You get a free stump quote with any removal we do, and we grind stumps left behind by somebody else too — including old ones that have been sitting for years.
What's included
- Utility locate before the machine turns, because irrigation, invisible fence, and gas lines all live at stump depth.
- Grinding 6 to 10 inches below grade, deeper if you plan to replant in the same hole.
- Surface roots ground out where they lift the lawn or the walkway.
- Grindings hauled off, or backfilled and tamped if you want the hole filled.
- Topsoil finish available so the spot is ready to seed.
- Beds and lawn raked, hardscape blown clean.
What it costs
Stump work is priced by diameter at ground level plus access, and small stumps in a batch cost much less each.
$95 – $450 per stump, with volume pricing on multiple stumps
What moves the number:
- Diameter measured across the stump at grade, not the tree's old height.
- How high the stump was left by whoever cut it.
- Gate width and slope — a machine that cannot reach the backyard changes the job.
- Rock, old fill, and construction debris in the soil, which are hard on teeth.
- Whether you want chips hauled away or the hole backfilled and topsoiled.
Red clay, rock, and irrigation
Wake County red clay grinds fine but holds water, so a hole left open turns into a puddle. Newer Apex and Holly Springs subdivisions also tend to have irrigation heads and invisible dog fence within inches of the stump, and older lots hide construction fill. We probe and mark before grinding rather than finding out the expensive way.
Questions about stump grinding
What is the difference between stump grinding and stump removal?
Grinding chews the stump into mulch below grade and leaves the deep root mass to rot naturally. Full removal excavates the root ball, which means a machine, a large hole, and a much bigger bill. For almost every homeowner, grinding is the right answer.
Can I plant a new tree in the same spot?
Not directly in the grindings — they are mostly wood and will rob nitrogen as they break down. We can grind deeper, remove the chips, and backfill with topsoil so a new tree has real soil to start in. Shifting a few feet over is easier still.
Will the roots keep growing after grinding?
No. Once the stump is ground below grade the tree cannot make new leaves, so the root system dies and decays over the next few years. Species that sucker, like Bradford pear or sweetgum, may push shoots for a season — mowing handles them.
How big a mess does grinding make?
A grinder throws chips, so we set mats or plywood around the stump and blow everything down afterward. The chip pile from a large stump is bigger than people expect, which is why we ask up front whether it leaves with us or stays as mulch.