Frequently Asked Questions

A single small stump generally runs $100 to $175, a mid-size stump $175 to $350, and a large hardwood - a mature white oak or beech being the kind we most often see here - can run $350 to $700. Each stump is priced on its own size and access, not on how many others are on the property. A couple of clear photos, ideally with something in frame for scale, usually gets you a firm number before we ever schedule a visit.

Most calls get a response within a day or two, and many single-stump jobs never need an in-person visit at all if the photos are clear. Large hardwoods, stumps close to a tree you're keeping, or properties with gated or unusual access typically get a brief walk-through scheduled around your availability before we lock in a final number.

We backfill and level the hole to match the surrounding grade, clear loose chips and debris off any nearby drive, patio, or walkway, and leave the lawn looking settled rather than freshly disturbed. Hauling the leftover chip pile off-site is a separate option we'll ask about - some homeowners want it for mulch, others want it gone entirely.

It's rare when we know beforehand what's near the stump. The two things a standard utility locate won't show on a property like this are low-voltage landscape lighting wiring and irrigation drip lines threaded through planting beds, so we walk the site with you first and ask specifically about both before the grinder starts.

Often, yes, and we plan for it - send a gate code or arrange a time when someone can let us through, and we'll confirm equipment width against your gate opening beforehand so we're not showing up with a machine that doesn't fit. A standard walk-behind grinder needs about three feet of clearance to pass through comfortably.

They stay on-site unless you tell us otherwise, and a ground stump typically produces two to three times more chip volume than most homeowners expect - enough to fill several wheelbarrows even for a modest stump. We can leave them mounded near the hole, spread them thin as mulch in a bed, or haul the whole pile away, whichever you'd rather have.

For a standard residential stump on private property, no - Davidson County doesn't require a permit for that. It's the same answer whether it's one stump in a side yard or several along a fence line. The one exception worth mentioning is grinding within a public right-of-way, such as a stump between the sidewalk and the street, which can involve Metro rather than being purely private-property work. If you're unsure which category your situation falls into, we're glad to check before scheduling rather than assume.

Late fall through winter tends to be easiest, once leaves are down and the ground isn't saturated from summer storms - the machine gets better traction and the reduced foliage makes root flares easier to see. We grind year-round, but a very wet stretch can push a job back a few days to avoid tearing up soft turf.

We settle up once the job's finished and you've had a chance to walk the site with us, not before, so you're paying for work you've actually seen and approved rather than a number agreed to sight unseen. Cash, check, or a card all work fine. For a larger job - several stumps or a single large hardwood - we're happy to go over the final figure with you in person on-site before anything gets charged, in case the actual work turned out different from what the initial quote assumed.

Yes, and we'll provide proof of coverage before the job starts if you'd like to see it - just ask when you call or text to schedule. On a property with mature trees, hardscape, and landscaping worth protecting, that's a reasonable thing to want confirmed in writing rather than taken on trust, and we'd rather show it upfront than have you wonder about it partway through the job.

Usually, once the hole is backfilled and settled - give it a few weeks for the fill to compact naturally before planting anything with real root depth. If the old stump was diseased or the wood was decaying from rot rather than a healthy cut-down, we'll mention it, since that can affect what you plant there next.

Clear anything valuable or easily moved from within about fifteen feet of the stump - potted plants, yard art, hoses - and point out sprinkler heads, low-voltage lighting, or invisible fence wire you know about. Beyond that, there's nothing else you need to do; we bring everything required for the job itself.