What Stump Grinding Costs on Long Island
Short answer: most single stumps in Nassau run $150 to $500, priced by the inch, with a minimum charge around $100 to $150 because the machine has to get there either way. Here's how to work out your own number before anyone quotes you.
Measure it yourself in ten seconds
Stump grinding is priced on diameter at ground level, not the height of the tree that used to be there. Put a tape across the widest part of the stump, right at the dirt, and include the flare where it spreads out. That's the number a contractor is quoting from, and if you've got it before you call, most of us can price the job on the phone.
The going rate around here is roughly $2 to $5 per inch of diameter. Where you land in that spread comes down to how hard the wood is, how easy the access is, and how many stumps you've got in the yard.
What that works out to
| Stump | Typical Nassau price | What it usually is |
|---|---|---|
| Small, under 12" | $120-$160 | A dead ornamental, an old Bradford pear, a shrub that got away from somebody. Usually the minimum charge. |
| Medium, 12"-24" | $150-$350 | The most common call. A maple or a pear that came down a few years back. |
| Large, 30"+ | $300-$500+ | A mature oak or silver maple. Hardwood adds $50 to $150 on its own. |
| Each additional stump | $40-$70 less | Same visit, same setup. Three at once costs a lot less than three separate trips. |
Five things that move the price
- Access. A front-yard stump you can drive to is the cheap version. A backyard stump behind a 36-inch gate needs a grinder that fits through a 36-inch gate, and that machine works slower.
- Wood hardness. Oak, hickory, and locust are slow going. Silver maple and pear grind fast. Expect a premium on the hard stuff.
- Grit in the wood. A stump that's sat for years collects dirt and small stones in the flare, and that eats grinder teeth. Old stumps sometimes cost more than fresh ones, which surprises people.
- Depth. Six inches below grade is standard for lawn. Deeper for a planting bed or a replacement tree, and that's extra time.
- Surface roots. Grinding the stump doesn't touch the roots running across your lawn. If you want those chased out too, it's usually billed by the hour, so ask for that number up front.
What's included, and what to ask about
Grinding leaves you a pile of chips, and it's more than you'd expect: roughly the volume of the stump plus air. Standard practice around here is to rake the chips back into the hole as fill. It settles over a few months, and it's free. If you'd rather have the chips hauled off and clean topsoil brought in, that's an add-on. Either way, get it spelled out in the quote, because "we ground the stump" and "the yard's ready to seed" are two different jobs.
One more thing to ask: does the price include the utility locate? On these older South Shore lots the gas and water services have been in the ground since the 1940s and nobody remembers quite where. Dig Safely New York (811) is free and required, and a contractor who shrugs at that question is telling you something.
Why bother at all
A stump isn't just ugly. If the species suckers, it'll keep sprouting for years. It hosts carpenter ants and termites a few feet from the house, and it kills mower blades on a lot that was tight to begin with. If you've been steering around the same one for six summers, you already know. And inside the Village of Valley Stream there's a practical reason too: Chapter 90 expects a replacement tree of at least two-inch caliper within a year of a permitted removal, and you can't plant one where a stump is.
Stump cost questions
Why is there a minimum charge for one small stump?
Because the machine has to get there. A grinder is a trailered piece of equipment, and hauling it over, unloading it, and marking the utilities takes the same hour whether the stump is eight inches or thirty. That's what the $100 to $150 minimum covers. It's also why the second and third stumps on the same visit come so much cheaper: the expensive part already happened.
Is grinding cheaper than full stump removal?
Much cheaper. Grinding chews the stump down below grade and leaves the roots to rot on their own, which costs a fraction of digging out the whole root ball. Full removal means a machine leaving a crater in your yard, and the only time it makes sense is when something's getting built right where the tree stood.
Do you have to grind deeper if I'm replanting?
Yes, and say so when you book. Standard depth is about six inches below grade, which is fine for lawn. If you're putting in a replacement tree (the Village of Valley Stream expects one within a year of a permitted removal), we go deeper and clear more of the root plate, and it takes longer.
Measure across the widest part at ground level and call with the number. We can usually quote it on the spot: (516) 619-3667. Or see how we work on the stump grinding page.