Stump grinding in Portsmouth

Terraced back gardens with no side way

Many Victorian terraces in Southsea and across Portsea Island have no side passage, so the only route to the back garden is through the front door and the hall. That doesn't rule out stump grinding, but it does decide how the job is done. Measure the narrowest door or hallway on the way through, send us a photo, and we can normally advise what is workable and whether we need to see it first.

Stumps tight against walls and paving

In a compact city garden the stump is rarely in open lawn. It is more often up against a boundary wall, under a patio or next to the back of the house, where the roots have already lifted slabs or pushed at brickwork. Whether grinding or digging out is right depends on what is next to it, and we'll talk you through the options when we quote. If you know where drains or pipes run, tell us before any work starts.

Protected trees and Southsea's conservation areas

Portsmouth City Council says you need its permission before doing work to a tree with a Tree Preservation Order or a tree in a conservation area, and the city has several conservation areas in Southsea alone. If your stump is left from a tree that was felled with the council's consent, check that consent for conditions, such as planting a replacement tree, before you decide what goes in its place.

Parking and getting kit to the door

On many Portsmouth streets parking outside the house isn't a given. When you get in touch, tell us whether your street has residents' permit parking and where the nearest place to stop is, so we can plan the day.

Before you call, it helps to have

• The width of the narrowest door, hallway or gate on the way in
• A photo of the stump and what is right next to it
• Any lifted paving or cracked walls near the roots
• Where your nearest parking is, and whether your street needs a permit
• Whether the stump is from a tree the council gave consent to fell