Snohomish · King · Skagit · Pierce
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
Stumps ground below grade or pulled out whole with the excavator, then the hole filled and graded so the ground is usable again.
Grinding a Stump vs Pulling It Out
When a tree comes down, the stump and roots stay behind. Left alone, a stump can sprout, attract insects, rot slowly for years and get in the way of mowing, landscaping or building. There are two ways to deal with it, and the right one depends on what you want the ground to do next.
Grinding takes the stump down below the surface and leaves the roots in the ground to decay. It is the right choice for a lawn or garden bed. Pulling removes the stump and root ball whole with an excavator, which is the right choice when you are building, regrading, putting in a driveway or clearing a lot, because buried roots rot and settle under new surfaces.
DirtRaptor does both. Because we run excavators as well as tree crews, we can pull big stumps that most grinding services cannot handle, then fill, compact and grade the hole so the ground is ready to use.
Worth Knowing
A stump pulled whole leaves a large hole. If it is filled with loose soil and not compacted, it will settle over the next few wet seasons. Proper backfill in compacted lifts is what keeps the spot level.
The Process
How a Stump Job Runs
Small backyard stump or a whole clearing, the steps are the same.
Site Walk & Locates
We look at the stumps, access and what the ground will be used for, and make sure utility lines are marked before any digging.
Grind or Pull
Stumps are ground below grade, or pulled out whole with the excavator when the ground needs to be clean for building or grading.
Fill & Compact
Holes are backfilled and compacted so they do not settle, with topsoil on top where grass or plants are going in.
Cleanup
Grindings, roots and debris are spread, hauled or left for mulch, your choice.
Scope
What Stump Work Covers
From one stump in a lawn to dozens on a cleared lot.
Single Stumps
One stump in a lawn or bed, taken down below grade so you can plant or mow over it.
Multiple Stumps
Groups of stumps after a removal or clearing, handled in one visit.
Full Root Ball Removal
Stump and roots pulled out whole with the excavator for building sites and regrading.
Hole Fill & Grading
Holes filled and compacted in lifts, then graded to match the ground around them.
Topsoil & Seed Prep
Topsoil placed over the spot so it is ready for grass or landscaping.
Debris Haul-Off
Roots, grindings and wood hauled on our own trucks, or left as mulch.
Why Us
Why DirtRaptor for Stump Grinding & Removal
Owner On The Machine
You talk to the person doing the work, not a salesperson who has never seen your site.
Arborist-Led Tree Work
Trees and dirt work handled by one company on one mobilisation — rare in this trade.
Our Own Trucks
Haul-off is not a marked-up subcontractor line. It is a truck we own and a schedule we control.
Since 2019
Years of Pacific Northwest ground, wet seasons, and county permit desks.
Honest Exclusions
Rock, groundwater and buried debris are excluded in writing, not discovered as a surprise invoice.
Free On-Site Quotes
A real number from a real site walk, not a range guessed over the phone.
Pricing
What Drives Stump Removal Cost
Stump jobs are priced on size, number and what happens to the hole afterward.
Size & Species
A small alder stump and a five-foot cedar stump are completely different jobs. Diameter and root spread drive the time.
Grind or Pull
Grinding is usually quicker for a lawn. Pulling takes more machine time but leaves clean ground for building.
Access & Cleanup
Whether equipment can reach the stump, and whether the roots and grindings are hauled away, change the scope.
The fastest route to an accurate number is a site walk. Quotes are free and there is no obligation.
Get My Free QuoteQuestions
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I grind or pull my stump?
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Grind it if you want a usable lawn or garden bed. Pull it if you are building, regrading or putting in a driveway, so no roots are left to rot and settle under the new surface.
How deep is a stump ground?
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Below the surface, deep enough for grass or a planting bed to go over it. Large surface roots can be ground along with it. Roots further down are left to decay naturally.
Can you remove a very large stump?
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Yes. Large Douglas fir and cedar stumps are where an excavator earns its keep. We have pulled root balls taller than the operator in one piece.
Do you fill the hole afterward?
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Yes. Holes are filled and compacted so they do not settle, and topped with topsoil where grass or plants are going in.
Can you remove stumps left by another tree company?
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Yes. A lot of our stump work is on trees someone else took down. Send a photo and the address for a quote.
Do you do stump grinding outside Snohomish County?
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Yes, across north King County too, including Bothell, Woodinville, Kirkland, Redmond and Bellevue.
Can stumps be removed near a house or driveway?
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Yes. Near foundations and paving we usually grind rather than pull, so roots near the structure are not disturbed.
Question not answered here? Send us the details and we will come back to you.
Often Booked Together
Related Services
Combining scopes on one mobilisation is almost always cheaper than booking them separately.
Tree Removal
Arborist-led removal, thinning and stump grinding. Because the same crew runs the trees and the excavation, both happen on one mobilisation.
Lot Clearing
Residential and commercial lots cleared of trees, brush, stumps and debris and left ready to build, sell or use.
Land Clearing
Raw and wooded lots made buildable. Brush, thinning, stumps and access handled by one crew instead of three.
Across the Region
Stumps Across the Region
Big Douglas fir and western red cedar stumps are common across Snohomish and north King County, often left behind by earlier logging or removals. They are too big for many small grinders, which is where an excavator that can pull the whole root ball makes the difference.
On lawns and garden beds in established neighborhoods, grinding is usually the right answer. On building lots and acreage around Arlington, Lake Stevens, Marysville and Snohomish, stumps are usually pulled so the ground can be graded and built on.
Where we do stump grinding & removal
In Snohomish County: Everett, Lynnwood, Bothell, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, Edmonds, Mukilteo, Marysville, Snohomish, Lake Stevens, Monroe, Arlington, Brier, plus Stanwood, Granite Falls, Sultan, Gold Bar, Woodway.
In King County: Woodinville, Kenmore, Kirkland, Redmond, Bellevue, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Sammamish, Duvall, Seattle, plus Issaquah, Snoqualmie, North Bend, Carnation, Renton, Newcastle, Mercer Island.
In Skagit County: Mount Vernon, Burlington, Sedro-Woolley, Anacortes.
In Pierce County: Tacoma, Puyallup, Bonney Lake, Gig Harbor.
Stump Grinding & Removal Across Four Counties
Serving Snohomish, King, Skagit and Pierce County, Washington. Send photos and a rough scope and we will come back with a real number.
