Stump Grinding Cost: DIY Rental vs Hiring a Pro (2026)
Updated
Verdict Hire a pro · One 24-inch stump
Stump grinding costs $285 to do yourself and $150–$350 to hire a pro, per 24-inch stump, ground 6–8 inches below grade, chips left on site.
For one stump, hire it: a 24-inch stump is about $285 in a day's grinder rental, safety gear, fuel and topsoil against $240 for a pro who does it in twenty minutes, and a 12-inch stump is about $185 against a $150 minimum charge — the rental loses before you count the trailer, the deposit and the afternoon. Rent when there are several: five stumps are about $330 in the same rental against $500, a $170 saving for 5–8 hours, and the saving grows with every stump on the same day. Hire regardless for stumps near gas lines, foundations or fences, and for a 36-inch hardwood that a rental machine will take all day to finish.
- Hire One small stump, about 12 inches across
- Hire One 24-inch stump
- Hire One 36-inch hardwood stump with surface roots
- DIY Five stumps averaging 18 inches
- DIY cost
- $285
- 2–4 hours of your time · one 24-inch stump
- Pro cost
- $150–$350
- typical $240 · per 24-inch stump, ground 6–8 inches below grade, chips left on site
- Typical savings
- —
- DIY costs more
- Pros charge $2–$6 per inch of diameter at ground level with an $80–$160 minimum: about $150 for a 12-inch stump, $240 for a 24-inch, $350 for a 36-inch hardwood. Extra stumps on the same visit are $30–$60 each.
- A grinder rental is $90 for a mini half-day to $300 for a big tracked machine, so one stump is a wash or a loss: about $285 DIY against $240 for a 24-inch stump. DIY only wins with several stumps — $330 against $500 for five.
- A pro's machine finishes a 24-inch stump in 20 minutes; a rental mini grinder takes 2–4 hours of standing in flying chips. Measure at the soil line, including the root flare, before you price either.
- Call 811 before grinding below grade, dig out rocks and wire first, and hire for anything near a gas line, a foundation or a fence.
DIY vs pro at a glance
| DIY | Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per job (one 24-inch stump) | $285 | $150–$350 |
| Cost range (all sizes) | $185–$330 | $100–$800 |
| Your time | 2–4 hours | Getting quotes, ~1–2 hours |
| Skill needed | Intermediate | None |
| Injury / damage risk | Medium | Carried by the contractor (if insured) |
| Equipment you'd need to buy or rent | Mid-size stump grinder rental, one day, Face shield, safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves | None |
| Best when | There are three or more stumps to grind on the same day, or a neighbor to split the rental with | It's one or two stumps — the pro's minimum charge is about what the rental costs |
What pros charge for stump grinding
| Job size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| One small stump, about 12 inches across — an ornamental, a fruit tree or a young shade tree; a mini grinder handles it in under an hour | $100 | $150 | $200 |
| One 24-inch stump — a mature maple, pine or ash; a mid-size walk-behind grinder and a couple of hours | $150 | $240 | $350 |
| One 36-inch hardwood stump with surface roots — an old oak or elm with roots flaring across the lawn; a large tracked or towed grinder, with the roots chased out | $250 | $350 | $550 |
| Five stumps averaging 18 inches — a cleared row of trees or a lot after removal; the first stump carries the trip charge and the rest are cheap | $350 | $500 | $800 |
What moves the price
- Diameter, measured at ground level
- Grinders price by the inch across the stump at the soil line, including the root flare: $2–$6 per inch, with an $80–$160 minimum that covers the trip. A 12-inch stump is the minimum; a 24-inch stump $150–$350; a 36-inch stump $250–$550. Measure the widest point at grade, not the cut top.
- How many
- The first stump pays for the truck, the trailer and the drive; each additional stump on the same visit is $30–$60 or $1–$2 per inch. Five stumps cost about twice one, not five times. Group them, and ask neighbors.
- Species and age
- Hardwoods — oak, hickory, elm, maple — grind slower than pine, poplar or fruit trees, and an old stump that's started to rot goes faster than a fresh one. Some companies add 20–40% for dense hardwood.
- Depth
- Standard is 6–8 inches below grade, enough to plant grass. Grinding 12–18 inches down for a new tree, a patio, a fence post or a foundation is 20–50% more, and some companies won't go that deep without knowing what's underground.
- Roots
- Chasing surface roots out across the lawn is priced by the foot or the hour, $50–$150 on a big tree. Without it, the roots stay and decay over years — usually fine under lawn, not fine under a slab.
