Cost

Leave the stump or grind it? Pros, cons and costs

By Bountiful Stump Grinding · Updated October 2026 · 6 min read

Illustrative photo.

Once a tree is down, the stump is easy to ignore. It's not in the way — yet. But a stump left in a yard doesn't just sit there. Here's what happens if you leave it, when that's a reasonable choice, and what grinding actually costs.

What happens if you leave a stump

• It takes years to rot. Utah's dry climate slows decay, so a large hardwood stump can hang around for a decade or more.
• It can resprout. Cottonwood, poplar, aspen, Russian olive and Siberian elm often send up shoots from the stump and roots. See our guide to cottonwood suckers.
• It attracts pests and fungi. Decaying wood is a home for carpenter ants, beetles and termites, and for mushrooms and fungi.
• It's a trip and mower hazard. Low, grass-covered stumps are easy to hit with a mower blade or a foot.
• It takes up space. You can't lay sod, pour a patio or put a bed where a stump and its root flare are.
• Roots keep pushing. Surface roots can keep lifting lawns and pavers near the stump.

When leaving it can make sense

• It's in a natural or back corner of a large lot where nobody mows or walks.
• The species doesn't resprout and you're happy to wait for it to rot.
• You want it as a feature — a planter, a seat or a wildlife habitat.
• You plan to grind several stumps together later and save on the multi-stump discount.

Pros and cons at a glance

What grinding costs

Our rate is $7.50 per inch of diameter with a $200 minimum per job. Measure across the stump at ground level, including the flare.

Leaving the chips on site is free and there's no travel fee within 20 miles of Bountiful. Two or more stumps on one visit get 5–20% off. Add-ons like surface roots, tight access or haul-away are listed in the full stump grinding cost guide.

Is it worth DIY?

You can rent a small stump grinder, but rental machines are slower than professional ones, heavy to load and haul, and they still need a Utah 811 locate before you start. Add the rental, trailer and a weekend of your time, and for one or two stumps the $200 minimum often comes out ahead. Burning or chemical stump removers are slow and, in town, often not practical or allowed.

Our honest advice

If the stump is in a lawn, a park strip, near a walkway or anywhere you'd like to plant, grind it now — it only gets more annoying. If it's tucked away in a wild corner, it's fine to wait, and grinding it later alongside other stumps will save you money.