Stump grinding in Coventry is mostly about getting the machine to the stump. In Earlsdon, Chapelfields and Stoke many gardens sit behind terraces, reached through an alley or a covered entry. In the 1930s streets of Coundon, Radford and Wyken the stumps are often a line of old conifers along the back fence. On post-war plots in Tile Hill and Canley that back onto woodland, it may be a self-sown sycamore or ash that was cut down and left.
Branch and Bramble doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local stump specialist who covers CV1 to CV8, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.
What stump grinding costs in Coventry
Prices are by the width of the stump measured across the cut surface.
| Stump width | Indicative price |
|---|---|
| Under 30cm | £120–£180 |
| 30–60cm | £180–£280 |
| Over 60cm | £280–£400 |
In Coventry, the route in often matters as much as the stump. A 40cm conifer stump behind a Coundon semi with a side gate is a quick job. The same stump at the end of a long Earlsdon garden, reached through the house, carries the access uplift. Several stumps on one visit cost much less each. If the tree is coming down anyway, grinding at the same visit costs £70, £100 or £150. The stump grinding cost guide has worked examples.
What pushes the price up here
- No side gate. Where the grinder has to go through the house, or the stump is more than 20 metres from the van, expect around 15% more.
- Long, narrow gardens. Earlsdon and Chapelfields plots often put the stump at the far end. Every barrow of chip has to come back the same way.
- A conifer row. Two or three stumps cost about 1.8 times the single price, four or more about 2.5 times.
- Hardwood. Old oak stumps on the Arden edge of the city take longer than conifers of the same width.
- Keeping the chip. Leaving the grindings to backfill the hole takes about £75 off.
Terraces, alleys and what's under the lawn
Coventry's appraisal of the Earlsdon conservation area picks out the alleyways between, and underneath, its terraced houses as part of the area's character. They are also the route a stump grinder has to take. Measure the narrowest point and the headroom if the entry is covered, and include a photo. Compact grinders are made for garden access, but widths vary by machine. If nothing fits, the specialist will tell you before booking.
Grinding usually goes 15 to 30cm down. Older houses sometimes have drains and supply pipes in unexpected places, so tell the specialist what you know. Our guide on whether stump grinding damages pipes and cables covers what to look for.
Ash stumps. Coventry's tree strategy says ash is the city's most common tree, and that ash dieback has been identified in Coventry. If an ash was taken down because of dieback, its stump can be ground like any other. Our ash dieback guide explains the signs in trees still standing.
Council stumps. If the stump is on a verge or pavement, it's the council's. Coventry looks after trees on streets, parks, woodlands, cemeteries and churchyards, and you can report a problem online. Trees on some housing estates are managed by Citizen Housing instead.
Grindings, the brown bin and London Road
Grinding a stump leaves a heap of wood chip mixed with soil, heavier than it looks.
The brown-lidded bin. Coventry's garden waste permit costs £40 for 2026/27. The council's list of what can go in rules out tree stumps and large amounts of soil or turf. Only small twigs and branches go in. Crews also won't collect a bin that is too heavy, or where the waste is compacted.
The London Road tip. The tip on Bar Road, off London Road, accepts garden waste and wood. Soil and rubble are limited to six bags of DIY waste a day, each no heavier than 25kg. Visits are by booking only, for Coventry residents with proof of address, and staff won't help you unload. If the waste isn't from your address, you must bring the person it belongs to. So a specialist who takes your grindings away uses a licensed site instead.
Outside the city. Balsall Common, Berkswell and Meriden residents use Solihull's Bickenhill tip. Kenilworth uses the Warwickshire sites.
Most people leave some chip to fill the hole and top it with soil, and have the rest taken away. Agree which you want when you book.
Replanting where the stump was
If the tree had a TPO or stood in a conservation area, check before you turf over. A council that wants a replacement after giving consent to fell must make it a condition of the decision. A tree removed from a conservation area also carries a duty to plant another at the same place. If the new tree has to go in the same spot, ask for a deeper grind.
For a missing street tree, Coventry is part of the Trees for Streets sponsorship scheme. You can sponsor a tree for your road. The council checks the spot and, if it is suitable, plants it the following winter.
What the job involves
- Measuring the route. Send photos of the stump with a spade for scale, and of the alley, entry or gate.
- Checking for services. The specialist asks about drains and cables and looks for manholes and meter boxes.
- Grinding. The wheel is swept across the stump in passes, down below the surface and along the main roots.
- Backfilling or clearing. The hole is filled with chip and soil and raked level, or the chip is bagged and removed.
If the tree is still standing, tree removal with the stump ground at the same visit is cheaper. For building over the spot, stump removal takes out the root plate.
What to photograph for a quote
Good photos usually mean a fixed price without a visit. More photo tips.
- The whole thing, with your house or fence in shot for scale
- The base or ground level and what’s around it: walls, sheds, beds
- The route in from the road: side gate, steps, the path through
Questions about stump grinding in Coventry
Can I put stump grindings in my Coventry brown-lidded bin?
Not in any quantity. Coventry's list of what can go in the brown-lidded bin excludes tree stumps and large amounts of soil or turf. A bin that is too heavy or compacted won't be collected. Leave the chip in the hole, or have the specialist take it away.
How much soil from a ground stump will the London Road tip take?
Coventry's tip takes soil and rubble from home DIY up to six bags a day, each no more than 25kg. Garden waste and wood are accepted separately. Book a slot and bring proof of a Coventry address.
Will a stump grinder fit down the alley to my Earlsdon terrace?
Often, yes. Compact machines are built for narrow access, but they vary. Measure the narrowest width and, for a covered entry, the height, then send a photo. If nothing fits, the specialist will say so and price the alternative.
Who deals with the stump of a dead street tree outside my Coventry house?
The council. Coventry maintains trees on its streets, parks, woodlands, cemeteries and churchyards. Report it through the council's tree issue form. On some housing estates the land is Citizen Housing's, so contact your local housing office.
Can I sponsor a new street tree in Coventry where an old one came out?
Yes. Coventry takes part in Trees for Streets. You choose a spot and make a donation, the council assesses whether it is suitable, and planting happens the following winter. New street trees need watering through three summers.