Service
Stump Grinding in Marietta, GA
The tree is gone but the stump is still there, catching mower blades and tripping the kids. We connect you with a local tree service that grinds it out below grade so the spot goes back to being just lawn. Here is what it costs, the Georgia 811 rule that applies, and what to ask.
What stump grinding involves
A stump grinder is a machine with a spinning wheel of carbide teeth that chews the stump and its main surface roots into chips, below ground level. Ask how deep the company will grind: a few inches is enough for grass, but a patio, driveway, or new planting bed needs more, and the quote should say how deep and how far out the surface roots will be chased.
Grinding leaves a mound of wood chips mixed with soil. Most companies backfill the hole with those grindings and rake it out, leaving a slight mound that settles. If you want the grindings hauled away and topsoil brought in, ask for that to be quoted, because inside the City of Marietta, sanitation will not pick up any part of a tree that a tree company cuts down.
How much does stump grinding cost in Marietta?
HomeAdvisor's June 2026 cost guide puts stump grinding at $150 to $500, with stump removal averaging about $369 nationally. Many companies price by the stump's diameter and charge a minimum just to bring the machine out.
Source: HomeAdvisor stump removal cost guide, updated June 19, 2026 (national figures, not a Marietta quote). That is why grinding several stumps in one visit is the best deal: the machine and travel are paid for once. For more on how quotes are built, read our stump grinding cost guide for Marietta. If the tree is still standing, the tree removal in Marietta page covers that side of the job.
Why you do not want to leave a stump
- It is a trip hazard, especially a low, weathered stump hiding in the grass where nobody sees it until they catch a toe.
- It destroys mower blades and makes that whole corner of the yard a pain to maintain.
- A fresh pine stump draws beetles. The Georgia Forestry Commission says black turpentine beetles are attracted to fresh pine resin and a green pine stump is a prime target, so grinding is preferred when green pines are cut. Otherwise, it says, the stump should be treated with a labeled insecticide unless no pines are left in the yard.
Call Georgia 811 before the grinder starts
A grinder digs, so Georgia 811 applies. Submit a locate request online or by calling 811 (or 800-282-7411) at least 3 business days before the work. It is free. Utility members then have at least two full business days after the day you submit to mark their lines, and the work should start only after every utility has responded marked or clear.
- What gets marked: public lines owned by utilities and local governments, like gas mains, buried electric, water mains, and phone or fiber lines. Those usually end at the meter.
- What does not: anything past the meter that you own, such as the water line from the meter to the house, the sewer line to the street, irrigation, landscape lighting, invisible pet fences, propane lines, and power to a detached garage, barn, or pool heater. Georgia 811 tells homeowners to hire a private locator for those.
- Who calls: settle it before the day of the job. Ask whether the company will place the ticket; if not, place it yourself and keep the ticket number.
A note on ground, rocks, and access
Where the stump sits changes the price as much as its size. HomeAdvisor notes that rocky ground can raise the cost by 50 percent or more because rocks damage grinder teeth, and that long carries from the street, slopes, and narrow paths add labor. Measure your gate before you call: a full-size grinder needs room to get to the backyard, and the company will want to know.
Grinding or full stump removal?
Grinding is the usual choice: it is cheaper and leaves the roots to rot in place. Full removal pulls the stump and main roots out, costs more ($200 to $700 in HomeAdvisor's guide), and leaves a large hole to fill. Full removal makes sense when something will be built right on that spot. For a lawn or a planting bed, grinding is usually enough. The Forestry Commission adds that removing the stump is not necessary for southern pine beetle or Ips beetle problems.
Honest price range
HomeAdvisor's national figures: $150 to $500 to grind one stump, about $40 to $75 for each extra stump on the same visit, and $100 to $150 as a typical minimum. Hauling the grindings off and bringing in topsoil is an add-on, so ask for it on the quote.
Stump grinding questions
It depends on what goes there next, so ask before the work starts. A few inches below grade is enough for grass or sod; a patio, driveway, or garden bed needs deeper grinding and the larger surface roots chased out. Get the depth written into the quote.
Grinding leaves a pile of wood chips mixed with soil. Most companies backfill the hole with the grindings and rake the area, leaving a slight mound that settles over time. If you want the grindings hauled off and clean topsoil brought in, ask for that to be quoted. The City of Marietta will not pick up tree parts a tree company cut.
HomeAdvisor's 2026 guide puts grinding one stump at $150 to $500 nationally, or $2 to $5 per inch of diameter, with a $100 to $150 minimum. Extra stumps on the same visit run about $40 to $75 each. Rocky ground and hard access raise the price.
Yes. Contact Georgia 811 (811 or 800-282-7411, free) at least 3 business days before the work, and wait until every utility has marked or cleared the site. Utilities mark only public lines, which usually end at the meter. Your sprinkler, landscape lighting, and lines to a shed or pool heater need a private locator.
Usually, yes. The Georgia Forestry Commission says black turpentine beetles are drawn to fresh pine resin and a green pine stump is a prime target, so grinding is preferred when green pines are cut. Spread fresh pine chips only around hardwoods, not near other pines.
A leftover stump is a trip hazard, it wrecks mower blades, and a fresh pine stump can draw beetles to the pines that are left. Grinding takes it below grade so the spot can go back to lawn or a bed.
Reclaim that corner of the yard.
One stump or a dozen, tell us what you have and we connect you with a local tree service. Ask for the depth, the haul-off, and the 811 ticket in writing.