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 is 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, at the ground, including the flare where it spreads out. That number is what a contractor is quoting from - and if you have 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, with the spread coming down to how hard the wood is, how easy the access is, and how many stumps are 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 out of hand. Usually the minimum charge. |
| Medium, 12" - 24" | $150 - $350 | The most common call. A maple or a pear that came down a few years ago. |
| 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. Doing three at once is dramatically cheaper than three separate calls. |
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. Stumps that have sat for years collect 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 for lawn is standard. Deeper for a planting bed or a replacement tree, and that is extra time.
- Surface roots. Grinding the stump does not remove the roots running across your lawn. If you want those chased out too, that is usually billed by the hour - ask for the number up front.
What is included, and what to ask about
The grinding produces a pile of chips - a surprising amount, roughly the volume of the stump plus air. Standard practice around here is to rake the chips back into the hole as fill, which settles over a few months and is free. If you want them hauled away and clean topsoil brought in instead, that is an add-on. Get it clarified in the quote either way, because "we ground the stump" and "the yard is ready to seed" are two different jobs.
Also worth asking: 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 exactly where. Dig Safely New York (811) is free and required, and any contractor who shrugs at that question is telling you something.
Why bother at all
A stump is not just ugly. It sprouts for years if the species suckers, it hosts carpenter ants and termites a few feet from the house, and it is a mower-killer and a trip hazard on a lot that was already tight. And inside the Village of Valley Stream there is a practical reason: Chapter 90 expects a replacement tree of at least two-inch caliper within a year of a permitted removal, and you cannot 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 moving it, unloading it, and marking utilities takes the same hour whether the stump is eight inches or thirty. That is what the $100 to $150 minimum covers. It is also why the second and third stumps on the same visit are so much cheaper - the expensive part already happened.
Is grinding cheaper than full stump removal?
Much. Grinding chews the stump below grade and leaves the root system to rot, which costs a fraction of excavating the whole root ball. Full removal means a machine digging a crater in your yard, and the only time it is worth it is when something is getting built exactly where the tree stood.
Do you have to grind deeper if I am replanting?
Yes, and say so when you book. Standard depth is about six inches below grade, which is fine for lawn. If you are planting a replacement tree - which the Village of Valley Stream expects 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) 555-0100, or see how we work on the stump grinding page.