Updated October 2026
Full stump removal in Tampa means excavating the entire root ball rather than grinding it below grade. It is needed where a slab, pool, footing or pavers will sit on the spot, because buried wood rots and the ground settles. It costs several times more than grinding and leaves a hole that must be backfilled and compacted.
When the roots have to come out too
A ground stump leaves its deep roots to rot, and rotting wood shrinks. Under a lawn that means a small dip; under a paver patio or a pool deck it means cracks and settling.
Excavation takes the problem out entirely. The trade-off is a bigger job, a bigger hole and fill that has to be compacted in layers before anything is built.
What full stump removal costs
Excavation costs several times more than grinding, mostly because of labor, hauling and fill.
- Root ball sizeBigger trees, bigger dig.
- Equipment accessExcavators need a path in.
- HaulingStumps and soil trucked out.
- FillClean fill and compaction.
- Nearby structuresTighter, slower digging.
- PermitsPart of a site permit sometimes.
Full root ball excavation
Full root ball excavation digs around the stump, cuts the main lateral roots and lifts the whole mass out with an excavator or, for smaller stumps, by hand. It removes the wood that would otherwise rot and settle under whatever you build next. We locate utility lines before any digging, keep the dig as tight as the root ball allows, and haul the stump and roots away. The hole is left safe and marked if backfill is scheduled for another day.
Typical planning range: $500 to $2,000+ to excavate an entire root ball versus $150 to $500 to grind it. Market figures, not a quote from us.
Stump removal for construction
Construction projects are where full removal earns its cost. Additions, garages and driveways need undisturbed, compacted ground, and a builder will not pour over a buried stump. Inside Tampa, tree work tied to construction is evaluated under the building permit rather than a separate tree permit, so it helps to plan the stump with your builder. We coordinate timing with your builder so the site is clear and backfilled before the forms go in, not after, and nothing is left to settle under the new work.
Stump removal before a pool or pavers
Pools and paver patios are by far the most common reason homeowners choose full removal over grinding. Pavers are laid on a compacted base, and a pool shell needs even ground; buried wood rots, voids form, and the surface above sinks and cracks. Where a pool outline or patio crosses an old stump, we remove the root ball and any big roots running into the footprint, then leave the area compacted and ready for the pool or paver contractor to start.
Backfill and grading
Backfill and grading finish the job. The hole is filled with clean fill, not the chips and mixed soil that came out, and compacted in layers so it does not sink. For lawns, the top is finished with topsoil ready for sod. For construction, the base is left at the grade your contractor asks for. We check the spot again when you want it, because a well-compacted hole stays level long after the job, even through a wet summer.
What a full removal from us includes
- Utility lines located before digging
- Root ball and main roots excavated
- Stump and roots hauled away
- Clean fill placed in layers
- Fill compacted to prevent settling
- Topsoil or grade left as your project needs
How long full stump removal takes
One stump is usually a single-day job including backfill. A large oak root ball or several stumps on a construction site can take two, and waiting on utility locates adds a few days up front.
Permits and site rules around Tampa
Stump removal on a building site often falls under a bigger permit. In unincorporated Hillsborough County, site work usually needs a Land Alteration and Landscaping permit, with a single-family fee of 60 dollars plus 55 if a grand oak inspection is needed. Inside Tampa, construction removals are evaluated under the building permit, and Pinellas County and Pasco County set their own thresholds the moment you cross the line.
How a stump removal runs
- 1Call
Tell us what is going where the stump is.
- 2Locate
Utility lines marked first.
- 3Plan
Dig size, access and price agreed.
- 4Excavate
Roots cut and the ball lifted out.
- 5Haul
Wood and spoil loaded out.
- 6Backfill
Clean fill compacted in layers.
- 7Finish
Topsoil or grade as needed.
Stump removal questions
Only when something will be built on the spot. For lawns, grinding is enough.
About the size of the root ball, often several feet across.
Yes, with clean fill compacted in layers.
Yes, carefully, with a tighter dig near the foundation.
Sometimes, as part of a site or building permit. We check.
Yes. We clear the whole pool footprint.
They are cut at the edge rather than dug out from under concrete.
More stump and root work
From our guides: Stump Grinding vs Full Stump Removal in Tampa