The tree is gone, but the stump is still in the way. Before comparing removal quotes, decide whether you need the visible stump ground down or the buried root ball dug out.
So Milner in Mississippi prices grinding at $4 per inch for softwood and $6 for hardwood, with a $150 first-stump minimum. The Wisconsin provider Grind N Go advertises $7 per inch with a $225 minimum. Cleanup can be extra.
I checked these provider menus on October 22, 2026. I will explain the measurement, show a cleanup calculation and separate current grinding rates from much older owner reports.
Published Stump Grinding Rates
Milner’s estimate page calls its prices guidelines and confirms final pricing in person. It measures the widest diameter near ground level, including the visible root flare.
Grind N Go also measures the widest diameter above ground, rather than just the narrower trunk base. Its cleanup removes grindings but does not include topsoil.
A minimum is the lowest charge under that provider’s terms. Do not assume multiplying a small trunk diameter by the inch rate gives the whole visit price.
A Grinding and Cleanup Calculation
Using the Wisconsin rates for a 40-inch stump, grinding is 40 x $7 = $280. Adding cleanup gives 40 x $5 = $200, so the calculated grinding-and-cleanup amount is $280 + $200 = $480.
The grinding calculation already exceeds that provider’s $225 minimum. This is an illustration using its published rates, rather than an advertised fixed-price package for every 40-inch stump.
Topsoil is still excluded from the cleanup line. Ask about filling the remaining area, final grading and seeding if you want a finished lawn rather than a cleared pile of grindings.
Grinding and Digging Out the Root Ball
Have the contractor explain what remains below ground after grinding. A quote to reduce a stump below the surface does not promise to excavate every root or prepare the site for a new foundation.
If a builder needs the root ball removed for construction, request a separate excavation scope. It should address the roots to remove, access, hauling, replacement fill and any compaction required for the planned work.
The verified menus above price grinding. They do not establish a current US price range for full root-ball extraction, so I would not put a guessed excavation amount beside them.
The root photograph illustrates a cut woody root surface. It is not a Wisconsin stump measurement or one of the paid jobs mentioned below.
Older Owner Bills and Shared Visits
These US members reported prices in a Garage Journal stump-grinding thread on May 15, 2012. Their reports are useful for scope questions, but they are too old to represent today’s offers.
- Southern California member ddawg16 reported paying about $150 for one stump.
- Northwestern Indiana member crewchief888 reported a $45 charge for grinding three stumps. Tree cutting was separate from that reported grinding amount.
- Western North Carolina member 5lima30 reported $160 for four stumps, split between two at his property and two at a neighbor’s property.
I kept the dates and job counts beside the prices. A shared visit and a separate tree-cutting arrangement are not the same purchase as booking one standalone stump today.
What I Would Send for an Estimate
Milner asks for a side view, a top view with a tape measure and a wider view of the surrounding area. Those pictures help a contractor see the root flare and obstacles beyond the stump itself.
Tell the provider about gates, slopes, nearby structures and known buried services. Have it confirm whether its equipment can reach the stump before accepting a price based only on a close-up photograph.
For several stumps, ask for a combined visit quote and the pricing for additional stumps. Milner advertises multiple-stump discounts, but the final amount still needs confirming for your site.
If the work is part of a fence project, keep stump work separate from old-post and concrete removal. My fence replacement guide covers that different construction scope.
Before booking, agree on the grinding depth, the measured diameter, debris handling and the finished condition of the ground. That gives you a fairer comparison than the inch rate alone.
Stump Removal Price Questions
How much is stump removal per inch?
The verified grinding menus here list Milner at $4 for softwood or $6 for hardwood, and Grind N Go at $7 per inch. Minimum charges apply, and these prices do not cover full root-ball excavation.
Is cleanup included in the grinding price?
Do not assume it is. Grind N Go lists individual-stump cleanup at an additional $5 per inch and excludes topsoil from that cleanup service.
Should I measure only the cut trunk?
Follow the provider’s method. Milner measures the widest near-ground diameter including visible root flare, while Grind N Go specifies the widest diameter above ground.
Does grinding remove all the roots?
Have the contractor state exactly what is ground and what remains. If your construction plan requires root-ball excavation and replacement fill, request that as a separate scope.
Where These Stump Prices Come From
US provider menus checked October 22, 2026. The three owner reports are dated May 15, 2012 and are historical examples, not current pricing.
- Milner: inch rates, minimums and measurement guidance
- Grind N Go: grinding rate, minimum and cleanup exclusions
- Garage Journal: dated US owner bills and a shared visit
I hope this helps you get a clear price for the stump and the cleanup. You can send a recent itemized US quote to costcheckr@gmail.com.