- Access
- A tracked grinder fits a 36-inch gate; a towed grinder needs a driveway or an open side yard. A backyard reached through a narrow gate, a slope, or a stump against a fence or a foundation slows the work and adds 25–50%. Rocks and old fencing wire in the stump break teeth and get billed.
- Cleanup
- The default is chips left in and around the hole. Hauling them away and backfilling with topsoil is $50–$150 more; some companies rake the chips into the hole and leave it mounded, which settles in a year.
- Region and season
- Prices track tree-service labor rates: higher in big metros and the Northeast, lower in the South and rural Midwest. Winter is slow and cheaper; after a storm, nothing is.
Common add-ons
| Add-on | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Each additional stump on the same visit | $30–$60 |
| Deep grind, 12–18 inches, for replanting or building | $50–$200 |
| Surface root chasing | $50–$150 |
| Chip hauling and topsoil backfill | $50–$150 |
| Narrow-access or slope surcharge | $40–$150 |
| Utility locate wait or hand-dig near a line | $0–$150 |
| Full stump removal, roots and all, by excavator | $300–$1,000 |
What it costs to do it yourself
One small stump, about 12 inches across: $185 and 1–2 hours
| Item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mini stump grinder rental, half day | $90 | Rental · a 9–13 hp walk-behind from a big-box store; fine for a stump you can straddle, slow on anything bigger |
| Face shield, safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves | $45 | Purchase · the wheel throws chips and stones at speed; a face shield is not optional |
| Chainsaw for cutting the stump close to grade | $200 | Purchase · most homeowners already own this |
| Mattock, shovel, garden rake and wheelbarrow | $120 | Purchase · most homeowners already own this |
| Fuel and mix for the grinder | $10 | Materials |
| Topsoil to fill the hole after the chips settle | $15 | Materials |
| Grass seed and straw | $10 | Materials |
| Plywood or a tarp to shield windows, cars and the neighbor's fence from thrown chips | $15 | Materials |
| Disposal | $0 | Dump fees, haul-away or bagging |
| Total (own common tools) | $185 | typical $185 |
| Total (own nothing) | $505 | buying every tool listed |
One 24-inch stump: $285 and 2–4 hours
| Item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-size stump grinder rental, one day | $175 ($175/day) | Rental · a 13–25 hp walk-behind or small tracked machine from a rental yard; most take a trailer or fit a pickup with a ramp |
| Face shield, safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves | $45 | Purchase · the wheel throws chips and stones at speed; a face shield is not optional |
| Chainsaw for cutting the stump close to grade | $200 | Purchase · most homeowners already own this |
| Mattock, shovel, garden rake and wheelbarrow | $120 | Purchase · most homeowners already own this |
| Fuel and mix for the grinder | $10 | Materials |
| Topsoil to fill the hole after the chips settle | $30 | Materials |
| Grass seed and straw | $10 | Materials |
| Plywood or a tarp to shield windows, cars and the neighbor's fence from thrown chips | $15 | Materials |
| Disposal | $0 | Dump fees, haul-away or bagging |
| Total (own common tools) | $285 | typical $285 |
| Total (own nothing) | $605 | buying every tool listed |
One 36-inch hardwood stump with surface roots: $460 and 4–6 hours
| Item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Large tracked stump grinder rental, one day | $300 ($300/day) | Rental · 25–35 hp with a wide wheel; needed for a 36-inch hardwood stump to finish in a day |
| Trailer rental for the grinder | $50 ($50/day) | Rental · if the rental yard doesn't deliver and your vehicle can tow |
| Face shield, safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves | $45 | Purchase · the wheel throws chips and stones at speed; a face shield is not optional |
| Chainsaw for cutting the stump close to grade | $200 | Purchase · most homeowners already own this |
| Mattock, shovel, garden rake and wheelbarrow | $120 | Purchase · most homeowners already own this |
| Fuel and mix for the grinder | $10 | Materials |
| Topsoil to fill the hole after the chips settle | $30 | Materials |
| Grass seed and straw | $10 | Materials |
| Plywood or a tarp to shield windows, cars and the neighbor's fence from thrown chips | $15 | Materials |
| Disposal | $0 | Dump fees, haul-away or bagging |
| Total (own common tools) | $460 | typical $460 |
| Total (own nothing) | $780 | buying every tool listed |
Five stumps averaging 18 inches: $330 and 5–8 hours
| Item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-size stump grinder rental, one day | $175 ($175/day) | Rental · a 13–25 hp walk-behind or small tracked machine from a rental yard; most take a trailer or fit a pickup with a ramp |
| Face shield, safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves | $45 | Purchase · the wheel throws chips and stones at speed; a face shield is not optional |
| Chainsaw for cutting the stump close to grade | $200 | Purchase · most homeowners already own this |
| Mattock, shovel, garden rake and wheelbarrow | $120 | Purchase · most homeowners already own this |
| Fuel and mix for the grinder | $10 | Materials |
| Topsoil to fill the holes after the chips settle | $60 | Materials |
| Grass seed and straw | $25 | Materials |
| Plywood or a tarp to shield windows, cars and the neighbor's fence from thrown chips | $15 | Materials |
| Disposal | $0 | Dump fees, haul-away or bagging |
| Total (own common tools) | $330 | typical $330 |
| Total (own nothing) | $650 | buying every tool listed |
Hidden costs of DIY
- The minimum charge is the whole job
- A pro's $80–$160 minimum is what a mini grinder rental costs for a half day, before the drive to pick it up and the deposit. For one 12-inch stump, DIY is a wash or a loss; the rental only wins when there are several stumps to grind on the same day.
