How deep does a stump need to be ground?

It depends on what goes on top. Shallow grinding is enough to lay turf over; a garden bed needs more; paving or a slab needs the stump and major roots out entirely because the timber will rot and subside; and replanting a tree in the same spot needs the most. Specify the end use and let the contractor quote the depth.

Can I just leave the stump?

You can, and it will decay over years, host fungi and sometimes termites, and can resprout for some species. Whether that matters depends on the stump's position and the species — a eucalypt stump in a back corner is different from a camphor laurel stump in the middle of a lawn.

Who to hire to remove a tree stump

Short answer

An arborist or a stump grinding contractor. The two things worth specifying are the depth — grinding to a shallow depth is fine for lawn and not enough for paving or for replanting a tree — and who removes the grindings, which are bulkier than people expect.

Plan itThere is time to get more than one quote, which is where the money is.

What to do before anyone arrives

Decide what is going on top: lawn, garden bed, paving, a new tree, or a structure. That sets the depth.
Check for services. Stump grinders destroy irrigation, gas, water and electrical services, and a free dial-before-you-dig enquiry is worth doing.
Check access — the machine has to get to the stump, and the gate width is the usual limit.
Note any rock or paving close to the stump, which slows the work and can damage the machine.

What to ask when you book

To what depth are you grinding, and is that enough for what I want to do here?
Are the grindings removed or left, and is soil backfill included?
Are the surface roots being ground as well, or only the stump?

What changes the price

No dollar figures here: this directory holds no price data and an invented range is worse than none. What follows is what makes one of these jobs cost more than the same job next door, which is the part you can actually use when comparing quotes.

Stump diameter and root spread.
Depth required.
Access for the machine.
Whether grindings are removed and the hole backfilled.
Proximity of paving, services and structures.

What you can do yourself

Is this licensed work?

Not licensed. Locating underground services before grinding is a genuine safety issue rather than a formality.

There is no national register. Search the licence number with the regulator for the state the work is happening in.

NSWNSW Fair Tradingbuilders, electricians, plumbers and specialist trades
VICBuilding and Plumbing Commission, and Energy Safe Victoria for electricalbuilding practitioners and plumbers; electricians are Energy Safe Victoria
QLDQueensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC)building and most trade contractor licences
WABuilding and Energybuilders, electricians, plumbers and gas fitters
SAConsumer and Business Servicesbuilding work contractors and supervisors
TASConsumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS)building and occupational licences
ACTAccess Canberraconstruction occupations licensing
NTNT Government building practitioner registrationbuilding practitioners and electrical workers

Licensing thresholds and certificate requirements differ by state and change with amending regulation, so this page describes the mechanism rather than quoting a figure. The regulator’s own page is the current answer.

Common questions

Who should I hire for a stump to remove: An arborist or a stump grinding contractor. The two things worth specifying are the depth — grinding to a shallow depth is fine for lawn and not enough for paving or for replanting a tree — and who removes the grindings, which are bulkier than people expect.
How deep does a stump need to be ground?: It depends on what goes on top. Shallow grinding is enough to lay turf over; a garden bed needs more; paving or a slab needs the stump and major roots out entirely because the timber will rot and subside; and replanting a tree in the same spot needs the most. Specify the end use and let the contractor quote the depth.
Can I just leave the stump?: You can, and it will decay over years, host fungi and sometimes termites, and can resprout for some species. Whether that matters depends on the stump's position and the species — a eucalypt stump in a back corner is different from a camphor laurel stump in the middle of a lawn.

Find a Arborist near you

918 arborists in this directory, ranked on published evidence rather than on advertising.

Who to hire for

General information about who does what, not advice about your specific job. Licensing, consumer law and council rules differ by state and change; the regulator for your state is the current source. More guides to hiring a tradesperson.