Stump Removal Cost

After successfully removing a tree from your home, what is left behind is the stump that once anchored the removed tree in place. In addition to being a safety hazard, unsightly stumps in the yard usually affect the aesthetic appeal of the entire property. To eliminate the safety risk and to keep your home looking good, getting rid of the tree stumps is extremely important.

Removing tree stumps costs money and understanding the stump removal cost to expect can make the planning process much easier. In this guide, we will show you the various stump removal methods that you can use and the costs to expect when using each method.

Average Stump Removal Cost in Austin

The cost of removing a tree stump ranges between $163 and $471 with most homeowners paying an average of $299. Costs generally vary from $2 – $5 per diameter inch with most companies charging a minimum stump removal cost of approximately $100.

Spending this amount of money on stump removal is a good idea. When working with professionals, you can be sure that stump removal will be handled correctly. You won’t have to worry about potential property and buried utility damage.

Average Prices Per Inch or Stump

When calculating the stump removal cost, most professionals will use the per diameter inch and per stump basis. Stump removal generally takes an hour and most companies require homeowners to pay a minimum of about $100.

You will spend about $2 – $5 per diameter inch. The per stump charges range between $60 and $350 depending on the size and location of the tree stump. During removal, professionals measure the diameter of the stump at its widest point, at the grade (ground) level.

The average prices usually fluctuate depending on the age of the stump, the overall time needed to complete the project, and how accessible the tree stump is. If you intend to remove multiple tree stumps, you may be able to get a price break, with the first stump costing $100 to $150 and each additional stump costing $50.

Austin Stump Grinding Rates

On average, you should expect to spend $200 on stump grinding. When using a commercial grinder, most Austin stump grinders charge an average of $3 per diameter inch to grind the tree stump. If you would like to remove multiple tree stumps or clear a large area, you may be charged on a per hour basis, with the average cost being $150 per hour.

When equipped with a good grinder, stump removal professionals take a maximum of 2 hours to grind a tree stump. This time, however, can increase or reduce depending on how experienced the professionals are and the quality of their stump grinders.

Factors Affecting Stump Grinding Cost in Austin

• Stump Size – Some Austin stump grinders will use the per diameter inch basis to calculate the total stump removal cost. On average, you should expect to spend $3 on every inch.
• Time – Things like the type of tree and stump location often influence the amount of time needed to complete the stump grinding. Most Austin professionals will charge you $150 per hour.
• Quantity – If you have numerous tree stumps, you may have to pay $150 for the first tree stump and $30 to $50 for every additional stump.
• Root system – If you would like the stump roots to be removed or ground, you should expect to spend an average of $150 per hour.
• Cleanup and mulch removal – This stump removal cost will depend on the value of the sawdust and the disposal costs. On average, however, you should expect to spend $2 per inch.

Do It Yourself (DIY) Stump Grinding

If you would like to handle the stump grinding yourself, you will have to rent a stump grinder. On average, Austin residents spend $190 when renting a stump grinder. Compared to working with professionals, this can be slightly more affordable.

Before you initiate the stump grinding, it is crucial that you follow all the necessary local codes. Be sure to obtain all the necessary permits. If you think that there might be a potential for underground utility or property damage, hiring stump removal experts may be a more ideal option.

Below, we have outlined the prices charged by various stores when renting their grinders:

• Sunbelt – Sunbelt charges $365 to rent their 25 hp grinder for a day. If you need the grinder for a week, you will have to pay $1,400.
• Herc Rentals – A 20 to 29 hp grinder will cost you $250 per day. Per week, you will need to pay $750.
• United Rentals – An 11 to 14 hp grinder will set you back $300 per day. On a weekly basis, you will spend $925.
• Home Depot – A 13 hp grinder will cost you $150 per day and $610 per week.

Note: Ace Hardware, Menards, and Lowe’s don’t offer stump grinder rental services.

The Cost of Removing a Stump Without Grinding

If you determine that renting a grinder and working with professionals are out of your budget, you can opt for other more affordable stump removal options. These include:

• Burning
• Using chemicals
• Digging

In the following sections, we will take a deeper look at the above options:

Burning

Stump burning costs about $6 – $100. You will need to invest in potassium nitrate and a power drill. If you do not own the power drill, you can easily rent one.

To save yourself some extra money, you can opt to use fire to burn the stump. However, before you use fire, it is extremely important that you consult the fire department. Also, be sure to follow all the necessary precautions.

Digging/Manual Removal

If you are willing to do a lot of manual work, digging may be an ideal solution. You will have to cut through the roots to dig out the stump. On average, you will need to pay $38 per hour for the labor. You may also need to invest in axes and shovels.

Chemical Rotting

If you would like to avoid hard labor, chemical rotting may be a more ideal solution. You will need a power drill and potassium nitrate for chemical rotting. However, you have to keep in mind that potassium nitrate can take several weeks before it makes the stump soft enough for removal to be easy.

Austin Stump Removal Cost Factors

Stump removal cost usually varies depending on the following factors:

• Location
• Root system
• Size
• Tree type
• Cleanup

To help you understand the effect the above factors have on stump removal cost, we will take a deeper look at them in the following sections:

Geographic Location

The location of the tree stump affects the stump removal cost in 2 main ways:

1.     Market Costs

If you reside in an urban center, your stump removal cost will be higher compared to someone living in a rural area. The cost may be raised by:

• Overhead
• Insurance
• Permitting
• Accessibility

However, even if your home is in a rural area, you may need to pay a minimum of $100 to remove the stump.

