Stump grinding in Columbus, GA
Grinding below grade, and the buried lines to find first.
A cut tree leaves a stump and a root plate, and that root plate can sit right on top of a gas service, a water line or buried cable. Grinding chews the stump into chips below the surface; the price depends on the diameter, and the first step is a Georgia 811 ticket.
Georgia 811 comes first
Georgia 811 says it is the law in Georgia to have utility lines marked before mechanized digging, and it lists removing tree roots among the projects to call about. Its homeowner page asks for the ticket at least three business days before digging, after which utilities have three business days to mark their lines. Call 811 (or 1-800-282-7411) or use the eRequest form online. Mark the area with white paint, flags or stakes, and check the utility responses before work starts. The ticket expires after 30 calendar days, so a stump left for later may need a new one.
Georgia 811 asks anyone digging to proceed with caution and respect the 18-inch tolerance zone on either side of a marked line. Ask the contractor how they'll handle a stump that sits inside it.
Published prices
| Item | Lawn Love, Dec 2025 (national) |
|---|---|
| First stump, average | $120 to $210 |
| By size | about $2 to $5 per inch of diameter |
| Typical minimum charge | $100 |
| Each additional stump | $40 to $70 |
| Root removal | about $150 more per hour |
| Cleanup of the grindings | $50 to $200 per hour |
| Grinder rental, full day | $180 to $360 |
Lawn Love's figures run from as little as $15 for a 6-inch stump to as much as $395 for a 72-inch one. A tape across the stump top, at its widest, gives a contractor the number that matters most.
Grinding after a pine beetle removal
The Georgia Forestry Commission's control options for a beetle spot are to cut and remove the infested pines, or cut and leave them, and either way a buffer of green pines comes down too. That can leave a row of stumps at once, which is where the additional-stump price matters more than the first. See pine beetles.
What to ask
- How deep? Ask how far below grade the grinding goes, and whether surface roots are included.
- The chips: left as mulch in the hole, raked out, or hauled.
- The ticket: who files the Georgia 811 request, and when.
Common questions
Is a Georgia 811 ticket needed just to grind a stump?
Georgia 811 says marking is required by law before mechanized digging and lists removing tree roots as a project to call about. Submit the ticket at least three business days ahead.
How much does stump grinding cost?
Lawn Love's December 2025 guide averages $120 to $210 for the first stump and $40 to $70 for each additional one.
Get the stump priced
Phone us, or use the form, and a contractor based near Columbus will arrange to see the tree and give you a number. Nothing is charged for that.
If the voicemail picks up, say your street, what kind of tree it is, and whether it's still standing or already down.