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Grinding and removal are different jobs and they are priced differently. Grinding mills the stump down below grade and leaves the root system in the ground. Removal excavates the stump and the root ball and takes the wood away. In Texas in 2026 the statewide grinding range is $75–$150 for a small stump, $150–$300 for a medium one, and $300–$500 to $500–$800 as diameter grows.
What grinding actually does
A grinder is a spinning carbide wheel on an arm. It sweeps across the stump and reduces it to chips, typically 6 to 12 inches below grade. What is left is the root flare and the lateral roots, still in the soil, still decaying. Most homeowners never see them again. The chips usually stay on site as fill unless you pay to have them hauled.
What removal actually does
Removal means digging around the stump, cutting the lateral roots, and pulling or lifting the root ball out with an excavator or a winch. It leaves a hole, and the hole has to be filled. It is priced like excavation, which is why quotes run well above grinding: machine time, a bigger crew, disposal of the whole stump and root ball, and the backfill.
| Size band | Texas range | Dallas (1.10x) | San Antonio (0.95x) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small stump | $75–$150 | $82–$165 | $71–$142 |
| Medium stump | $150–$300 | $165–$330 | $142–$285 |
| Large stump | $300–$500 | $330–$550 | $285–$475 |
| Extra large stump | $500–$800 | $550–$880 | $475–$760 |
ArborHub does not publish a removal range, because the price depends on machine access and soil far more than on stump diameter. If a contractor quotes removal, ask what equipment is coming and whether the hole is backfilled and compacted.
When grinding is enough
- The stump is an eyesore or a mowing obstacle and nothing more.
- You are not replanting a tree in the same spot in the next few years.
- The stump is not lifting a slab, driveway or fence line.
- The stump is not a disease source you are trying to remove from the property.
When grinding is not enough
- Replanting in the same place. A new tree planted into a decaying root mass struggles. Removal clears the volume; grinding does not.
- A root plate is lifting concrete. Grinding the stump does not move the root plate. The slab problem stays.
- Oak wilt. The disease moves between oaks through root grafts, so grinding a diseased stump does not take the root system out of the ground. Texas A&M Forest Service and the Texas Oak Wilt partnership describe trenching or root-plow barriers for infection centres; a grinder is not that tool. Read texasoakwilt.org before you treat a stump as the end of the problem.
- Construction. If a foundation, pool or driveway is going over the spot, the roots have to go, not just the stump.
What the quote should state
- Grind depth in inches, not "ground out".
- Diameter measured at the base, including any flare.
- Whether surface roots are included or an extra charge.
- Whether chips are left, hauled, or used as backfill.
- Whether the hole is filled and with what.
Frequently asked questions
Is grinding cheaper than removing a stump?
Yes, by a lot. Grinding is a milling job with a small machine: $75–$150 to $500–$800 in Texas in 2026 depending on diameter. Removal is excavation, with machine time, disposal of the root ball and backfill, so quotes run well above the grinding range.
How deep should a stump be ground?
Six to twelve inches below grade is the normal Texas standard, deep enough to cover with soil and plant grass. Deeper costs more and is only needed if you are paving or planting over the spot.
Will the roots keep growing after grinding?
The stump will not regrow from the cut, but some species send suckers from remaining roots — crape myrtle, willow and many elms among them. Grinding does not kill the root system, and it does not stop root-graft spread of oak wilt.
Does grinding include hauling the chips?
Usually not. Leaving the grindings as fill is the default. Ask for hauling as a separate line so you can compare two quotes on the same scope.
Then price it: stump grinding by Texas city, or the statewide stump grinding cost guide.