- Getting the machine there
- A mid-size grinder weighs 600–1,500 pounds and needs a trailer or a truck with a ramp; a rental yard's delivery fee is $50–$100 each way. A tracked machine drives itself off the trailer but not into your car. Ask what it takes to move before you reserve it.
- Rocks, wire and the one hit that costs teeth
- Carbide teeth are $10–$20 each and a rental yard charges for damaged ones. A stone in the root flare, an old fence wire grown into the trunk, or a buried edging strip can wreck a set in a second. Dig around the stump first and pull anything that isn't wood.
- What's under the stump
- Gas, water, irrigation and low-voltage lines run near old trees, and a grinder wheel doesn't stop for a pipe. Call 811, and hand-dig where the marks are close. A pro carries the insurance for that hit; you don't.
- The hole
- Grinding a 24-inch stump leaves a wheelbarrow or two of chips and a hole the size of a bathtub once they settle. Chips in the hole decompose and sink for a year or two; if the lawn matters, rake most of them out, backfill with soil, seed, and expect to top it up once.
- Suckers
- Some species — poplar, elm, black locust, tree of heaven, crape myrtle — send up shoots from the roots left behind. Grinding doesn't stop that; cutting the shoots repeatedly or treating the fresh stump before grinding does. Pick the approach before the grinder arrives.
- Slow is the real cost
- A rental mini grinder chews a 24-inch hardwood stump in 2–4 hours of standing in flying chips; a pro's machine does it in 20 minutes. If the rental day ends with the stump half done, the second day costs as much as the pro would have.
When to DIY and when to hire
DIY makes sense when
- There are three or more stumps to grind on the same day, or a neighbor to split the rental with
- The stumps are in the open, away from utilities, foundations, fences and windows, with room to move a 600-plus-pound machine
- You're comfortable running a loud, chip-throwing machine for hours in a face shield, and you've called 811
- The rental yard is close and you can tow or fit the grinder — or they deliver for a reasonable fee
Hire a pro when
- It's one or two stumps — the pro's minimum charge is about what the rental costs
- The stump is 30 inches or more, hardwood, or has roots flared across the lawn
- It's near a gas line, a foundation, a septic field or a fence, or in a backyard with tight access
- You're already paying for tree removal — the same crew grinds it the same day at the add-on price
What it costs
Stump grinding is priced by the inch and by the visit, and that shape is the whole DIY question: a pro’s minimum charge covers the truck and the drive, and it’s about what a grinder rental costs for a day. The table is a single 24-inch stump ground to 6–8 inches with the chips left; the calculator prices a small stump, a 36-inch hardwood, and five stumps in one day.
The tiers split by count, not size. One stump of any size is a pro’s job on the numbers; a row of stumps is the rental’s. The grinding itself is the same either way — a carbide wheel chewing the stump into grindings — but the pro’s machine does in twenty minutes what a rental mini grinder does in three hours.
What a pro charges
By the diameter inch at the soil line, with a minimum; then surcharges for hardwood, depth, surface roots, tight access and cleanup. The first stump pays the trip; the rest are cheap. If a tree is coming down, the same crew grinds it the same day at the add-on price, which is the cheapest way to get a stump ground.
What DIY costs
The rental, sized to the stump — $90 for a mini half-day up to $300 for a tracked machine plus a trailer — a face shield and ear protection, fuel, and topsoil and seed for the hole. The chainsaw, mattock and wheelbarrow are assumed owned. What it doesn’t count is moving a 600–1,500 pound machine, the deposit, teeth you break on a stone, and the hours. The DIY guide covers the machine and the technique.
