Stump grinding: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering stump grinding

Stump grinding is a fast, equipment-heavy job where setup, locating and backfill make the difference. Your value is in protecting buried lines and the turf, grinding to the agreed depth and leaving a clean, level surface.

What customers ask

  • How deep will you grind, and can I plant in the hole?
  • What happens to the chips?
  • Will you damage my lawn or sprinklers?
  • Can you grind the roots that are coming out of the ground?
  • How long does a stump take to grind?
  • Do you backfill the hole?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask what the customer plans to do with the spot, such as plant, mow or pave, since that decides the depth of the grind.
  • Walk the stump with the customer, locate the sprinkler heads and lines, and note any roots and obstacles before you quote.
  • Put the stump count, the diameter, the grind depth, the chip disposal, the backfill and the restoration in the written quote.
  • Show the customer the grind depth on the first stump before you do the rest, and leave the hole level and tamped.
  • Photograph the stump before and after the grind, and send the photos with a note on the depth reached.
  • Offer to rake and reseed or sod the area after the grind, and explain what the turf needs to recover.

What to put on your profile

  • Before and after photos of stumps ground and the surface restored
  • The grinder size and the types of stumps you handle, shown in plain terms
  • Your backfill and cleanup process, with the materials you use
  • The areas you serve and the stump jobs you take on

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer to plant a replacement tree or shrub in the spot, and let the customer choose the species
  • Suggest a turf repair visit for the area, with overseeding or sod for the restored surface
  • Send a note on the chips and when they will settle, so the customer knows when the spot is ready to plant

Licenses and permits

Stump grinding may fall under tree service or contractor rules in some areas, and grinding near structures or buried lines may need separate approvals. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your utility locate process before you take the job, and confirm the insurance you need.

Questions

Do I need a license to grind stumps?

Stump grinding may fall under tree service or contractor rules in some areas. Check with your state or local licensing agency before you take jobs, and confirm the insurance you need for work near structures and buried lines.

How do I keep the grinder from damaging buried lines?

Locate the lines before the work starts, mark them, and keep the grinder at a safe distance from anything marked. Tell the customer in writing who is responsible if a line is hit.

What do I do with the chips?

Decide that in the quote. Chips can be hauled, spread in beds as mulch or left in the hole, and the customer should know which option is included and what they need to decide.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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