Stump Grinding by Stump and Site
A grinder chews the stump into chips with a spinning toothed wheel, working side to side until the wood is below grade. What the stump is made of, and what sits around it, decides the time and the price.
Oak and other hardwood stumps
Dense wood takes longer to grind, and Angi notes that oak and other hardwoods often carry a surcharge. Price is set by the diameter at the base, not just the cut face.
- Angi's table: a 6-inch stump runs about $118 to $130, a 24-inch stump $148 to $220.
- Very large stumps: HomeGuide puts extra-large ones at $300 to $800 each.
- Full grind: taking the stump and big roots down to about 18 inches is slower and costs more than the standard 4 to 6.
Palm stumps
Palm stumps are fibrous rather than woody, and cost guides price them on their own line: HomeGuide adds $80 to $250 to a palm removal for the stump, Angi $175 to $550. If the palm died of Ganoderma butt rot, grinding matters more than usual. UF/IFAS says to grind the stump or remove as much of the root system as possible when the palm comes out.
Stumps next to slabs, fences and pool decks
A stump against a pool deck, driveway or fence line means slower, more careful passes and sometimes a smaller machine carried through the gate. Angi reports extra charges for hard access, either about $50 an hour or a flat fee of up to $200. Buried lines matter most here: once a utility is marked, Sunshine 811 treats 24 inches either side of the mark as a tolerance zone where digging has to slow down.
Surface roots and root flare
Grinding is priced for the stump. HomeGuide says it doesn't include root removal, which is billed by the hour at about $75 to $150 (Angi says $100 to $200). If surface roots trip the mower, ask for them to be ground along their length while the machine is there, and get that on the quote. Roots of a living tree that are lifting a slab are a different job, covered under tree root removal.
Chip cleanup, backfill and sod
Grinding leaves a mound of chips and soil, and unless the quote says otherwise, it stays.
- Hauling chips: about $50 to $200, or $2 to $4 per inch of diameter.
- Backfill: fill with the chips, topsoil or both, then sod at about $1 to $2 a square foot.
- Curbside: the City's bulk pickup won't take stumps or roots; yard debris removal covers hauling them off.
Why Pompano Beach homeowners call Pompano Beach Tree Care
- One independent local tree crew per request
- Price, cleanup and haul-away in writing first
- Ask for insurance proof and an ISA arborist
- Free to call; you pay the crew only for work you OK
Sunshine 811 and Florida's Dig Law
Stump grinding counts as digging. Florida law defines excavation as any cut meant to penetrate or disturb the surface of the earth, so the state's dig rules apply to a grinder the same as to a trencher.
Notice
Chapter 556 requires notice through the state one-call system at least 2 full business days before excavating. Sunshine 811 doesn't count the day you call, weekends or holidays.How
Call 811 or file online. The system is free, and a ticket stays valid for 30 calendar days.Who files
Sunshine 811 says anyone digging should notify and recommends that every excavator pull its own ticket. Ask the contractor whether they file theirs before the visit.The homeowner exemption
It covers an owner digging on their own single-family lot, only to 10 inches deep. A full grind goes past that.Private lines
An all-clear from the utilities doesn't cover lines you own. Point out irrigation, pool equipment feeds and yard lighting runs before the grinder starts.
What a Stump Grinding Quote Should List
Each stump by diameter
The first stump carries the minimum; extras on the same visit are much cheaper.Depth
Standard 4 to 6 inches, or deeper for sod or a full grind.Chips
Left on site, spread, or hauled away.Access
Gates, slopes and decks that slow the machine.Season
Angi says winter can save up to 20% when demand drops.
See tree removal if the tree is still standing and the stump will come after.