How Much Does Tree Stump Grinding Cost? 2026 Pricing Guide

A stump is the tree's parting gift. It survived the removal, the cleanup, and your hopes of a flat yard. Now it sits there like a lawn ornament nobody asked for, and you are wondering what it costs to make it disappear.

Tree stump grinding costs $100 to $500 for a typical residential stump. The average job we do in Middlesex County runs about $150 to $300. Multiple stumps, tight access, or hardwood species push the price up. A single small stump in an open yard is on the low end. We quote one flat price after seeing the stump. That is the price. No surprises.

Stump Grinding Cost by Size

Stump Diameter	Typical Cost	Time to Grind
Under 12 inches	$100 – $175	10–20 minutes
12 to 18 inches	$150 – $275	20–35 minutes
18 to 24 inches	$225 – $375	30–50 minutes
24 to 36 inches	$300 – $500	45–75 minutes
36+ inches (large oak, maple)	$400 – $700+	1–2 hours

Diameter is measured at the widest point of the stump, at ground level. A 24-inch stump is about two feet across — roughly the width of a standard doorway. If you are not sure of the size, do not worry about measuring. We eyeball it every day.

What Affects the Price?

Stump Diameter

This is the single biggest factor. A 12-inch stump is a quick job. A 36-inch white oak stump takes real time and wears down the teeth on the grinding wheel. The price scales with diameter, not linearly but close.

Wood Species

Softwoods like pine and spruce grind fast. Hardwoods like oak, maple, and hickory take longer and dull the grinding teeth faster. An oak stump the same diameter as a pine stump can cost 20 to 30 percent more because of the extra time and wear on the equipment.

Access

Can we get the grinder to the stump? A stump next to the driveway in Billerica is straight forward. A stump in a fenced backyard in Lowell with a 36-inch gate means we bring a smaller machine, which takes longer. A stump on a slope in Carlisle or behind a retaining wall in Lexington adds setup time. We have the right equipment for most situations, but tight access affects the price.

Number of Stumps

Multiple stumps on the same property get a volume discount. The setup and travel time is already paid for on the first stump. Each additional stump is cheaper because we are already there with the machine running. If you had three trees removed and all three stumps need grinding, the per-stump price drops.

Root Flare and Surface Roots

Some stumps have a wide root flare — the bulge where the trunk meets the roots. Grinding the flare takes extra passes. Surface roots that run across the yard add time if you want those ground down too. We can leave the surface roots if they are not in the way, or grind them for an additional cost.

Depth

Our standard grind goes 6 to 12 inches below the surrounding grade. That is deep enough to plant grass, lay sod, or put in garden beds. If you need deeper — say, for a patio, walkway, or foundation — we can go deeper, but it takes more time and costs more. Most homeowners do not need more than 6 inches below grade.

Bundle It with Tree Removal and Save

If we are already at your property for a tree removal, grinding the stump the same day is the smart play. We are already there. The equipment is already loaded. The truck is already in your driveway. Bundled stump grinding with a tree removal is typically 15 to 25 percent cheaper than scheduling a separate visit.

We quote the bundle price before we start cutting. You know the total — removal plus grinding — before the chainsaw starts. No surprises.

Stump Grinding vs. Full Stump Removal: The Cost Difference

These are two different operations with very different price tags.

Stump grinding chips the stump into pieces below ground level. The root system stays in the ground and decomposes naturally over 5 to 10 years. Cost: $100 to $500 for most residential stumps. Fast, clean, minimal yard damage. This is what 9 out of 10 homeowners choose.

Full stump removal means digging out the entire stump plus the root ball. Requires an excavator or heavy equipment. Leaves a large hole. Cost: $400 to $800 or more, sometimes over $1,000 for large trees. This is only necessary when you are building a foundation, pouring a slab, or installing something structural over the stump site.

For a detailed comparison, see our stump grinding vs. full removal guide.

Why Stump Grinding Is Almost Always the Right Call

I have been grinding stumps since 1995. In thirty years, the vast majority of residential stumps should be ground, not extracted. Here is why:

It is faster. A typical stump takes 15 to 60 minutes. Full extraction takes 1 to 3 hours plus cleanup and backfill.

It is cheaper. Grinding costs a third to half of what extraction costs.

It does less damage. Grinding uses a compact machine that fits in most backyards. Extraction requires an excavator that tears up the lawn, the landscaping, and possibly the fence.

The result is the same for most uses. After grinding, you fill the hole with the wood chips mixed with soil, top it off, and plant grass. Within a season, you cannot tell the stump was ever there. Unless you are building a structure over the spot, grinding gives you everything you need.

Our stump grinding cost and process guide has the full breakdown of what happens during and after the grind.

What About DIY Stump Grinding?

