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Cutting down a medium sized sycamore and grinding out the stump

dominomandominoman Posts: 150
in Tools and techniques

I have a 30 foot Sycamore tree at the end of the garden that I have finally been allowed to get rid of (by my other half).

How much would it cost approximately?  And if I wanted to keep the logs would that generally cost more, or less (as it saves them taking it away)?

I'm looking forward to being able to grow some veg.  At the moment the bottom of the garden is totally shaded for most of the day.

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  • Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149

    It's not going to be cheap for sure. We were quoted £400 for a similar tree so my husband and my neighbour cut it down between them and becasue we can't get a stump grinder down the side of the house (too narrow) we found a landscape gardner who will dig it out for us by hand for £120 which I am told is very cheap.

  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 9,631

    A good tree surgeon will usually ask if you want to keep the good stuff for logs.......they will cut it into logs for you as wellimage

    I've only ever had trees "topped" so don't know the cost for your work.  Make sure you get quotes from reputable people........maybe someone in your locality can suggest a good one ?  Personal recommendation is always the best bet IMO.

  • LynLyn DevonPosts: 16,757

    I had a huge sycamore cut down, took two men three days, they took some logs, left some and chipped up all the scrap. They charged 1000.00 I had three quotes, they were the best!

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Katherine WKatherine W Posts: 410

    Here you can get a farmer to do it for free, if you are willing to give up the logs (work vs wood). But if it is in a pretty garden consider all the machinery going around... shudder.

  • Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149

    And stump grinders make a horrific mess.

  • BLTBLT Posts: 525

    Some tree surgeons make a profit from selling the wood once its seasoned.. But if you want to keep the logs, its your property so why not.. Ihad a large sycamore tree cut down as it was on council land and pushing my fence over and the shade was killing all my plants.. It was removed after a 4 yr battle. They left the stump a few inches out the ground but the did say it wouldn't grow as they had put some kind of chemical in the stump which will eventually cause the stump to rot away..

     6 yrs down the line it hasn't grown back or rotted away, but its a lot better without it...

  • dominomandominoman Posts: 150

    I've now got three quotes.  £420.  £400 + VAT.  £680 + VAT.

    I'm happy to pay 420 rather than attempt to do it myself and wipe out several parked cars, or my garage, depending on which way it fell.

    I'm in Purley, SE London

  • Pink lilyPink lily Posts: 175

    Probably a good idea to check that they have insurance incase they wipe out any cars

  • dominomandominoman Posts: 150

    There's a church next door too and I don't want to wipe out any worshippers.  Though in theory they should be protected from such things...

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Keep the logs by all means, but sycamore gives out little heat when it burns.



    I can't think of anything to recommend it dead or alive, though I understand it is nice for wood-turning.
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