Do you remove the roots too?

We grind out the root crown and major lateral roots in the immediate area. We don't chase roots 30 feet across the yard — that's excavation, not stump work, and it's almost never worth the cost or yard damage.

How much does complete stump removal cost?

Most full removals with haul-off run 30–50% more than basic grinding. We'll quote it on the phone once we know the diameter and access.

Can you remove stumps in rocky soil?

Yes — our grinders eat through rocky and clay-heavy southwest Minnesota soil all day. We carry spare teeth and tighten things up between jobs.

Stump Removal

Complete Stump Removal

When you want the stump gone for good — root crown, chips, the whole package.

Call now Get a free quote

Licensed & Insured

Full MN liability

Locally Owned

Marshall, MN based

Modern Equipment

Walk-behind to track

Affordable Pricing

By-the-inch quotes

Fast Turnaround

Most jobs <7 days

5-Star Service

Owner answers

Stump removal goes a step beyond standard grinding. Instead of leaving you with a pile of chips and a leveled surface, we grind deep, pull the major root mass when needed, haul the debris, and leave the ground ready for whatever's next — sod, concrete, a new tree, or just clean grass.

If you're prepping a build site, redoing landscaping, or selling the house, this is the package most homeowners and contractors want.

Benefits

Why choose complete stump removal

Full cleanup

Chips loaded and hauled. Nothing left for you to deal with.

Deep grind

12+ inches below grade so you can build, pour, or replant over the spot.

One-visit finish

We don't come back three times — quote, grind, haul, done.

Insurance-friendly

Fully insured, with a COI for HOAs, property managers, or closing requirements.

How it works

Our complete-removal process

Quote

On-site or photo. We confirm depth, access, and haul-off needs.

Grind deep

Below-grade grind that pulls the root flare apart, not just the trunk.

Haul

Chips loaded into the trailer and off the property the same day.

Final pass

Rake out, level, photos sent — and you're ready for the next step.

The details

Stump removal vs stump grinding — which do you actually need?

A lot of folks call asking for stump removal when grinding is what they really want, and vice versa. The short version: if you just want the stump out of sight so you can mow over it, standard grinding is cheaper and faster. If you're putting something on top of that spot — patio, shed, fence post, new tree — you want complete removal with a deeper grind and haul-off.

We'll tell you straight when you call. We'd rather sell you the right job than the bigger job.

The actual difference between grinding and removal

Grinding is subtractive from the top down: the wheel chews the visible stump and root crown to 6–12 inches under grade and stops. Removal is an extraction: we grind deeper — 18 to 24 inches on most jobs — then break up and lift the root ball itself, cut the major laterals back a foot or two from the hole, and pull that mass out of the ground instead of leaving it to decompose. What's left is an open cavity that gets backfilled with clean soil rather than a chip mound. That's why removal costs more, takes longer, and disturbs more turf. It's also the only version of this job that lets a footing, a slab, or a fence post occupy the same spot.

Depth, backfill, and settling

A removal hole on an average 20-inch stump ends up roughly three feet across and a foot and a half to two feet deep. We backfill with clean fill or topsoil — not chips — because chips decompose and the spot sinks four to six inches over the following two years, which is exactly what you don't want under a patio or a new tree. If the plan is concrete, we compact in lifts. If it's sod, we crown the fill an inch high so it settles level.

Equipment, time, and what it costs

Removal runs off the Bobcat: grinder wheel first, then bucket work to open and clear the hole, then backfill and rake. Budget 60–90 minutes for a single residential stump and two to four hours if there are three or four in a line. Pricing generally lands 30–50% above the grinding price for the same stump — figure $175–$350 for a common 18–24 inch yard stump with haul-off and backfill included, more if the truck can't get within a hose length of the hole.

When we'll talk you out of it

If you're seeding grass over the spot, removal is money you don't need to spend — a grind plus topsoil gets you the same lawn for less. If the stump is inside a mature tree's root zone, full excavation can damage the neighbor tree, and we'll recommend a deep grind instead. And if the root ball sits over a septic line, a gas lateral, or a sprinkler main, we grind and leave the roots alone. We'd rather quote the right job than the bigger one.

Removal for new construction

Building a deck or pouring a slab? We grind 18+ inches down, pull lateral roots back from the footprint, and clear the chips so the soil compacts cleanly. Contractors love it because we show up on schedule and they don't have to babysit us.

Removal before replanting

Planting a new tree in the same spot? We go deep enough to clear the old root crown so the new tree has fresh soil and room to root. We'll backfill the hole with the chips or with clean dirt — your call.

Removal for a property sale

Closing on a house and the inspector flagged a rotting stump? We can usually be out the same week and have a paid invoice in your hand for the file.

FAQ

Complete Stump Removal — common questions

Grinding chews the stump below grade and usually leaves the chips on-site. Complete removal goes deeper, addresses the lateral roots, and hauls everything off so the spot is ready to build or replant.

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