How much does stump removal cost in Arkansas?
Stump removal costs most homeowners $195 to $609, says Angi’s national cost guide. Its 2026 national average is $369. Pricing often runs $2 to $5 per inch of stump diameter. Digging the whole stump out costs more than grinding in Angi’s figures. Around Hot Springs, haul-off and landfill fees add to the total.
What do national cost guides say stump removal costs?
Angi updated its stump removal cost guide on September 14, 2026. It puts the national average at $369, based on 16,293 verified projects. Most homeowners pay between $195 and $609.
The other national cost guides overlap that range. Fixr puts the national average at $200 to $700. HomeGuide’s average runs $100 to $400, depending on size and method. LawnStarter says about $150 to $300 per stump.
Scott Bankhead Demolition does stump removal around Hot Springs with a tracked excavator. The excavator digs out the stump and root ball, and the wood leaves on our dump trucks. Then we backfill the hole.
Each guide also prices the work by method. Angi calls full removal of the stump and roots the most labor-intensive method. The table puts the guides side by side.
| Method | Angi, Sep 2026 | Fixr | HomeGuide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full removal, stump and roots dug out | $200 to $700 | $200 to $700 | $80 to $190 per stump with a backhoe, plus a $150 to $350 minimum |
| Grinding | $150 to $500 | $150 to $300 for an average stump | $120 to $400 for one stump, $30 to $60 for each added stump |
| Chemical rotting | $60 to $200 | $60 to $200 | $100 to $200 per stump |
| Burning | $100 to $200 | $100 to $200 | $50 to $200 per stump |
LawnStarter calls full removal the priciest option. It also calls it the only method that gets rid of the roots.
How much does stump removal cost per inch?
Angi prices stump removal at $2 to $5 per inch of diameter. That makes the width of the stump the main cost factor. Larger stumps take more labor and machine time. HomeGuide’s tip is to measure the longest width at ground level.
| Stump diameter | At $2 to $5 per inch (Angi) | Cleanup and hauling at $1 to $4 per inch (Angi) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 inches | $24 to $60 | $12 to $48 |
| 24 inches | $48 to $120 | $24 to $96 |
| 36 inches | $72 to $180 | $36 to $144 |
Minimums change the math on small jobs. Angi says most pros charge a flat $100 to $150 minimum to come out for one stump. A single 12-inch stump at $24 to $60 falls below that floor. Fixr adds that many pros charge a $100 minimum on stumps over 12 inches.
More stumps bring the price of each one down. With more than one stump, Angi says the rate often drops to $40 to $75 per stump. It calls bundling stumps into one job one of the simplest ways to lower the total.
Cleanup is often its own line. Angi adds $1 to $4 per inch for cleanup and debris hauling. HomeGuide prices debris removal at $2 to $4 per inch. Some companies charge a flat fee or include it in the project estimate, HomeGuide adds.
What does it cost to dig a stump out with a machine?
HomeGuide prices digging a stump out with a backhoe at $80 to $190 each. Backhoe work carries a minimum service fee of $150 to $350. So one stump costs at least the minimum. That $150 to $350 overlaps Angi’s $150 to $500 range for grinding.
With five stumps, the per-stump rate takes over. Five stumps at $80 to $190 each come to $400 to $950. That is $80 to $190 a stump, near the low end of the guides’ prices to grind one. Grinding a batch still costs less on paper: HomeGuide’s figures put five at $240 to $640.
The two methods leave different cleanup behind. Excavation leaves a large hole, and HomeGuide says extra costs apply for backfilling with new dirt. Grinding leaves wood chips, and HomeGuide prices hauling them away at $2 to $4 per inch.
Our tracked excavators dig the stump and roots out, and our dump trucks haul the wood off. The hole gets backfilled, and a job that needs more dirt can add fill dirt delivered and spread.
What does grinding leave under a slab or driveway?
A grinder cuts the stump down below the surface and stops there. Angi says grinding goes four to six inches below ground and leaves the roots intact. University of Illinois Extension says grinders reach anywhere from flush with the soil to over a foot deep.
Fixr notes that grinding may leave more of the root structure behind than excavation-style removal. The chips cause their own trouble. Illinois Extension says wood mixed into soil can tie up nitrogen as it breaks down. For grass, it recommends hauling off the chips and filling the hole with quality topsoil.
A house slab raises the stakes. In Arkansas, the International Residential Code is Volume III of the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code. Its section R506.2 says the area inside the foundation walls must have all vegetation, top soil and foreign material removed. Section R506.2.1 says fill under the slab must be free of vegetation too.
So grinding a stump where a slab will go can mean a second bill. HomeGuide puts tree root removal at $150 to $300, and Fixr at $70 to $500. HomeGuide adds that roots under foundations or driveways raise the labor cost. Digging the stump out up front clears the ground for grading and site prep.
What else moves the price of stump removal?
The age and type of the tree matter. Angi says older, decaying stumps are easier and faster to remove than newer ones. It names oak and maple among the harder species, with deeper, widespread roots and hardwood. HomeGuide adds that rocky or clay soil makes the work take longer.
Machine access counts on hilly ground. Angi says steep hills and rugged terrain make it harder to get equipment to the site. The same goes for a stump wedged between two large structures. Hot Springs sits in the Ouachita Mountains, and the free on-site estimate is where slope and machine access get priced.
Dozens of stumps across a wooded lot make a bigger job. That work falls under land and lot clearing. Per-acre pricing for it is in our land clearing cost guide.
What does stump disposal cost around Hot Springs?
Haul-off has a disposal fee behind it. Garland County’s solid waste fee schedule took effect January 1, 2025. The county landfill takes yard waste at no charge on unmixed loads. That covers brush and wood under 4 inches, and the county transfer stations do not accept it.
A stump is bigger wood, so it goes in as Class 4 waste. County Ordinance O-24-32 sets Class 4 at $32 per ton, with a $15 minimum. Class 4 waste from outside Garland County costs $50 per ton.
Before any machine digs, Arkansas law requires a call to Arkansas 811. That covers any digging or demolishing work. Member utilities locate their lines within two full working days. They mark only their own lines, so a private line past the meter stays unmarked.
Stump size and the way in for the excavator set the real number. Scott Bankhead Demolition gives free on-site estimates on stump removal around Hot Springs. Call (501) 617-1511 or ask for a free stump removal estimate.