The verdict
Hire for one stump, and for anything near a gas line, a foundation or a fence — the pro’s minimum is the rental price without the afternoon or the risk. Rent when there are three or more stumps on the same day, or a neighbor to split with: five stumps save $170 and the saving grows with each one. The hiring guide covers what to ask.
Terms worth knowing
Stump grinding is the method; per-inch pricing is how it’s quoted; surface roots are the flare that adds inches and dollars; stump grindings are what’s left in the hole; root suckers are why some species come back.
Run your own numbers. The stump grinding cost calculator prices it both ways: as DIY, with the tools you already own and a value on your time, or as a pro job at a low, typical or high quote with the add-ons that apply.
Frequently asked questions
How much does stump grinding cost?
$2–$6 per inch of stump diameter measured at ground level, with a minimum charge of $80–$160 per visit. That's $100–$200 for a 12-inch stump, $150–$350 for a 24-inch stump and $250–$550 for a 36-inch hardwood with surface roots. Each additional stump on the same trip is $30–$60. The national typical for one average stump is around $240; most people pay $150–$400.
How is stump grinding priced per inch?
Measure the stump at the soil line at its widest point, including the root flare — not the flat cut top, which is narrower. Multiply by the company's rate, $2–$6 per inch, and compare to their minimum. A 24-inch stump at $4 an inch is $96, so the minimum applies and you pay $120–$160; a 36-inch stump at $4 is $144, plus hardwood or root surcharges. Some companies quote flat per-stump prices in size bands instead; the math lands in the same place.
How much does it cost to rent a stump grinder?
$60–$90 for a half day on a mini walk-behind grinder from a big-box store; $150–$250 a day for a mid-size 13–25 hp machine from a rental yard; $250–$400 a day for a large tracked grinder, plus $50 for a trailer if you tow it and $50–$100 each way if they deliver. Add a deposit, fuel, and $10–$20 per carbide tooth you break. For one stump that's about what a pro charges; for five it's a bargain.
Is it cheaper to grind a stump yourself?
Not for one stump. A 24-inch stump costs about $285 in a day's rental, safety gear, fuel and topsoil against $240 for a pro, and a 12-inch stump about $185 against a $150 minimum. It's cheaper when there are several: five stumps are about $330 in the same rental against $500. The rental price is the same whether you grind one stump or six, and the pro's minimum charge is most of the price for one.
What's the difference between stump grinding and stump removal?
Grinding chews the stump into chips 6–8 inches below grade and leaves the roots to decay; it's fast, cheap and leaves a hole you fill and seed. Removal pulls the whole stump and root ball out with an excavator, costs $300–$1,000 or more, tears up the lawn, and leaves a crater — needed only when something is being built there, a new tree is going in the same spot, or the species will sucker from the roots.
How deep does a stump grinder go?
6–8 inches below grade is standard and enough for grass. 12–18 inches costs 20–50% more and is needed to plant a tree in the same spot, set a fence post, or pour a slab or patio over it. Rental mini grinders manage 6–10 inches; the big machines go 18 or more. Below 8 inches, utilities become the question — call 811.
What happens to the chips and the hole?
A 24-inch stump makes a wheelbarrow or two of chips and, once they're out, a hole the size of a bathtub. Most pros rake the chips back into the hole and leave it mounded; they settle over a year as they decompose. For a lawn that matters, remove most chips, backfill with topsoil, seed and top it up once. The chips make fine mulch elsewhere, though fresh chips tie up nitrogen for a season.
Will the tree grow back after grinding?
Most species won't — the stump is gone and the roots die. Some will: poplar, aspen, elm, black locust, tree of heaven, willow, crape myrtle and some fruit trees send up suckers from surviving roots. For those, either treat the freshly cut stump with an herbicide before grinding, or cut the suckers every time they appear until the roots exhaust themselves, usually a season or two.
Sources
- Tree Trimmers and Pruners (SOC 37-3013), Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics , U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026-04
- How Much Does Stump Grinding Cost? , HomeGuide, 2026-09
- Stump Grinder Rental Costs , HomeGuide, 2026-09
- Stump Grinding Cost , Angi, 2026-09
- What Does Stump Grinding Cost? , HomeAdvisor, 2026-09
- Pricing Guide: How Much Does Stump Grinding Cost? , LawnStarter, 2026-09
- Average Cost of Stump Grinding and Removal , Forbes Home, 2026-09
- Call 811 Before You Dig , Common Ground Alliance, 2026-09
Figures last reviewed . See how we estimate.