Stump Grinding Cost Calculator: By Stump Size and Count, DIY vs Pro
One 12-inch stump to five in a day: a grinder rental from $185, a pro from $100.
- Pick the stump: 12-inch, 24-inch, 36-inch hardwood with roots, or five stumps averaging 18 inches. The rental machine changes with the size and the pro price with the inches and the count.
- The single-stump tiers show DIY losing — the rental costs about what a pro's minimum does. The five-stump tier is where the same rental starts to pay.
- On the Hire a pro tab, tick additional stumps, a deep grind if you're replanting or building, root chasing, and chip hauling with backfill if the lawn matters.
- The DIY total assumes a chainsaw, mattock, shovel and wheelbarrow are owned, and no deposit, delivery or broken teeth.
Calculate cost
| Tools to buy or rent | $220 |
|---|---|
| Materials | $65 |
| DIY cash cost | $285 |
| Your time (3 h × $25) | $75 |
| DIY all-in | $360 |
A pro is cheaper by $45 — DIY doesn't pay here.
National estimates for planning. Doesn't include the risk-side costs described on the comparison page.
Typical results by job size
Defaults the calculator starts from: commonly owned tools excluded, typical pro price, no add-ons.
| Size | Verdict | DIY | Pro | Your hours | Typical savings | Break-even |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One small stump, about 12 inches across | Hire | $185 | $100–$200 | 1–2 hours | pro is cheaper | — |
| One 24-inch stump | Hire | $285 | $150–$350 | 2–4 hours | pro is cheaper | — |
| One 36-inch hardwood stump with surface roots | Hire | $460 | $250–$550 | 4–6 hours | pro is cheaper | — |
| Five stumps averaging 18 inches | DIY | $330 | $350–$800 | 5–8 hours | $170 (34%) | $26/hour |
Break-even is what an hour of your time would have to be worth for DIY and hiring to cost the same. Above it, hiring is cheaper all-in. See how these are calculated.
Reading the result
The stump you pick applies to both tabs.
Do it yourself totals the rental for that stump — a mini grinder half-day for the small stump, a mid-size machine for a day on the 24-inch and the five-stump tiers, a large tracked machine plus a trailer for the 36-inch hardwood — with a face shield and hearing protection, fuel, plywood or a tarp to shield windows and cars, and topsoil, seed and straw for the hole. Then your hours at the rate you set: 1–2 for a small stump, 2–4 for a 24-inch, 4–6 for the hardwood, 5–8 for five. Chainsaw, mattock, shovel and wheelbarrow are assumed owned. No permit, but call 811.
Hire a pro starts from a low, typical or high price for that stump or set, then adds what a base quote leaves out: each additional stump, a deep grind for replanting or building, surface root chasing, chip hauling with topsoil backfill, a narrow-access or slope surcharge, hand-digging near a marked utility, and full removal by excavator if grinding isn’t enough. Tick what applies and compare.
What neither tab prices: the rental yard’s deposit and delivery fees, the carbide teeth you break on a stone, and a rental day that ends with the stump half done. The cost comparison explains why one stump is a hire and five are a rental, and the DIY guide covers sizing the machine and running it.
Frequently asked questions
Which size should I pick?
Measure the stump at the soil line at its widest point, including the root flare. Up to about 14 inches is the small tier; 18–28 inches is the 24-inch tier; anything bigger, or an oak or elm with roots flared across the lawn, is the large tier. For several stumps of mixed size, use the five-stump tier and adjust: each stump beyond five adds $30–$60 on the pro side and nothing on the rental side but time.
Why does DIY cost more than the pro on one stump?
Because the rental is priced per day and the pro is priced per inch with a minimum. A mid-size grinder is $175 a day whether it grinds one stump or six; a pro's minimum is $80–$160 for the trip and the first stump. Add the face shield and ear protection, fuel, and soil for the hole, and one 24-inch stump costs about $285 DIY against $240 from a pro. The site's verdict is to hire for one or two stumps and rent for three or more.
What about the hours on the DIY side?
They're the rental's real cost. A pro's 25–35 hp machine grinds a 24-inch stump in 20 minutes; a rental mini grinder takes 2–4 hours, and a 36-inch hardwood 4–6 hours on a large machine. Set your hourly rate and the calculator adds them. At almost any rate, a single stump is a hire; at five stumps in a day, the rental wins on dollars and the hours are the trade.
What do the quote levels mean for stump grinding?
Low is a softwood stump in the open with drive-up access, from a stump-only operator, or ground on the same day as a removal. Typical is the national median for a standalone visit at a standard 6–8 inch depth with chips raked into the hole. High is hardwood, a backyard through a narrow gate, a slope, a big metro, or a full-service tree company's rate. Deep grinding, root chasing, hauling and access surcharges are add-ons on any level.
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.