Grinders sized for fenced city yards and debris screens for close neighbors, from the West Side to the North End.
We grind stumps across Manchester for homeowners with a leftover stump in the yard, landlords and property managers cleaning up rental properties, builders working on infill lots, and commercial properties that need a clean finish around parking areas and walkways. Our professional stump grinders can fit through many fence gates, and debris safety screens keep chips off houses, cars and the neighbors' windows. We are based next door in Goffstown.
Call (603) 438-6492 or use Get a Quote with photos of each stump and the path to reach it. See how it works on our stump grinding page.
A Manchester stump is usually close to something: a house, a fence, a sidewalk or a buried line. That is what drives the setup and the time on site.
In older neighborhoods like the West Side, Rimmon Heights and the North End, houses sit close together and backyards are fenced. Gate width decides which grinder fits, and debris screens are needed because chips can travel past the property line.
City lots carry gas, water, sewer, electric and communication lines, often close to trees planted along the street or the house. New Hampshire treats tree and root removal as excavation, so lines must be marked before grinding below the surface.
A stump in the strip between the sidewalk and the street may sit in the public right-of-way rather than on your lot. Check with the city before having one ground, since it may be city property.
Lots near Lake Massabesic, the lower Piscataquog River or the Merrimack can fall within the state's protected shoreland, where stumps within 50 feet of the water generally stay in the ground. Low areas along Cohas Brook can include wetlands that need a state permit to excavate.
Most residential stump grinding in Manchester needs no permit, but utility marking matters more here than almost anywhere.
Dig Safe. Under RSA 374:48 (opens in a new tab), excavation includes tree and root removal, and RSA 374:51 (opens in a new tab) requires notice at least 72 hours before digging, not counting weekends and legal holidays. Plan for a utility locate before grinding near the street, driveway or house. Private lines such as irrigation, lighting and pet fences are not marked, so tell us where yours run.
Right-of-way. If the stump is between the sidewalk and the street, confirm with the City of Manchester that it is on your property before grinding.
Shoreland and wetlands. Within 50 feet of a protected waterbody such as Lake Massabesic, stumps and roots are left intact unless NHDES approves removal or the stump is replaced with new woody vegetation (RSA 483-B:9 (opens in a new tab)). The lower Piscataquog in Manchester is a designated river (RSA 483:15 (opens in a new tab)). Removing material from a bank, marsh or swamp requires a state wetlands permit (RSA 482-A:3 (opens in a new tab)).
This is general guidance, not legal advice. We help you spot when a permit question exists so you can confirm it with the town or NHDES before work starts.
Sources: NH RSA 374:48, definitions (excavation includes tree and root removal); NH RSA 374:51, notice before excavation; NH RSA 483-B:9, shoreland minimum standards; NH RSA 483:15, designated rivers; NH RSA 482-A:3, wetlands permit requirement
We don't publish set prices, because every stump is quoted after we see it. For planning, HomeGuide puts stump grinding at about $120 to $400 for the first stump and $30 to $60 for each additional stump, or roughly $2 to $6 per inch of diameter, with minimum fees of $80 to $160 (HomeGuide (opens in a new tab)). Angi reports a typical range of about $2 to $5 per diameter inch (Angi (opens in a new tab)). These are national reference ranges, not our prices, and conditions in Manchester can push a job to either end.
For a quick planning number, try our stump grinding cost calculator, then call (603) 438-6492 or request a quote for an exact price.
Try the stump grinding cost calculator
Cost references: HomeGuide: Stump Grinding Cost; Angi: Stump Grinding Cost
A few places locals know, and what they mean for outdoor work nearby.
A lake of more than 2,500 acres in Manchester and Auburn that has supplied the city's drinking water since 1874. State shoreland rules and Manchester Water Works' focus on protecting water quality at the source make work near its shore a careful job.
Get directions to Lake Massabesic (opens Google Maps in a new tab)Flows from Goffstown through Manchester's West Side to the Merrimack at Bass Island. The lower river is a state-designated river, so lots near its banks fall under shoreland rules.
Get directions to Piscataquog River (opens Google Maps in a new tab)A Merrimack River tributary that drains part of the city. Low ground along brooks like this can include wetlands, where excavating or filling needs a state permit.
Get directions to Cohas Brook (opens Google Maps in a new tab)The highest point in Manchester at 570 feet. Hillside streets mean sloped yards where grinder and loader placement takes extra planning.
Get directions to Wellington Hill (opens Google Maps in a new tab)Photos from our crew's jobs across New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Often, yes. Measure the narrowest opening on the path to the stump and include it with your quote request, along with photos. That lets us bring a grinder that fits instead of guessing on the day.
We set debris safety screens around the stump before grinding to contain chips. Tell us about nearby windows, cars or air conditioning units so we can place the screens where they matter. Stump N' Grind Inc. is fully insured.
We can once ownership is clear. Trees between the sidewalk and the street may be on city land, so check with the city first. Utility marks are especially important there because lines often run along the street.
On a small city lot there is often no place to spread them. We can rake out some of the grindings and haul the rest away on our trucks and trailers, leaving the spot ready for loam and seed.
Yes. We offer 24/7 emergency storm response for fallen trees and debris, and stumps can be ground once the area is safe. See our storm damage cleanup page or call (603) 438-6492.
See every town we cover on our service areas page.
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