Stump grinding in Tampa Bay, from 811 ticket to fresh sod

Florida's dig law, Chapter 556 of the Florida Statutes, requires notifying Sunshine 811 (opens in a new tab) two full business days before digging, not counting the day you call, weekends or holidays. Utility marks stay valid for 30 days, and within 24 inches of a mark the work has to be done by hand or with soft methods. The homeowner exemption only covers an owner's own digging down to 10 inches.

A stump grinder isn't named in the law, but its teeth chew well below the surface, often right where irrigation lines, cable and gas services run toward the house. So we treat every grind as excavation and file the ticket first. The practical result: unless a valid ticket is already active, plan on a short wait between your call and the grind. It's the step that keeps a simple stump job from turning into a cut gas line.

There's no single right depth, which is why we settle it before the grinder starts. If the spot is going back to lawn or mulch, grinding a few inches below grade leaves room for soil and sod to sit flush with the rest of the yard. If you plan to plant a new tree nearby, set a fence post, pour a footing or lay a paver patio over the spot, we go deeper and chase more of the root mass.

Surface roots are their own decision. Oaks and laurel oaks often throw thick roots across the lawn that heave turf and catch mowers. We can grind the root flare and the worst of those runners along with the stump, though roots running under a slab or driveway usually stay put. Every quote spells out the depth and which roots are included, so there are no surprises.

Grinding turns a stump into a pile of wood chips mixed with soil, often far more volume than people expect. You can keep some as a rough mulch for paths or around shrubs far from the house, or have us haul it all away. Grindings make a poor base for sod, so the hole is cleared out and backfilled with soil.

Plan on a little settling. Buried roots keep breaking down for years, and the backfill compacts after a few heavy rains, so we mound it slightly and recommend topping up the spot after the first rainy season. Once it's stable, the area can take fresh sod, mulch or a new planting bed. Going back to lawn? Our guide to choosing sod in Tampa Bay helps match the grass to the spot's sun and shade. Grinding also leaves the deep roots in place to decay naturally, which is far gentler on nearby trees, sprinklers and pavers than ripping them out.

Palms die from several causes in Tampa Bay, and one matters a great deal for what happens after the stump: Ganoderma butt rot. The fungus rots the lower trunk from the inside, often showing up as hard, shelf-like conks on the trunk near the ground. UF/IFAS advises removing or grinding out as much of the stump and root system as possible and bagging the conks for the trash rather than leaving them in the yard.

The fungus persists in the soil, so UF/IFAS also warns against planting another palm in the same spot. If a palm in your yard declined that way, tell us during the estimate; we'll grind deeper, haul the grindings instead of spreading them, and help you choose something other than a palm for that location.

Tree permits cover the removal, not the grinding. If the tree is still standing and it's large enough to be protected, such as 5 inches or more in trunk diameter inside the City of Tampa, the removal permit comes first; our tree trimming page explains how those rules vary around the bay. Once a tree is legally down, grinding what's left is routine.

We don't sell stump grinding with termite scare stories. UF/IFAS research shows wood mulch isn't a termite magnet. Large buried wood is different: a big root mass close to the foundation can host Formosan termites, so grinding out stumps and heavy roots near the house is a reasonable precaution, not an emergency.