You can rent a stump grinder from Home Depot or a local equipment rental shop for $200 to $400 per day. I am going to be straight with you — it is usually not worth it.

Rental machines are smaller and less powerful than what we use. A stump that takes us 20 minutes can take you 3 hours with a rental unit. The machine throws debris at high speed. Rocks become projectiles. Without experience, you risk damaging the machine, your property, or yourself. We had a customer in Tewksbury who rented a grinder, burned out the clutch on a 24-inch oak stump, and called us to finish the job. His total cost — rental fee plus our service call — was more than hiring us from the start.

Our stump grinding rental vs. professional guide covers the full cost comparison if you are weighing the DIY option.

How to Get an Accurate Stump Grinding Estimate

The best way to get an accurate price is to have someone look at the stump in person. Phone quotes and online calculators give you a range, but the real price depends on what we see when we get there — the actual diameter, the wood type, the access, and whether there are surface roots or obstacles nearby.

When we come out for an estimate, we measure the stump, check the access, and give you one flat price. If you have multiple stumps, we price them all at once. The quote is in writing and it does not change after the job is done.

If someone quotes you stump grinding without seeing the stump, that number is a guess. It might be close. It might not. We do not guess. We come out, look at it, and tell you exactly what it costs.

Red Flags When Getting Stump Grinding Quotes

A few things to watch for:

“Starting at” pricing. That number is for a stump that does not exist on your property. The real price will be higher. Always ask for a flat quote based on your specific stump.

No proof of insurance. Stump grinding is heavy machinery work. If the operator damages your sprinkler line, your fence, or your driveway, you want their insurance covering it, not yours. Ask for proof of liability insurance before they start.

Throwing in stump grinding “for free” with a removal. Stump grinding either is or is not part of the job. If someone offers to “throw it in” for an extra $400, that is the tell. The stump grinding was always going to cost that — they just separated it from the quote to make the removal price look lower. Our pricing includes the stump if you want it ground.

The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest outcome. A cheaper crew is often a less-equipped crew. They might leave the stump higher than they should, use dull teeth that leave a rough grind, or skip the cleanup. Then you call someone else to fix it. Two bills instead of one.

What to Do After the Stump Is Ground

After we grind the stump, you have a hole filled with a mix of wood chips and soil. Here is what to do next:

Remove excess chips. We leave the chips in the hole, but you may want to scoop some out and replace with topsoil. Pure wood chips decompose slowly and can temporarily tie up nitrogen in the soil.

Top with topsoil. Fill the hole to grade level with 4 to 6 inches of quality topsoil. Tamp it down lightly. The area will settle over the next few months as the remaining chips and roots decompose, so mound the soil slightly above the surrounding grade.

Plant grass or garden beds. You can seed or sod over the area immediately. The grass will grow fine over the chip-and-soil mix. If you want to plant a new tree nearby, offset it 6 to 10 feet from the old stump site so the new roots are not competing with the decomposing root system.

Wait before building. If you plan to pour concrete, build a patio, or install anything structural over the stump site, wait at least one full year for the root system to decompose and the ground to settle. Building over active decomposition causes settling and cracking.

Straight Answers

How much does stump grinding cost in Massachusetts? $100 to $500 for a typical residential stump. The average job in our 18-town service area runs $150 to $300. We quote one flat price after seeing the stump.

Is stump grinding worth it? Yes, if you want the stump gone for aesthetics, mowing, or replanting. It is faster, cheaper, and less destructive than full extraction. Unless you are building something structural over the spot, grinding is the right call.

How deep does stump grinding go? Our standard grind goes 6 to 12 inches below the surrounding grade. That is deep enough for grass, sod, or garden beds. We can go deeper if you need it for construction.

Can I plant a tree where the stump was? Yes, but offset the new tree 6 to 10 feet from the old stump site. Planting directly in the same spot works if the stump was ground deep enough and you wait one season for settling. Add topsoil over the chip mix before planting.

Does stump grinding damage the yard? Minimal. The grinder is a compact machine on rubber tracks. We lay plywood over the access path to protect the lawn. The work area is limited to the stump itself plus a few feet around it for the machine.

Do I need a permit for stump grinding? No town in our service area requires a permit for stump grinding on private property. Permits are for tree removal, not stump grinding.

Give Us a Call

McDonald Tree Service handles stump grinding and tree removal across Billerica, Chelmsford, Lowell, Tewksbury, Wilmington, Burlington, Bedford, Carlisle, Dracut, Westford, Andover, Woburn, and Lexington. Licensed and insured. Based in Billerica since 1995.

Call (978) 375-2272 for a free stump grinding estimate. We will come out, look at the stump, measure it, and give you one flat price. If you have a tree that needs removing too, we will quote the bundle. If the stump is small enough that a rental makes more sense, we will tell you that too. We would rather be honest than busy.