Per-inch pricing
Also called: stump grinding per inch, price per diameter inch, diameter inch, per-inch rate, stump grinding minimum charge
The way stump grinders quote: a rate of $2–$6 for every inch of the stump's diameter, measured at ground level across the widest point including the root flare, subject to a minimum charge of $80–$160 per visit. Additional stumps on the same visit skip the minimum.
Diameter is the honest proxy for grinding time: the wheel has to chew every square inch of the stump’s cross-section down to the target depth, and the area grows with the square of the width, so a 36-inch stump is more than twice the work of a 24-inch one even though the per-inch price only rises by half. Companies accept that arithmetic because the minimum charge covers the fixed cost — loading the machine, the drive, the setup — and the per-inch rate covers the grinding, and because a 24-inch stump is 20 minutes on their machine either way.
How to measure: at the soil line, not the cut top, and across the widest point, which is usually the root flare. A stump cut at 30 inches across the top can be 40 at the ground. Some companies quote by size band instead ($100–$150 for under 12 inches, $150–$250 to 24, $250–$400 to 36); the bands track the same math. Hardwood, depth beyond 6–8 inches, root chasing and tight access are surcharges on top.
The minimum is what shapes the DIY decision. A pro’s $80–$160 for one stump is about the cost of a grinder rental for a day, so the rental only wins when there are several stumps to split it across — the cost page runs the numbers for one and for five.