Does grinding a stump in Seguin need an 811 call?
Usually, yes. Texas Utilities Code Chapter 251 defines excavating as using explosives or any motor-driven, hydraulic, pneumatic or other mechanized equipment to remove or disturb soil to a depth of 16 inches or more (§251.002(5)). A stump grinder is powered equipment, and grinding or pulling roots that deep fits that definition, even though the statute never names stump grinding.
The timing comes from §251.151(a): notice goes to the notification center no earlier than the 14th day before the work and no later than the 48th hour before it, leaving out Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. In practice that means calling 811 at least two business days before the grinder arrives (checked Nov 14, 2026).
- Ticket life. The Texas rule on locate tickets, 16 TAC §18.3, lets the digger and the line operator agree in writing to a ticket life longer than 14 days. If the job isn't done when it runs out, the ticket gets refreshed (checked Nov 14, 2026).
- Penalties. A first violation can bring a civil penalty of not less than $500 or more than $1,000 (§251.201(a)). That penalty section doesn't apply to a homeowner digging on their own residential lot (§251.201(g)), but the exemption covers the penalty, not the duty to give notice.
- Planting afterward. The Living Green in Seguin guide (2023) puts it plainly: "Call 811 before you dig a hole for a new tree." (checked Nov 14, 2026)
What does a ground-out stump leave in a Seguin yard?
A grinder chews the stump down with a spinning toothed wheel and throws the wood back as chips, mixed with whatever soil it cut through. When it's done you have a mound of chips and dirt over a shallow pit. The larger roots out past the grind stay in the ground.
The soil decides what that mound looks like. Parts of Guadalupe County sit on deep shrink-swell clays; the county's soil map includes Houston, Branyon and Heiden units. The USDA describes the Houston Black series, a Blackland Prairie soil, as very deep, very slowly permeable and high in shrink-swell, with cracks half an inch to 4 inches wide. Near the Guadalupe River, the Seguin series is a deep, well-drained loam laid down by the river (USDA NRCS; checked Nov 14, 2026).
Decide ahead of time whether the chips stay or go. HomeGuide lists cleanup at $2 to $4 per inch and pulling roots at $75 to $150 per hour (checked Nov 14, 2026). If you want grass or a new tree in that spot, plan on raking out most of the chips and bringing soil back in.
How much does stump grinding cost?
National guides price grinding by the inch of stump diameter, with a minimum charge per visit. These are national figures checked Nov 14, 2026, not Seguin prices.
| Item | HomeGuide | Angi (figures labeled 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Price per inch | $2 to $6 | $2 to $5 |
| First or single stump | $120 to $400 | Grinding $150 to $500; average $369, most $195 to $609 |
| Each added stump | $30 to $60 | $40 to $75 |
| Minimum charge | $80 to $160 | Not listed |
| Root removal | $75 to $150 an hour | Not listed |
| Chip cleanup | $2 to $4 per inch | Not listed |
A worked example. Measure across the stump at its widest. A 20-inch stump at HomeGuide's $2 to $6 an inch comes to $40 to $120 on the per-inch rate alone, and the low end falls under HomeGuide's $80 to $160 minimum charges. So the minimum may set the price for one small stump, while the per-inch rate matters more for big stumps or several in one visit. Your contractor's written quote is what counts. More price tables.
Should the stump be ground when the tree comes down?
It usually makes sense to decide at the same time. Angi lists stump removal as an extra $65 to $350 on a tree removal (checked Nov 14, 2026), and doing both in one visit spares a second trip. If the stump stays, it is left close to ground level and you can have it ground later. Ask whether the removal price includes grinding, the 811 call and the chips. See tree removal for the rest of that job.
Stump questions from Seguin homeowners
Do I have to make the 811 call myself?
The law puts the notice on whoever does the excavating. When a contractor grinds the stump, ask them to confirm the 811 ticket is in and still current on grinding day.
Does a stump need a city permit?
No Seguin rule cited on this site requires a permit to grind a stump. The city's Tree Removal Permit is about removing protected trees, and platted single-family lots are exempt from it (UDC Sec. 5.2.8.B.5). Seguin tree permit rules.
What about a stump on acreage outside town?
The 811 law applies statewide. It has a separate exception for certain agricultural operations (§251.156(a)(4)); ask before assuming it covers a stump job. See tree service outside Seguin.
Have stumps to grind? Send a request or call (830) 406-4266; the request lands with a single independent contractor who takes stump jobs around Seguin.
Sources: Texas Utilities Code ch. 251; 16 Texas Administrative Code §18.3; Texas811; Living Green in Seguin (2023); USDA NRCS official series descriptions for Houston Black and Seguin; Guadalupe County general soil map; Seguin Unified Development Code; HomeGuide, stump grinding; Angi, stump removal; Angi, tree service. All checked Nov 14, 2026.