Stump grinding
Also called: stump removal, grinding a stump
Using a machine with a spinning carbide wheel to chew a tree stump into chips, typically 6–12 inches below ground level. It's the usual way to get rid of a stump after tree removal, and it's almost always priced separately.
A stump grinder is a wheeled or tracked machine with a toothed wheel that rotates at high speed and is swept back and forth across the stump, reducing it to mulch. The roots below are left to rot. The alternative — stump removal proper — means digging or pulling out the entire root ball, which is far more work and disturbs a much larger area; it’s only necessary if you’re building or paving on the spot.
Pros charge $100–$450 to grind a stump, usually by diameter (about $2–$5 per inch, with a minimum). Rental grinders run $150–$300 a day and take some strength to control; a medium stump is an hour or two of work for a first-timer.
Tree removal quotes rarely include the stump. Ask.