2.     Travel Time

If you reside in Austin and hire Austin-based professionals, you may not have to deal with travel fees. However, if the professionals have to drive for a long distance to get to your home, you may have to add $0.55 per mile to your stump removal budget.

Tree Type

High-quality grinders are capable of grinding almost all trees at a similar rate. This suggests that the tree type may not have a significant effect on the stump removal cost.

However, if the professionals find it complicated to remove a stump belonging to a specific type of tree, your stump removal cost may increase. Often the stump and roots of hardwood trees such as aspen, elm, birch, hickory, and oak are harder to grind – for this reason, they usually have a higher stump removal cost.

Size

If the stump is big, its diameter will also be big. In addition to this, the stump will most likely have a complicated root system. This tells you that bigger stumps have a higher stump removal cost.

Root System

On average, Austin property owners spend $100 to $200 on the root removal. Most commercial grinders require special attachments for them to be able to remove roots. This adds effort and time to the stump removal operation.

Soil Condition

Rocky soil can damage grinder blades. Therefore, if the soil is rocky, the stump removal professionals may have to spend additional time prepping the area. In such a case, you may have to spend approximately 50% more money.

Most stump removal professionals provide prices that reflect the soil condition. Hence, if you reside in a rocky area, the price you get will have taken the poor soil condition into consideration.

Preparation and Cleanup

Before grinding can be initiated, the remaining tee trunk may have to be cut to ground level. Most professionals do this for free. For some companies, however, you may need to pay for this. After the grinding, cleanup usually costs an average of $2 per diameter inch.

Whole Tree Removal

Tree removal costs an average of $650. Depending on the type of tree and size, the tree removal cost can be as high as $1,500.

Stump removal is generally not part of the tree removal cost. Hence, if a partial trunk remains, you may have to pay $150 to $600 to remove it.

Why You Should Remove the Tree Stump

• When tree stumps get covered by shrubs and grass, they turn into hazards.
• Stumps reduce the curb appeal.
• They attract unpleasant insects and pests, including termites, beetles, and ants.
• Sprouts from the tree stumps can easily destroy underground utilities.

DIY Versus Hiring a Professional Team

Turning stump removal into a DIY project can save you an average of $200. If removing the stump is impossible for you but you would like to save yourself some money, prepping the stump removal area may be your best option. You can get rid of the overgrowth before the professionals arrive. This will make it much easier to determine the stump diameter. It will also reduce the stump removal time.

Stockton Stump Removal Cost Factors

The factors which determine how high or low the stump removal cost should be, include:

• Size
• Location
• Root system
• Tree type
• Cleanup

We will expound on these factors below:

Tree Size

If the tree was huge, its stump will also be huge. This means that it will cost you more money to remove it. If you are planning to get rid of the roots too, this may cost you $100 to $200.

Location

There are 2 sub-factors under location which affects the stump removal cost. The sub-factors are as follows:

Market Costs

People whose properties are close to the urban areas spend more money on tree stump removal when compared to people who reside in rural areas. The reasons why the stump removal cost is higher in urban centers include:

• Permitting
• Overhead
• Insurance
• Accessibility

Stockton stump removal professionals will still charge you at least $100 even if your property is in a rural area.

Travel Time

If you hire stump removal professionals who do not reside in Stockton, you may need to pay a travel rate of $0.55/mile. To avoid this travel fee, you will just need to work with professionals who are based in Stockton.

Tree Type

Top-quality tree grinders, when being handled by experienced professionals, will take almost the same amount of time to eat through the same size stumps from different tree species. This means that the tree-type shouldn’t affect the stump removal cost too much.

However, if removing a stump from a specific type of tree is more difficult, spending more money may be necessary. Hardwood trees are often a little bit tougher to grind. The stump removal cost for hardwood trees such as hickory, aspen, elm, oak, and birch may be higher.

Root System

On average, roots cost $100 to $200 to remove. The normal grinders may require additional attachments for them to grind the roots. Root grinding often requires more effort.

Solid Condition

When quoting the stump removal cost, professionals offering this service take the soil condition into consideration. Hence, you may not have to worry about the soil condition adding too much money to the initial expected cost. However, in some rare cases, the soil condition can increase the stump removal cost by about 50%.

Preparation and Cleanup

Before initiating the grinding, it is often necessary to prep the site where the stump removal will be taking place. While this is often free, you may need to pay for the service. Clean up costs $2 per diameter inch, on average.

Whole Tree Removal

The tree removal cost ranges between $650 and $1500. Since the stump removal is generally not part of the tree removal, you may need to spend additional money after the whole tree removal.

Why Should Remove Tree Stumps

• To improve curb appeal.
• To get rid of safety hazards.
• Reduce the chances of pests being attracted to your property.
• To make sure sprouts do not start growing from the stump roots.

DIY Versus Working with Professionals

If you have free time and the necessary stump removal tools, you can save yourself about $200 by removing the stump yourself. If saving money is your goal but removing the stump yourself is impossible, you can prepare the stump removal zone. This will reduce the time professionals spend when removing the stump. You will end up paying less to remove the stump.