Preparation Is Simple But a Few Things Make a Real Difference

Most homeowners don't need to do much before a stump grinding job. We bring everything we need and we're used to working in real yards, not ideal conditions. That said, a few simple steps on your end make the job go smoother, faster, and with less risk of anything getting damaged.

Here's what we recommend before we arrive:

1. Know Where Your Irrigation Lines Run

This is the most important thing you can do. 811 covers public utility lines gas, electric, water main, cable, fiber. It does not cover private irrigation systems, invisible dog fences, or low-voltage landscape lighting.

If you have an irrigation system, try to identify the general path the lines take through the yard - especially in the area around the stump. A rough description or a quick sketch is helpful. If you have a system map from when it was installed, that's even better. Share whatever you have when you schedule the job.

We'll ask about this when we confirm the appointment. The more you can tell us upfront, the better we can plan around it.

2. Clear the Path to the Stump

Walk the route from the gate or access point to the stump and clear anything that could be in the way - garden hoses, toys, potted plants, outdoor furniture, anything stored near the fence line. We're maneuvering a piece of commercial equipment through your yard and a clear path makes that safer for your property and faster for the job.  

You don't need to move heavy items or do any landscaping prep just a quick walkthrough to remove anything small that could be in the way or get caught.

3. Mark Anything You Want Us to Know About

If there are specific things near the stump you want us to be careful around a sprinkler head, a buried line you know about, a landscape feature, a fence post that's already loose - flag it. A piece of bright tape, a small flag, or even a text message before we arrive with a description gets that information to us before we start.

We're paying attention and we take care of your property. But if there's something specific you're concerned about, tell us. We'd rather know.

4. Decide What You Want Done With the Wood Chips

After grinding, there will be a pile of wood chips—a mix of ground stump and root material. Before we finish, we'll ask what you want done with them. Your options:

• Spread thinly over the stump area and rough graded and compacted with the machine
• Neatly piled in one spot if you want to bag them or have them hauled separately later

Think about this ahead of time so we can take care of it before we pack up. If you're not sure, usually the most practical default is to have them piled for removal later.

5. You Don't Need to Be Home

As long as we've confirmed the job details, any private utilities are marked, and we have access to the stump, you don't need to be on site. We'll send you photos when the job is complete so you have a record of the finished work. If anything comes up during the job that you should know about, we'll contact you directly.

If you prefer to be home, that's completely fine too. Some customers like to walk through the job with us beforehand or see the finished result in person. Either way works.

What You Don't Need to Do

A few things homeowners sometimes ask about that aren't necessary:

• You don't need to cut the stump down first — we work with whatever height it's at
• You don't need to dig around it — we assess and grind from the surface
• You don't need to rent equipment — we bring everything
• You don't need to water or treat the stump beforehand — no preparation needed on the stump itself

The 811 Ticket

We submit the 811 ticket for every job. You don't have to do that. We factor the standard three-business-day marking window into the job timeline when we schedule, so there's no delay on your end we just build it in.