The short answer
Stump grinding is priced mostly by the stump's width. A Victorian tree service's cost guide puts a small stump at $100 to $200, a medium one at $200 to $350 and a large one at $350 to $500, with a rule of thumb of $3 to $4.50 per centimetre across. Minimum call-out charges make a single small stump the dearest per centimetre.
Stump grinding cost by size
We price stumps once we've seen them. As a guide, these are the published prices of a tree service that covers Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Published stump grinding prices, Victoria
| Stump | Published price | Who publishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Small stump, under 30 cm across | $100 – $200 | Milone's Tree Solutions, Victoria |
| Medium stump, 30–60 cm | $200 – $350 | Milone's Tree Solutions, Victoria |
| Large stump, 60–100 cm | $350 – $500 | Milone's Tree Solutions, Victoria |
| Extra-large stump, over 100 cm | $500 – $900+ | Milone's Tree Solutions, Victoria |
| Rule of thumb, per cm of stump diameter | $3 – $4.50 | Milone's Tree Solutions, Victoria |
| Minimum call-out, Melbourne metro | Typically $180 – $220 | Milone's Tree Solutions, Victoria |
Average costs published by a Melbourne and regional Victorian tree service in its cost guide (updated 20 July 2026), checked 27 September 2026. It doesn't say whether GST is included, and the call-out figure is for Melbourne. We couldn't find a Bendigo tree business that publishes one.
How to measure your stump
Measure straight across the widest part of the cut surface, in centimetres, and include any big roots flaring out at ground level. Take a photo with the tape in shot. At the rule-of-thumb rate, a 50 cm stump works out at $150 to $225 by our arithmetic (50 × $3 and 50 × $4.50), before any minimum call-out.
What changes the price
- Several stumps. One visit for several stumps spreads the minimum call-out.
- Depth. A deeper grind for replanting or a garden bed takes longer than grinding below the lawn.
- Surface roots. Chasing roots across the lawn is extra work; we show it on the quote.
- Access. Compact grinders fit through many side gates, but not all. Measure the narrowest point.
- Stony ground. Rocks around the stump blunt grinder teeth and slow the job.
- Grindings. Leaving them to rake back in is cheapest; taking them away costs more.
Grinding or full stump removal?
Grinding chews the stump down below ground and leaves the roots to rot. It suits lawns, gardens and replanting. Full removal digs out the stump and its main roots, which costs more and leaves a bigger hole, and is mainly needed before building a slab or paving. See stump grinding in Bendigo for depth by what's going there next.
Common questions
How much does stump grinding cost?
A Victorian tree service's cost guide puts a small stump (under 30 cm across) at $100 to $200, a medium stump (30 to 60 cm) at $200 to $350 and a large stump (60 to 100 cm) at $350 to $500 (checked 27 September 2026). No Bendigo tree service we checked publishes a stump price.
How is stump grinding priced?
Mostly by the stump's diameter. The same Victorian guide gives a rule of thumb of $3 to $4.50 per centimetre of diameter, and mentions minimum call-out fees, typically $180 to $220 in metropolitan Melbourne. Several stumps in one visit spread that minimum.
Is stump removal more expensive than grinding?
Usually, because digging or pulling out the stump and its main roots is slower and leaves a bigger hole to fill. Grinding below ground level is enough for lawn and most gardens; removal is mainly for building, slabs and paving.
Is stump grinding included when a tree is removed?
We show it as its own line on the quote, so you can choose. As a guide, the one Bendigo tree business that publishes prices says grinding is priced separately from removal, and a national guide puts a stump at an extra $100 to $400 when added to a removal.
Can I take the stump to the tip?
The City of Greater Bendigo's free domestic green waste doesn't cover tree stumps: loads with stumps are charged at Eaglehawk Landfill, and the recycling centres don't take them under the free green waste exemption.
Where these figures come from
The prices and rules on this page come from these published pages, checked on 27 September 2026.
- Milone's Tree Solutions: stump removal and grinding costs · Melbourne and regional Victoria tree service, cost guide updated 20 July 2026
- hipages: how much does tree removal cost · National trades marketplace cost guide, updated 22 January 2026
- TB'S Trees: instant quote, set prices · Bendigo tree service, published set prices by tree size
- City of Greater Bendigo: Eaglehawk Landfill · Council green waste rules and fees
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: giving quotes, tradespeople and small works · Victorian Government guidance on what a quote should say, updated 8 July 2025
