Leave a stump behind after a tree removal and it sprouts every spring, draws termites and carpenter ants, and catches the mower deck for years. The grinder takes it down 6 to 12 inches under the surface, follows the big roots out, and leaves a pile of chips that can be raked away or hauled off, so the spot is ready for seed or sod.
The machine rolls through a 36-inch gate, so a stump behind the fence is ordinary work. The price follows the width of the stump at ground level and how many there are; a handful of small ones on one trip usually costs less each than a single big one.
What a stump grinding job involves
- Utility locate: Texas 811 is called before grinding near any buried line
- Grind to 6 to 12 inches under the lawn, with the surface roots followed out
- Chips left to fill the hole, or hauled off if you would rather they go
- Topsoil with seed or sod added on request, so grass closes over the spot
What's included
- Access through a 36-inch gate, no fence panels removed
- Surface roots chased so the mower stops finding them
- Chips left in a tidy pile or raked into the hole, your choice
- Several stumps on one visit priced per stump, not per trip
Optional or not included
- Chip haul-away, topsoil, seed or sod, each an optional line
- Roots that run under a slab, driveway or foundation, which are left in place
Stumps in East Texas soil
Pine stumps in the sandy loam south of Tyler grind quickly; post oak and pecan stumps in the red clay north of the loop take longer and send big lateral roots across the lawn that have to be chased. Either way most stumps are done in under an hour, and the spot is ready for sod or seed within a season once the chips are raked out and topsoil goes in.
Grinding is not the only reason to call. A stump left in the ground keeps sending up sprouts, feeds termites and carpenter ants, and sits under the mower blade for years. Grinders fit through a 36-inch gate, so back-yard stumps behind a fence are routine work. Before any stump near a buried line is touched, Texas 811 is called for a utility locate; that is standard, not an extra.
What happens to the chips is your call. Raked back into the hole they settle over a season and the lawn closes on its own; hauled away, the hole gets topsoil straight away and can be seeded the same week. If the stump sits in the strip between the sidewalk and the street, the city treats that tree as its own, and its Street and Stormwater department at (903) 531-1393 should be asked first.
Stump Grinding pricing in Tyler
Stump grinding runs $100 to $350 per stump around Tyler, priced by the diameter at ground level, with a $150 minimum for a visit. A handful of small stumps on one trip costs less per stump than one large one, because the machine is loaded and unloaded once. Big pecan and oak stumps with surface roots to chase sit at the top of the range.
The estimate says how deep the grind goes, usually 6 to 12 inches below grade, and whether chips are left or hauled. Topsoil and seed or sod are optional lines on the same estimate.
Full price list and what moves the price →
Related: Tree Permits, Storm Cleanup and Debris Rules in Tyler, Tree service in Whitehouse, Tree service in Lindale. Official page: City of Tyler.
Stump Grinding questions, answered
How much does it cost to grind a stump in Tyler?
$100 to $350 per stump, with a $150 minimum for the visit. Price follows the diameter at ground level and how many roots run out from it: a foot-wide pine stump sits at the bottom, a three-foot pecan with surface roots at the top. Several stumps on one visit are cheaper per stump. Hauling the chips and adding topsoil are extra lines you can take or leave.
Do you charge a minimum for one stump?
Yes, $150 for the visit, because the machine has to be trailered out, unloaded, and the utility locate called even for one small stump. With two or three stumps the minimum stops mattering and each one is priced on its own size. Timing the grind with a neighbor's stump is a real way to save.
Can I plant a new tree where the stump was ground?
Not in the same spot right away. Grinding leaves chips and old roots that take a season or two to break down, and they pull nitrogen from the soil while they do. Grass and sod do fine once the chips are hauled and topsoil goes in. For a new tree, plant a few feet to the side, or wait a year and dig out the remaining root mass first.