For example, a company that typically does smaller scale tree work probably doesn’t need to invest in the most powerful stump grinder, which could cost more than $40,000. “Buy the right size equipment for the jobs you’re going to do,” says Shawn Cressman, president of Cressman’s Lawn & Tree Care, Hellertown, Pa. “If you can’t chip trees with a 3- or 4-foot diameter and you don’t typically cut down trees that big, then your customers aren’t going to call you to grind stumps that big, either.”
Prospective buyers should also consider the merits of hydraulic vs. manual grinders. While a manual grinder may be half the cost of a hydraulic one, it also may be less efficient, says Todd Patten, president of Professional Property Maintenance, Haymarket, Va. “The rental houses usually have all of the small ones, so you can try them out before buying one.”
For larger units that aren’t offered at rental houses, serious buyers should consider contacting manufacturers – many of them will be happy to give an on-site demonstration.
Another pointer: “You want to make sure you get one that can fit through a 36-inch gate,” Cressman says. “If you get one that’s too big for a gate you just eliminated about half of your possible customers.”
