Stump grinding in Havant

Grinding or full removal?

Grinding cuts the stump away below ground level and turns it into chippings, leaving the surrounding lawn, borders and paving largely undisturbed. Full removal means digging the stump and its main roots out, which is more disruptive but sometimes needed, for example where foundations or a new wall are going in. The right choice depends on the size of the stump, what is around it and what you want to use the space for, and we'll talk it through with you when we quote.

Getting the grinder to the stump

Plenty of Havant gardens are reached through a side gate, a narrow passage or steps, especially in terraces and semis. Access is usually the first thing we ask about. If it is tight, tell us the narrowest gap on the way in and we can normally advise what is workable and whether we need to see the site first.

Pipes, cables and drains

Stumps are often close to drains, water pipes or cables, particularly near the house or along a boundary. The Health and Safety Executive's guidance on underground services says work below ground should start with planning and with finding out what is buried there. If you know where services run, or have plans of the property, mention them when you get in touch so they can be taken into account before any grinding starts.

Stumps on the boundary

A stump that sits on, or spreads across, the boundary with a neighbour is worth talking about with them first. Government guidance on neighbour disputes says you can cut back roots and branches from a neighbour's tree only up to your property boundary. Agreeing the work beforehand saves arguments later.

Stumps from protected trees

Government guidance treats the roots of a protected tree as part of the tree. If the stump is left from a tree that had a Tree Preservation Order or stood in a conservation area, check any conditions on the council's consent first, such as planting a replacement tree, so that you plan the space around them. Our Havant TPO guide explains how to check.

Ready for what comes next

Once the stump is ground out and the arisings cleared, the ground can be reused for new planting, turf, a drive, a patio or fencing. If the stump is left over from tree work we've just done, ask us to quote for both together.

Send us these and we can quote quickly

• A photo of the stump, with something beside it for scale
• Roughly how wide it is across the top
• Photos of the way in, showing the narrowest gate or path
• Anything close by: walls, fences, paving, pipes or cables
• What you want to do with the space afterwards