Just joined but I'll chime in as an excavator and pond builder. Do your operator a favor and don't grind the stumps, actually don't cut the tree off first at all unless you are selling the log to offset construction costs. When I'm clearing trees I use the trunk of the tree for leverage to push the tree out. If you cut the tree off it's 10 times harder to push the stump out. If you grind the stumps below ground level it becomes that much harder to push the stump out. The more I have to work at getting stumps out the more it costs.
Just another perspective to consider.
John
