Stump Removal and Yard Grading — Stumps Out, Yard Leveled
The trees are down, but the stumps are still there, the yard is lumpy, and you want a smooth lawn you can mow.
JMB Builders does stump removal and yard grading across the Twin Cities metro and north to St. Cloud. Stumps are pulled out with a machine or ground down, the holes are filled with soil and compacted, and the yard is graded smooth and pitched away from the house so it is ready for seed or sod. Priced per project after a site visit.
- Priced per project after a site visit
- Stumps pulled or ground, holes filled
- Yard graded for seed or sod
- Gopher State One Call before digging
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Stumps left after tree removal get in the way of mowing, sprout suckers, and slowly rot into sunken holes. Taking them out and grading the yard at the same time saves a second trip and leaves one smooth surface for grass.
There are two ways to take a stump out. Grinding chews it down below grade and leaves the roots to rot. Pulling it with a skid steer, mini excavator or excavator gets the root ball out but leaves a bigger hole to fill. Either way, the hole gets filled with soil, not the grindings, and compacted so it does not sink next spring.
We call Gopher State One Call (811) before any stump comes out, because roots grow around buried lines. For large or hazard trees that are still standing, an arborist should take them down first.
What you supply
- Standing trees taken down first, by an arborist if they are large or near the house
- Locations of private buried lines: irrigation, invisible fence, lines to outbuildings
- Your choice of seed or sod after grading, or leave it ready for you
What JMB supplies
- Gopher State One Call (811) locate request before digging
- Stumps pulled or ground below grade, as quoted
- Stumps, roots and grindings hauled away
- Black dirt to fill the holes, compacted in lifts
- Yard graded smooth and pitched away from the house
- Photos of the finished grade in your job folder
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Number and diameter of the stumps
- Pulling vs. grinding
- How much fill soil the holes and low spots need
- Size of the area to be graded
- Machine access: gate width, slopes, fences, soft ground
- Seed or sod after grading, if you want it included
Send photos of each stump with something for scale and a wide shot of the yard.
How long it takes
A few stumps and a small yard: usually one day. Larger yards or many stumps: two to three days.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Stump grinding
The stump is ground below grade. Less disturbance, but the roots stay in the ground and slowly rot. Grindings are hauled off and the hole is filled with soil.
Stump pulling
The stump and main roots are pulled with a machine. More digging, but nothing left to rot. The hole is backfilled with soil and compacted.
Grading after the stumps
The whole area is leveled, bumps cut, low spots filled, and the yard pitched away from the house so water drains off.
Seed or sod
Grading can be followed by seed or sod on the same job, or left rough-graded and raked for you to finish.
Stump Removal and Yard Grading — Stumps Out, Yard Leveled: questions, answered
Is it better to grind or pull a tree stump?
Grinding is faster and tears up less of the yard, but the roots stay in the ground and slowly rot. Pulling removes the stump and main roots so nothing is left to settle later, but it leaves a larger hole to fill. Where you want a building, patio or driveway later, pulling is usually the better choice.
Why does the ground sink where a stump was removed?
The hole was filled with wood grindings or loose soil that was never compacted. Grindings rot and loose soil settles. The hole should be cleaned out and filled with soil in layers, each one compacted.
Do I need to call 811 before stump removal?
Yes. Roots grow around buried power, gas and cable lines, and pulling a stump can snag one. Gopher State One Call (811) marks the public lines. Private lines, like irrigation or a line to a shed, have to be pointed out by the owner.
Can you remove the tree and the stump?
For small trees, the tree comes down and the stump comes out in the same visit. Large trees or trees near the house, wires or a roof should be taken down by an arborist first. Once it is down, the stump and grading are handled together.
How soon can I plant grass after stump removal and grading?
Right away. Once the holes are filled and compacted and the yard is graded, it is ready for seed or sod. Spring and late summer are the best times to seed in Minnesota, and sod can go down any time the ground is not frozen.
How is stump removal priced?
We quote stump removal and grading per project. The number and size of the stumps, pulling vs. grinding, how much fill is needed and how easy the yard is to get a machine into all move the price. A site visit makes the quote firm.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All excavation pages
Where we work
Excavation near you
Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: