Stumps ground 4 to 8 inches below grade in Chelmsford yards, with debris screens up and the wetland, scenic road and utility questions sorted first.
We grind stumps for Chelmsford homeowners, builders, landlords and commercial property managers. Our stump grinders take each stump 4 to 8 inches below grade, so you can lay sod, plant, set a patio or put in a fence line without working around old wood. We put up debris safety screens near houses, cars and windows, and we can rake the chips out, leave them piled or haul them away.
Call our Massachusetts line at (978) 696-6659 or use Get a Quote with photos, the number of stumps and how a machine would reach them. In Chelmsford, tell us if a stump is near a pond, brook or wet spot, or beside a road with a stone wall. Both can add a town review step before we grind.
Chelmsford has ponds, brooks, two rivers on its edges and its own wetlands bylaw. Four local conditions shape most stump jobs here.
Chelmsford's wetlands bylaw (Chapter 187) treats the 100 feet around wetlands, brooks and ponds of any size as a buffer zone, and it counts cutting trees and shrubs and removing soil as alteration. A stump near Pond Brook, Heart Pond or Russell Mill Pond may need a Conservation Commission answer before we grind, so we ask where the water is when you request a quote.
Chelmsford has designated scenic roads, including Garrison Road, Worthen Street, Crosby Lane, Byam Road and Mill Road. The town's scenic road bylaw counts removing trees six inches or larger, and cutting roots along the boundary of the right of way, as actions that need Planning Board consent. A stump beside a road wall deserves a call to the town before we start.
Gas, electric, water and communication lines often run close to front-yard stumps. Massachusetts requires Dig Safe notice at least 72 hours ahead, not counting weekends and holidays, with the area premarked, and marked lines can limit how deep we grind. Private lines such as sprinklers, landscape lighting or a feed to a garage are not marked, so show us where they run.
A stump in the strip between the pavement and your lawn may be a public shade tree. State law lets only the tree warden, or someone with the warden's written permit, cut or remove those trees, even if you own the land under them. If you are not sure whose it is, ask the Town before booking.
A stump in a dry backyard usually needs no permit. These are the rules that can come into play.
Dig Safe. Under MGL c.82 §40A (opens in a new tab), excavation requires notice to the Dig Safe system at least 72 hours ahead, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, with the area premarked. The law's definition of excavation (opens in a new tab) covers moving or removing earth, including grading and augering, and we treat grinding below grade with the same care.
Wetlands. Mass.gov (opens in a new tab) advises contacting the conservation commission before work within 100 feet of a wetland, and it lists vegetation removal among the regulated work. Chelmsford's wetlands bylaw (opens in a new tab) goes further than state law and defines cutting trees and shrubs as alteration. The Conservation Commission (opens in a new tab) administers both.
Scenic roads and street trees. Chelmsford's scenic road bylaw (opens in a new tab), adopted under MGL c.40 §15C (opens in a new tab), covers trees and stone walls on designated roads. MGL c.87 §3 (opens in a new tab) covers public shade trees.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. When we see a permit question on your property, we will flag it so you can confirm with the Town of Chelmsford.
Sources: MGL c.82 §40A Excavations; notice (Dig Safe); MGL c.82 §40 Definitions (excavation); Mass.gov: Protecting Wetlands in Massachusetts; Town of Chelmsford Code, Chapter 187: Wetlands; Town of Chelmsford: Conservation Commission; Town of Chelmsford Code, Chapter 130: Scenic Roads; MGL c.40 §15C Scenic Roads; MGL c.87 §3 Public Shade Trees
HomeGuide's 2026 national guide puts stump grinding at $120 to $400 for the first stump and $30 to $60 for each additional stump, or about $2 to $6 per inch of stump diameter. Extra-large hardwood stumps in difficult conditions can run up to about $800, and cleanup and disposal can add $2 to $4 per inch. These are national planning numbers, not our prices.
For a quick estimate, use our stump grinding cost calculator, then send photos for a quote on your Chelmsford property.
Try the stump grinding cost calculator
Cost references: HomeGuide: How Much Does Stump Grinding Cost?
A few places locals know, and what they mean for outdoor work nearby.
A 91-acre kettle pond in the southwest corner of Chelmsford, on the Westford line, fed mainly by Pond Brook. Land around the pond and its inlet brook falls under the Wetlands Protection Act and Chelmsford's wetlands bylaw, so stump and brush work near the shore starts with a Conservation Commission question.
Get directions to Heart Pond (opens Google Maps in a new tab)A 132-acre town forest the Town of Chelmsford acquired in 1971, with 3,000 feet of frontage on Russell Mill Pond and stands of oak and pine. Lots that back onto it share a line with conservation land, so clearing and mulching stop at the property line.
Get directions to Russell Mill Pond and Town Forest (opens Google Maps in a new tab)A 10-foot-wide paved multi-use trail whose first phase links Lowell, Chelmsford and Westford. Yards and wooded edges beside the corridor need debris kept off the public path while work is under way.
Get directions to Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (opens Google Maps in a new tab)The town center, where Routes 4 and 110, the end of Route 129 and Westford Street meet. The Chelmsford Center Historic District is here, and the town's historic properties include the Fiske House (1798) and the Hildreth-Robbins House (1742), so stumps near old foundations and walls are planned with extra care.
Get directions to Central Square (opens Google Maps in a new tab)Photos from our crew's jobs across New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Often yes, but check first. Chelmsford's wetlands bylaw covers a 100-foot buffer zone around wetlands, brooks and ponds of any size, and it counts cutting trees and shrubs and removing soil as alteration. Ask the Conservation Commission whether your stump needs a filing, and tell us about the water when you request a quote.
It can be on a designated scenic road. Chelmsford's bylaw requires Planning Board consent for removing trees six inches or larger and for destroying more than five feet of stone wall within or along the right of way. Call the Town to confirm whether your road is on the list before we grind.
We grind 4 to 8 inches below grade. We can rake the chips out, leave them piled or haul them away. Loam and seed are not included, but we can add them as an optional extra if you want the spot ready for grass.
State law calls for notice at least 72 hours ahead, not counting weekends and holidays, and the utilities mark their lines before digging starts. We plan the grinding date around that notice and those marks, so the date can shift if marks are late.
Yes. We offer 24/7 emergency storm response for fallen trees and debris, and the stump can be ground once the tree is cleared. See our storm damage cleanup page or call (978) 696-6659.
See every town we cover on our service areas page.
Tell us about the job and we will call you back to talk it through. Fields marked * are required.
