Stump grinding in Solihull

Most stumps in Solihull gardens are left from one of two jobs. In Shirley, Olton and Monkspath it is usually a row of conifers taken out of a 1930s garden, leaving four or five stumps along the back fence. In Knowle, Dorridge and Hockley Heath it is more often one wide oak or ash stump from an old hedgerow tree. On the Chelmsley Wood and Kingshurst estates the stumps are smaller, but getting the machine to them is the main question.

Branch and Bramble doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local stump specialist who covers B90 to B94, B36 and B37, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.

What stump grinding costs in Solihull

Prices are by the width of the stump measured across the cut surface.

A conifer row is where the multi-stump rate matters most. Three medium stumps come to about 1.8 times the single price, not three times. A single old oak stump in Knowle is more likely to sit in the top band, because it is wide and hardwood. If the tree is coming down anyway, grinding at the same visit costs only £70, £100 or £150. The stump grinding cost guide has worked examples, including Solihull and Knowle.

What pushes the price up here

• Hardwood and buttress roots. Old field oaks in Knowle and Dorridge have wide, flared bases. They take longer than a conifer stump of the same width.
• No side gate. Where the only way through is the house, or the stump is more than 20 metres from the van, expect around 15% more. Long Knowle and Hockley Heath plots often pass 20 metres.
• Several stumps. Four or more cost about 2.5 times the single price, which suits a removed Leylandii screen.
• Tight corners. Stumps hard against a wall, a fence post or a path need slower, careful passes.
• Keeping the chip. Leaving the grindings to backfill the hole takes about £75 off.

Getting the grinder in, and what's below

Compact grinders are built for garden gates, but widths vary by machine. Measure the narrowest point on the route, including any gap between a garage and the fence, and mention steps. That one number usually decides which machine comes.

Grinding goes about 15 to 30cm down. Tell the specialist about any drains, water pipes, cables or outside lights near the stump. Our guide on whether stump grinding damages pipes and cables covers what to look for.

Front-garden stumps and new drives. Many people grind out a front stump to make room for a driveway. If a council street tree stands on the verge outside, check first. Solihull says highway trees will not be removed to allow a vehicle crossing. It also says a crossing can't be built inside the root protection area of an established street tree.

Stumps that aren't yours. A stump on a verge, in a park or on open space belongs to the council. Solihull's Forestry Team manages trees in roads, parks and open spaces, on 0121 704 8000. If the land belongs to Solihull Community Housing, SCH manages the trees on it, on 0121 717 1515.

Grindings, the green bin and Bickenhill

A stump produces more chip than people expect, and it is mixed with soil and often wet.

The green bin. Solihull's garden waste permit costs £49 for 2026/27. Its terms say crews won't empty a bin that is overweight, or one where the waste is compacted and won't fall out, and they won't come back for it. A bin packed with damp grindings can fail on both counts.

Bickenhill tip. Bickenhill, on Coventry Road, accepts garden waste, soil and wood from Solihull residents. Every visit needs a booked 15-minute slot, and slots are released daily on a rolling three-week basis. Bring proof of a Solihull address. A van or a car with a large trailer needs a permit. Bickenhill takes no trade waste, so a specialist who removes your grindings uses a licensed site instead.

Most people either leave the chip to fill the hole and top it with soil, or have it taken away. Either is normal. Just agree which before the day.

Replanting where the stump was

If the tree was a protected one, check before you lay turf. When a council gives consent to fell a protected tree and wants a replacement, it must make that a condition of the decision. A tree removed from a conservation area also carries a duty to plant another of a suitable size and species at the same place. Read your consent letter, then tell the specialist if the new tree has to go in the same spot. They can grind deeper to give it room.

Solihull has pledged to plant 250,000 trees over ten years through its Planting Our Future campaign, with help from local Tree Wardens. That covers public land, but the Love Solihull site is a good starting point if you want ideas for what to plant.

What the job involves

1. Measuring the route. You send photos of the stump with a spade for scale, and of the way in from the road.
2. Checking for services. The specialist asks about pipes and cables, and looks for manholes and meter boxes.
3. Grinding. The wheel is swept across the stump in passes, down below the surface and out along the main roots.
4. Backfilling or clearing. The hole is filled with the chip and soil mix and raked level, or the chip is bagged and taken away.

If the tree is still standing, tree removal with the stump ground at the same visit is the cheaper route. If you are building on the spot, full stump removal takes out the root plate as well.