Root removal in Sherwood is usually priced apart from the tree removal itself: felling and hauling the trunk is one line item, and excavating or grinding out roots that have cracked a driveway, lifted a sidewalk, or invaded a sewer line is another. Ask whether an estimate covers both before you book.
A tree that looks fine above ground can still be doing damage below it. Root-related calls in Sherwood are usually less about the tree overhead and more about what's happening underground — a driveway panel that's heaved, a sidewalk slab lifted at one edge, or a sewer line that keeps backing up near a stump nobody ever ground out.
Sherwood is about 6 miles from the middle of Little Rock, and 18.0 miles from the shop itself — close enough to North Little Rock (4 miles away) and Jacksonville (7.4 miles) that a root-focused visit here often shares a route with a job in one direction or the other.
Why do roots keep causing problems after the tree is already gone?
A stump left in the ground doesn't stop pushing outward. Roots that already reached under a driveway or a slab keep expanding for a few more years even after the crown's gone, and some species send up shoots around the base if the stump isn't ground down far enough. Looks finished from the yard; isn't finished underground.
- A driveway or patio panel lifted more than about half an inch
- A slow drain or backup near where an old stump used to sit
- New shoots ringing the base of a stump that was supposedly removed
- Cracks in a walkway running in a straight line away from a stump
Does grinding the stump take care of the roots too?
Not entirely. A standard grind chews the stump and the top foot or so of root flare down below grade, which stops new shoots and clears the surface — but a root that's already cracked a driveway panel or grown into a line several feet out needs to be traced and cut separately. That's a different scope of work than the grind, and worth asking about up front rather than assuming one visit handles both.
Is a root-focused job priced differently than a straightforward removal?
Usually, yes. Felling and hauling a tree is one job; excavating or grinding out roots that have already done damage is another, priced by how far the root has to be traced and how much digging or cutting it takes to get it out cleanly. If you're only trying to stop a stump from resprouting, that's a smaller job than chasing a root that's cracked concrete ten feet away.
How do I know if it's the roots and not just the stump?
If the stump is already ground flush but you're still seeing new cracks or a slow drain nearby, the roots underneath are still there and still growing — grinding only clears what's above grade. Where the damage points back to usually tells us which root to trace.
Will the roots grow back once they're removed?
A root that's actually cut and pulled or ground out won't regrow from that spot, but a stump that's only partially ground can keep pushing new roots from what's left in the ground. That's why the grind needs to go low enough to stop it, not just level with the yard.
Do I need to do anything if the stump isn't causing problems?
Not necessarily. If it's flush, clear of any pavement or line, and not sending up new shoots, it's probably fine to leave alone. Root work is worth paying for once something's already cracking or backing up — not as routine maintenance on a stump that's behaving itself.