Stump grinding questions and answers

Stump grinding is priced mostly by stump diameter, plus how many stumps are on the job, how hard the access is, and whether roots are large. Most companies also charge a minimum for showing up. Text Stump N' Grind photos of the stumps and you get a firm price before anyone comes out. See the cost page for what moves the price.

Yes. Estimates are free, and most can be done from photos by text. If access looks tricky we walk the yard first.

Reviews from customers describe next-day to two-day turnaround. Text a photo and ask for the next opening.

Sussex County, NJ, and typically within an hour of it. That includes Newton, Sparta, Andover, Hopatcong, Vernon, Hamburg and Branchville, plus nearby Warren, Morris and Passaic County towns and Milford, Matamoras and Dingmans Ferry, PA. Each town has its own page on the service area page.

Stump grinding chips the stump and roots to below ground level. Stump removal means the stump and the entire root system are taken out. That costs more and disturbs the yard more, so grinding is right for most yards.

The standard grind is 6 to 9 inches below grade, unless you ask for deeper. We talk with you about whether to grind only the exposed roots or the entire root system. The entire root system costs more and the yard is dug up a lot more. If you plan to plant a tree in the same spot, tell us and we cut deeper.

On average, a 12 inch stump takes 5 to 7 minutes, a 24 inch stump 10 to 18 minutes, and a 36 inch stump 20 to 40 minutes. Each job varies with the species (birch, oak, cedar, ash), the mound, the root system and the landscape.

The grindings are a mix of wood chips and soil. We can leave them as mulch or rake them into the hole. Hauling the chips away is available for an added fee, quoted per job. After a grind the spot settles over a season, so some people top it with soil and seed.

We try to leave little or no trace. The machine runs on non-marking tracks, and Robert takes the most direct route to the stump with as few hard turns as possible. Grinding always disturbs the ground at the stump itself, and we clean up when we finish.

Usually. The machine narrows to 35 inches to fit through a standard fence opening, and it is run by remote control. Tell us about anything buried: septic lines, drain pipes, irrigation, invisible fence. We cannot grind rocks, metal, chicken wire or fences in the roots.

Yes. The grinder works in snow and frozen ground.

Rocks, metal, chicken wire, fences and similar things in the roots. Tell us if you know of any.

Pretty much any size. Very large stumps may need the machine repositioned. The biggest stump so far was 11 feet wide and 10 feet high.

You do not need to call. If there are underground utilities at the address, we call 811 before the work starts so the lines are marked out. 811 marks public utilities only, so tell us about private lines: well pumps, septic, irrigation, invisible fence.

Grass seed can go down right away once the chips are raked out or removed. For a tree, ask for a deeper grind and fill the hole with clean soil first.

Sometimes, from sprouts, if the species suckers (maple, willow, sumac and others). Grinding below the surface removes most of the live wood, and any sprouts can be cut back.

A stump left in place is a trip hazard and a mower hazard. It also invites carpenter ants, termites and fungus, and sprouts keep coming back. Grinding costs less than most people expect.