William C.Google review
★★★★★
Excellent guys, respectful of my property and in and out quick. 5 trees down, three stumps ground.
Stump Grinding in Birmingham, AL
Get rid of the stump for good. Ground down below the surface so you can mow, plant, or reseed, with free quotes by phone and no chemicals around your kids or pets.
- Licensed and insured
- Owner-operated
- 4.7 stars, 85 reviews
An old stump is more than an eyesore. It is hard to mow around, it can attract bees, ants, and termites, and it can become infected with wood decay fungi. Stump grinding takes it down below ground level and turns it into wood chips, so you get that part of the yard back.
Stump grinding is lettered right on the side of the K&M trucks, and K&M has been doing it around Birmingham and Shelby County for over 30 years. Quotes are free by phone, though owner Kenny Malone prefers to see the stump in person so the price is accurate, the same way he oversees every job.
What's included
- Free stump grinding quotes by phone
- Stumps ground down below ground level
- Single stumps, several stumps, or a whole yard of them
- Stump grinding on the same job as a tree removal
- Wood chips you can use as mulch for landscaping
- Debris removal and a thorough cleanup
How the job goes
- Call for a free quoteTell us how many stumps and roughly how wide they are at the ground. A photo helps.
- On-site lookKenny prefers to see the stumps in person so the price is accurate before any work starts.
- GrindThe stump is ground down below ground level into wood chips.
- CleanupThe area cleaned up, with the chips left as mulch or removed, as you asked for on the estimate.
Why people call K&M for this
Grinding is the fastest and least disruptive way to get rid of a stump. There is no digging out the root ball, no chemicals, and nothing to wait months for. The ground-up stump becomes mulch you can use in your beds.
Customers mention it in their reviews. William C. had five trees taken down and three stumps ground and called the crew respectful of his property and in and out quick. Road D. said the crew cleaned up so well you could not tell they had been there.
Stump grinding cost in Birmingham
HomeGuide puts stump grinding at $100 to $400 per stump, or $2 to $6 per inch of diameter, and notes that many companies have a minimum charge of $80 to $160 to come out. Homeyou puts stump removal in Birmingham at $60 to $350. Several stumps on one visit usually costs less per stump than one at a time, and grinding the stump on the same day as the tree removal saves a separate trip.
The price depends on the width of the stump, how many there are, and how easy they are to reach. Call (205) 965-2821 for a free quote, or see the full tree service cost guide.
Why remove a stump?
Stumps are hard to mow around and easy to trip over. As they decay, they attract unwanted critters like bees, ants, and termites, and they can carry wood decay fungi. Getting rid of them improves curb appeal, gives you back usable yard space, and leaves no dangerous chemicals behind for pets or children.
Stump grinding vs. stump removal
Grinding chews the stump down below ground level and leaves the deeper roots to break down on their own. It is faster, cheaper, and far less disruptive, and it is the right choice for nearly every yard.
Full stump removal digs out the entire root ball. It is usually only worth the extra cost and mess when you are building, pouring a driveway, or setting a foundation on that exact spot. Ask on the estimate if you think you need it.
Serving Birmingham and the surrounding cities
K&M is based in Columbiana and grinds stumps across Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Homewood, Mountain Brook, Pelham, Alabaster, Helena, and Chelsea, plus Inverness, Irondale, and the rest of Central Alabama.
What customers say
4.7 stars from 85 Google reviews. Read more reviews.
Road D.Google review
★★★★★
Great guys to work with, showed up when they said they would and cleaned up so well you couldn't tell they were there.
Wayne B.Google review
★★★★★
I have been using K&M for several years. Prices are good, crew is great and they always clean up. They take care of my property like it's theirs.
Brad W.Google review
★★★★★
Kenny and his crew showed up on time and did exactly what they said they would do. They left the area spotless like new. Great prices and very dependable.
Jeff H.Google review
★★★★★
Big #1 Motorsports needed some major lot cleanup and these guys absolutely knocked it out! Showed up early and worked in the rain to get the job done in one day.
Lou E.Google review
★★★★★
We have been doing business with K&M for some 20 years. They have always been responsive, reliable and fair.
Stump grinding questions
HomeGuide puts stump grinding at $100 to $400 per stump, or $2 to $6 per inch of diameter, with many companies charging a minimum of $80 to $160 to come out. Quotes from K&M are free by phone.
Most single stumps fall in the $100 to $400 range HomeGuide reports. Big hardwood stumps, stumps that are hard to reach, and lots of surface roots cost more. Several stumps on one visit usually lowers the price per stump.
Measure straight across the widest part of the stump at ground level, in inches. Tell us that, how many stumps there are, and whether there is a gate, fence, or slope in the way.
Grinding, in almost every case. Full removal means digging out and hauling the whole root ball, which takes more equipment and leaves a big hole. It is usually only worth it if you are building on that spot.
Once the grinder is set up, most single stumps take well under an hour. A large hardwood stump with big surface roots takes longer.
Most trees will not. Some kinds can send up sprouts from the roots left underground for a while. Mowing or cutting the sprouts as they come up usually ends it.
You can, but it will take years to rot. In the meantime it is hard to mow around, it is a trip hazard, it can attract bees, ants, and termites, and it can carry wood decay fungi into the soil.
The deeper roots stay in the ground and break down over time, so the spot can settle a little. You will have a pile of wood chips to use as mulch or have removed, and it is best not to plant a new tree in the exact same spot right away.
Use the chips as mulch elsewhere or have them removed, fill the hole with topsoil, and plant grass seed or sod. Add more topsoil if the spot settles. Plant a new tree a few feet away from the old stump.
You can rent a grinder, but they are heavy, they throw debris, and the teeth can catch rocks and buried lines. Factor in the rental, a trailer, safety gear, and calling Alabama 811 before you dig. For more than one stump or a big one, hiring it out is often close in cost.
Nothing is fast without a grinder. Chemical stump removers and home remedies like Epsom salt take months or longer and do not always work. Digging it out by hand is hard work on anything big. Grinding is done in one visit, with no chemicals.
Grinding takes the stump and the base of the roots below ground level. Surface roots that are in the way can usually be ground too, so point them out on the estimate. Full root ball removal is a separate, bigger job.
They make good mulch for beds and borders. If you do not want them, ask for debris removal on your estimate.
Grinders can reach buried lines, so it is smart to know what is underground. Alabama 811 marks public utility lines for free. Tell us about any irrigation, wiring, or private lines you know of.
Yes. Stump grinding can be added to a tree removal, which saves a separate trip. Ask for it on your estimate.
Ask when you call. Old stumps, storm-snapped trees, and stumps left after someone else took the tree down are all common stump grinding jobs.
Stump Grinding across Birmingham and Shelby County
K&M works across these towns. Tap yours for local details.
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