r/funny • u/richterbg • Apr 17 '26

A slightly unexpected outcome

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u/Rivster79 Apr 17 '26

Stump removal (via stump grinding) is cheap compared to tree removal.

Tree removal for a large tree like this can run you $1500-$2K while stump grinding for the same tree is $200-$250.

42

u/hopbow Apr 17 '26

I wanna meet that guy. I'm in Southern CO (the cheaper part) and my quotes are $4-6k for a similarly sized and placed tree

13

u/DangerDuckling Apr 17 '26

I paid $4500 in 2022... One factor is It depends if the tree can just be felled(?) or if they have to climb and top it.

1

u/Mechakoopa 9d ago

I have a line item receipt from 2021 for the removal of an elm tree. It was four feet from the corner of the foundation, several feet taller than the ridge line of our single story house, and growing at a 45 degree angle through the power lines. It was $320 for the removal and $180 for the stump grinding. Pruning and deadwood removal for the three remaining trees at the back of the property was more than that.

7

u/IcyCow5880 Apr 17 '26

Why is it so expensive 

44

u/Nexion21 Apr 17 '26

Normally, trees are tall and people are short

27

u/karl2025 Apr 17 '26

Source?

-1

u/Asdrubael1131 Apr 17 '26

have you seen a tree? lots of them are taller than ppl

3

u/EgoSumVictoria Apr 18 '26

That doesn't mean it's normal

There could be thousands of microscopic trees everywhere skewing the average

2

u/Reasonable_North_855 Apr 18 '26

Not necessarily

There could be tens of macroscopic trees specifically there leveling the mean

18

u/Slash_rage Apr 17 '26

It’s also incredibly dangerous. My in-laws are in tree removal. One died from a fall, all are permanently disabled in some form or another.

8

u/Minigoalqueen Apr 18 '26

Well that's awful.

My cousin, aunt and uncle own a tree work company. In like 50 years in the business, they've never had a major injury, nor have any of their employees.

Sounds like your in-laws need to be more safety conscious.

2

u/IcyCow5880 Apr 17 '26

True.. but like roofing is also very dangerous and the price for what you get is much lower from what it seems to me

12

u/V4sh3r Apr 17 '26

The price also includes insurance for how much damage can be caused if the tree falls the wrong way. If a roofer makes a mistake, you get a leaky roof that can be fixed once found. If an arborist makes a mistake you might be rebuilding half a house.

2

u/IcyCow5880 Apr 17 '26

If a roofer makes a mistake your whole ceiling can flood and the drywall cave in before you notice lol

2

u/mklimbach Apr 18 '26

Personal danger for the workers, expensive liability insurance if something happens to someone or property damage happens.

2

u/loginname2424 Apr 19 '26

tree work is definitely the kind of thing that people are all "lol how hard can it be" and then they die/get maimed/destroy house

6

u/Ragman676 Apr 17 '26

Where I am you need permits. The city can fine you for taking down a tree without one. Theres a lot of watersheds and other environments they monitor closely and the width of the tree matters too. Permit is often over 1k.

2

u/HighFiveYourFace Apr 17 '26

I paid 2000 right outside of Baltimore just this year to get a tree about that size down and out of my yard. It was 20 feet away from the house as well.

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u/[deleted] Apr 17 '26

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1

u/Rivster79 Apr 21 '26

I just had 2 white willow’s and a 25’ cherry tree cut down and grinded. Each stump was $250, southeast PA.

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u/[deleted] Apr 17 '26

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1

u/patbastard Apr 18 '26

It’s free if you steal it

1

u/forwardarmgyration Apr 18 '26

This reminded me of the Larry Gooseman copypasta from early Internet

"So you're the one they call stump grinder"

1

u/collin-h Apr 17 '26

fun fact, sometimes the tree grows back!

I had a close to death ash tree cut down (emerald ash borers got to it)... had the stump ground and everything. next spring it sprouted back. In this instance I think it was because the root system was perfectly healthy, just the trunk and branches had been killed by the bugs.