That stump is a tripping hazard, a mower killer, and a nursery for carpenter ants. Grinding takes about an hour and you get your yard back.
Almost everyone in this market prices per inch of stump diameter, measured at the widest point at ground level. Expect $3 to $6 per inch with a minimum charge around $150. A 24 inch maple stump is roughly $100 to $150 in pure grinding cost, so the minimum usually applies. Big multi-stem stumps, stumps on a slope, and stumps you can only reach through a 36 inch gate cost more because the machine has to be smaller or hand-walked in.
A pile of wood chips mixed with dirt, roughly two to three times the volume of the original stump. Standard practice is to backfill the hole with those grindings and tamp it. If you plan to plant grass or a new tree in that exact spot, ask us to haul the grindings and bring in topsoil instead, because chips tie up nitrogen while they break down.
Grinding cuts the stump below grade and leaves the root system to rot in place. Full excavation pulls the root ball out and leaves a crater. Grinding is cheaper, faster, and does not wreck your yard. Full removal only makes sense if you are pouring concrete or building on the spot.
Before you hire anyone: ask for a certificate of insurance showing both general liability and workers compensation, and get the estimate in writing. Those two things filter out most of the problems people run into with tree companies.
Send a photo and a few details. Most quotes back same day.
Most residential stumps run $150 to $400. Pricing is typically $3 to $6 per inch of diameter with a $150 minimum. Very large or hard to access stumps can reach $700.
Yes, but ask us to remove the grindings and backfill with topsoil first. Wood chips pull nitrogen out of the soil as they decompose and grass will struggle for a season or two if you seed straight into them.
No. Once the stump is ground below grade the root system has no leaves feeding it and it dies. A few species like poplar and locust can send up suckers from surface roots for a season. Those are easy to mow off.
Free estimate, no obligation. Call or send photos and we will give you a real number.