Stumps in this patch come in two sizes. In Edgbaston, they're often wide and old, left from a plane, lime or horse chestnut, with surface roots spreading across a lawn. In Bearwood and Smethwick, they're usually a sycamore or conifer cut down in a small back garden behind a terrace. The grinding is similar. Getting the machine there, avoiding the drains and dealing with the chippings is what differs.
Branch and Bramble doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local tree surgeon who covers B15, B16, B17, B32, B66, B67 and B68, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.
What stump grinding costs in Edgbaston and Harborne
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 |
The stump grinding cost guide uses a 25cm conifer stump in a Harborne garden with a side gate as an example: about £150–£180 once the minimum charge applies. A broad hardwood stump in Edgbaston is more likely to sit in the top band. Where a conifer screen has come out, say along a Quinton or Oldbury boundary, four or more stumps cost about 2.5 times the single price, not four times.
What pushes the price up here
- Big old hardwood stumps. Oak, lime and chestnut take longer to grind than conifer, and buttress roots at the surface add time.
- No rear access. Bearwood and Smethwick terraces often have no side gate. If the grinder goes through the house, or the stump is more than 20 metres from where the van parks, expect around 15% more.
- Narrow roads. Most Moor Pool streets were built 4.9 metres wide, so parking the van and trailer close by isn't always possible.
- Stony and clay ground. The council's Moor Pool appraisal describes sand and gravel under most of the estate, with boulder clay higher up. Stones wear the grinder's teeth.
- Several stumps. Two or three cost about 1.8 times one stump.
- Keeping the grindings. Leaving the chip on site takes about £75 off.
Drains, access and the chippings
Shared drains in Moor Pool. The council's 2012 Moor Pool appraisal records that the estate was built with combined sewers, with one connection linking several houses to the main sewer. A drain near your stump may serve next door too. Tell the specialist what you know, and see our guide on stump grinding and pipes.
Getting through. Compact grinders fit a standard side gate. Some Moor Pool houses back onto allotments reached by narrow passageways, and Bearwood terraces have tight entries, so measure the tightest point on the route and send a photo.
The chippings in Sandwell. Sandwell's brown bin costs £40 for 2026, but the council's garden waste page says soil, turf and timber can't go in it. The tip on Shidas Lane has a skip for wood, but soil is limited to eight bags or 200kg a month, and vans or cars with trailers get one booking every four weeks. Grindings are a mix of wood and soil, so ask the specialist to take them, or keep them as mulch.
The chippings in Birmingham. Edgbaston, Harborne and Quinton have no council brown bin at the moment, because Birmingham's garden waste service is suspended. Kings Norton tip is open but bans vans and trailers during its redevelopment.
Replacing the tree
On the Calthorpe Estate, the Residents' Handbook says the Scheme of Management may require you to replace a felled tree with a good quality, suitable species. It also advises that a tree surgeon's quote should say what will happen to the stump, and set out the plan for any replacement. If a tree came down with the estate's consent, check where the new one is to go before the stump is ground and turfed.
Where a protected tree was felled with council consent, a replacement may also be a condition. Check the decision notice first.
What the job involves
- Route and services. The specialist confirms the narrowest gap, any steps, and where drains and cables run.
- Cutting low. A tall stump is chainsawed close to the ground first.
- Grinding. The wheel works across the stump to 15–30cm below ground and out along the surface roots, with screens up near glass and cars.
- Backfilling. The hole is filled with the chip and soil mix and levelled. Extra chip is bagged and taken away, or left for you.
If the tree is still standing, grinding at the same visit as the tree removal costs less. For a stump where you're building, stump removal may be needed instead.
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 Edgbaston & Harborne
Could grinding a stump in Moor Pool damage my neighbour's drain?
It's possible if a drain runs right under the stump. The council's appraisal says the estate was built with combined sewers, one connection serving several houses, so drains near the stump may be shared. Tell the specialist where you think they run so they can plan the grind around them.
Can I put stump grindings in my Sandwell garden waste bin?
Not really. Sandwell says soil, turf and timber can't go in the garden waste bin, and grindings are a mix of wood chip and soil. Use them as mulch, or ask the specialist to take them away.
Does the Calthorpe Estate need to know before I grind out a stump?
The handbook doesn't mention grinding an existing stump. But if the tree was felled with the estate's consent and it asked for a replacement, agree where the new tree goes first. If in doubt, ask the estate's managing agent.
Can I take a trailer of grindings to Shidas Lane from Smethwick?
Yes, if you live in Sandwell and have booked. A car with a trailer gets one booking every four weeks, and the soil limit is eight bags or 200kg a month. Bring ID for the address the waste came from, or you'll be turned away.