Grind it, dig it out or leave it
There are three ways to deal with a stump, and they suit different yards:
- Grinding. A grinder with a toothed wheel cuts the stump down to below the surface and turns it into chips. The roots spreading out from it stay in the ground. It suits a finished yard because it doesn't leave a crater.
- Digging out the whole stump. An excavator pulls the stump and the main roots. It leaves a large hole and torn-up lawn, and it makes sense mostly where something new is being built on that spot.
- Leaving it. A low stump at the back of a big lot can simply be left. Cut it as close to the ground as possible so the mower clears it.
Tell the contractor what will happen on that spot next: sod, a bed, a fence post, a driveway extension or a slab. That decides how deep the grind needs to go and how far out to chase the roots.
Contact Sunshine 811 first
A grinder digs, and in Florida, digging comes with a legal duty. Sunshine 811's homeowner page says you must contact it "at least two full business days before you begin digging," and calls this "the law." Its FAQ says weekends, holidays and the day you make contact don't count, that anyone who is digging must notify it, and that flags and paint marks are good for 30 calendar days. The underlying law is Chapter 556 of the Florida Statutes (checked Nov 9, 2026).
Sunshine 811 doesn't mark anything itself; its member utilities mark their own lines. Agree in writing who submits the request, you or the contractor, and don't let the grinder start until the marks are down or every utility has answered.
Sprinkler lines, wells and septic parts
Sunshine 811's FAQ warns that if a locate comes back clear but you know something is buried there, it may be a private facility. In a Lake County yard that usually means:
- Irrigation pipe and the wires running to sprinkler valves.
- A well line or the pipe from a well to the house.
- A septic tank, its lid and the drainfield lines.
- Low-voltage lighting cable, or power run underground to a shed or pool equipment.
Walk the yard with the contractor and point out anything you know of. A private locating company can find lines you aren't sure about.
Gopher tortoise burrows
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lists the gopher tortoise as a state-threatened species. Its FAQ says a permit is not required if all burrows are avoided by 25 feet in every direction, that work within 25 feet of a burrow may need a permit, and that you can be held responsible if work collapses a burrow, even one belonging to a neighbor (checked Nov 9, 2026).
If you've seen a tortoise burrow near the stump, mention it in your request, and ask the contractor how they plan to keep the grinder and the truck 25 feet away. If that isn't possible, FWC's regional gopher tortoise biologist is the office to ask.
Oak surface roots
UF/IFAS Extension's live oak fact sheet says the tree's roots in time lift sidewalks, curbs and driveways, and its laurel oak fact sheet notes that the trunk base flares out enough to lift sidewalks and curbing in narrow planting strips (checked Nov 9, 2026). Where roots like that have surfaced, they're still there after the tree comes down.
Grinding the stump alone leaves those roots. Grinding the visible surface roots as well is extra work, so say whether you want it. Roots under a slab, a driveway or a pool deck are a different conversation; ask before anyone cuts near the edge of a structure.
The chips and the hole
Grinding an oak stump leaves a mound of chips mixed with sand. Decide ahead of time what happens to it:
- Left in place as mulch for beds.
- Raked back into the hole and left.
- Raked out and hauled off, with the hole filled with soil so sod or seed can go down.
In the City of Leesburg, the garbage page says contractors doing tree work are responsible for removing all waste from the property, so don't count on curbside pickup for a tree crew's chips (checked Nov 9, 2026). Get the choice written into the price.
Does grinding need a permit?
The tree rules read for this site deal with removing trees, not with grinding stumps that are already cut. If the tree is still standing, the removal is what may need a permit inside Leesburg, Fruitland Park or Lady Lake; see the permits guide. The 811 rule applies to every grind.
What stump grinding costs
Thumbtack's stump grinding cost guide, last updated October 23, 2026, puts the national typical range at $230 to $593 per project, with low-end jobs around $116 and high-end jobs around $1,210 (checked Nov 9, 2026). It also lists prices by stump diameter:
| Stump width | National range |
|---|---|
| Less than 12 in. | $267–$354 |
| 12–24 in. | $324–$443 |
| 24–36 in. | $355–$486 |
| 36–48 in. | $372–$494 |
Nothing wider than 48 inches is listed. An old live oak's trunk can grow past six feet across, according to UF/IFAS, which puts its stump outside every published tier. The guide's own example is a company charging $150 for one stump and $75 for each one after it (checked Nov 9, 2026). These are national averages, not Lake County prices; see what tree work costs.
Grinding mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the 811 request. It's required, and a cut gas or fiber line is dangerous and expensive.
- Forgetting the sprinklers. Irrigation pipe is private and won't be marked.
- Driving over the drainfield. A loaded truck or grinder can damage septic lines; show the crew where they run.
- Grinding near a tortoise burrow. FWC says keeping 25 feet from every burrow means no permit is needed; closer work may need one.
- No agreement on depth or chips. Write down how deep, how far out along the roots, and where the chips go.
When grinding isn't the answer
If the tree is still standing, start with tree removal, since grinding the same day can save a second trip. If a storm pulled the tree over and its root plate is standing up out of the lawn, that's a different job; see storm and emergency removal.
Stump questions
How long does the 811 request take?
Sunshine 811 asks for at least two full business days' notice before digging, not counting weekends, holidays or the day you contact it (checked Nov 9, 2026).
Can I plant a new tree where the old stump was?
Usually not in the exact spot, because old roots and chips stay in the ground. Offset the new tree a few feet, or have the chips raked out and the hole filled with soil first.
Will the grinder hurt my lawn?
Grinders and trucks leave tracks, especially on soft sand after rain. Ask how the crew will reach the stump and whether boards or mats will be used.
What about a palm stump?
Palm stumps can be ground too. Mention the palm type and trunk width in your request so the contractor can plan for it.
Requests sent from this site go to one independent contractor who works around Leesburg. The site grinds no stumps itself.
- Sunshine 811, Homeowner page and FAQs; Chapter 556, Florida Statutes. Checked Nov 9, 2026.
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gopher Tortoise FAQs. Checked Nov 9, 2026.
- UF/IFAS Extension, Quercus virginiana: Live Oak (ENH-722) and Quercus laurifolia: Laurel Oak (ENH-707), both revised December 2018. Checked Nov 9, 2026.
- City of Leesburg, Garbage page. Checked Nov 9, 2026.
- Thumbtack, 2026 Stump Grinding Cost Guide, last updated October 23, 2026. Checked Nov 9, 2026.