- Stump and main roots fully removed
- Stable soil for slabs, pools and driveways
- Stops most regrowth from leftover roots
- Hole backfilled and area cleaned up
- Pairs easily with grading and site prep
Stump Removal vs. Stump Grinding
People often use the two terms interchangeably, but they are different jobs with different results.
- Stump removal (this service) digs out and pulls the entire stump plus the large roots attached to it. You end up with a hole that we backfill, and the root mass is gone.
- Stump grinding chips the stump down several inches below the soil surface. The roots stay in the ground and break down slowly over the years.
Grinding is faster and disturbs less of the yard, so it's usually the better pick when you just want to mow over the area. Full extraction is the better pick when something is going to be built on that spot, or when you want to plant a new tree in the same place without fighting old roots.
When Full Extraction Makes Sense
- Construction and additions. Footers, slabs and pool shells need stable soil. Decaying roots leave voids that can settle later.
- Driveways and patios. Large leftover roots under pavers or concrete can rot and cause dips, or keep sprouting.
- Lot preparation. Builders clearing a lot for a new home often need every stump pulled as part of site preparation.
- Pasture and farmland. Stumps in a field are hazards for tractors, mowers and livestock. Pulling them lets the ground be worked again.
- Replanting in the same spot. A new tree has a much easier start in loose soil than in a ring of ground-up wood and old roots.
Some species, including laurel oak and camphor, can push up new sprouts from leftover roots. Removing the root crown largely ends that problem.
How We Pull Stumps
For most stumps, we start by cutting the trunk low and exposing the root flare. Lateral roots are cut back with chainsaws where needed so the stump can be loosened. Then a compact track loader or wheel loader lifts and rocks the stump out of the ground. Heavy stumps are carried to the trailer with the log grapple.
Once the stump is out, we fill the hole with soil and pack it down. If the area needs to be flat for a building pad or lawn, our land leveling service can grade it to the right finish. Before any digging, underground utilities should be marked by calling Florida's 811 line, and we'll talk with you about that at the estimate.
Cleanup and Haul-Away
A pulled stump is heavy, dirty and awkward, which is why most people don't want to handle it themselves. We load the stump and root mass into our dump trailer and take it off your property. Loose soil and small roots are raked out, and the work area is left ready for whatever comes next. If the stump is part of a bigger job with many trees, we can pair this with tree removal and root removal under one estimate.
Who We Do This For
Our stump removal customers include homeowners getting ready for a pool or room addition, builders working on infill lots in older Tampa neighborhoods, and landowners reclaiming pasture in rural parts of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk. We cover about 100 miles from Tampa, with frequent work in Zephyrhills, Dade City and Valrico.
