Stump Grinding in Lehigh Acres
Stump grinding in Lehigh Acres covers everything from one pine stump in a backyard to a lot's worth of stumps before a house goes in. Florida law treats grinding below grade as digging, so Sunshine 811 needs two full business days' notice first. Rock can sit close to the surface in parts of Lee County flatwoods, and the water table runs high in the wet season. This page covers grinding versus pulling, 811, rock and water, the grindings, and national prices.
Grind it or pull it?
Grinding takes the stump down below the surface with a spinning cutter and leaves the roots in the ground to break down. It disturbs little soil, which suits a lawn, a fence line or a spot near a driveway that's already there.
Pulling, or grubbing, digs the stump and its root mass out with an excavator. It leaves a hole to fill, but it's the better choice under a future house pad, driveway or septic area, where the builder wants roots gone. On a building lot, ask for stumps under the pad to be removed rather than ground and covered.
Call 811 first
Sunshine 811's homeowner page asks for a call "at least two full business days before you begin digging," by phone at 811 or (800) 432-4770, or through its online ticket portal. Sunshine 811 doesn't mark lines itself; its member utilities do.
The state law behind it adds three details:
- Section 556.102 defines excavation broadly, as "any manmade cut, cavity, trench, or depression in the earth's surface." A ground-out stump hole fits that description.
- Section 556.105 says the information from a locate request is "valid for 30 calendar days," so a job that slips past a month needs a new ticket.
- Section 556.108 exempts a single-family owner digging on their own property only down to 10 inches, with due care. A contractor's grinder isn't covered by the owner's exemption.
Lines that 811 won't mark
Sunshine 811's members mark the lines they own. Private wells are common in Lehigh (a water management district memo cites over 30,000 documented in the area), and lots off central sewer use septic. The pipe from a well, the line to a septic tank and any irrigation lines belong to the property owner, so show the contractor where yours run before grinding starts.
Rock and water under a Lehigh stump
The ground can be shallow here. NRCS describes Hallandale soil, common in Lee County flatwoods, with rock 7 to 20 inches down, and Boca with limestone at 20 to 40 inches. The USGS found Lehigh's sand seldom thicker than 20 feet and absent in places. Those are general descriptions, not a reading of your lot, but they're a reason to ask how deep the contractor will grind and what happens if the cutter hits rock.
Water matters too. Hallandale soils hold the water table within 12 inches for 4 to 5 months a year, and Lehigh's wet season runs May through October. A stump hole dug in summer can fill with water; ask how and when it will be backfilled.
If a stump sits in the road right-of-way swale or on a canal bank, ask Lee County DOT (239-533-9300) or LA-MSID (239-368-0044) before anyone grinds it.
What happens to the grindings
Grinding turns a stump into a pile of chips and soil. The chips can be spread on site, or hauled away and the hole filled. Lee County's curbside yard waste limits containers and bundles to 50 pounds and bundles to 6 feet, and the county suggests calling your hauler for large jobs. Say in the quote whether grindings are left, spread or removed, and whether the hole is filled.
Taking the tree down first
If the tree is still standing, the Lee County tree rules apply. On a single-family lot under 5 acres on the mainland, the county's vegetation removal permit generally isn't needed; for a risky tree at an existing home, state law lets an ISA-certified arborist's documentation take local permits and fees out of the picture.
What stump grinding costs
| HomeAdvisor stump grinding guide (2025) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average | $250 |
| Normal range | $120 to $500 |
| Full range | $30 to $1,600 |
| By diameter | $2 to $5 per inch |
| Minimum charge | $100 to $150 |
| Each extra stump | $40 to $75 |
By the per-inch figure, a 20-inch pine stump comes to $40 to $100, which is at or below HomeAdvisor's $100 to $150 minimum, so a single small stump is likely to be priced at the minimum. HomeAdvisor's land clearing guide puts stump removal during clearing at $100 to $150 a stump.
National figures (source: HomeAdvisor), not local prices. The contractor's written quote is what counts.
Who this page is not for
If the stump is under a slab, a pool deck or a paved driveway, that's a demolition question first. And for a whole lot of stumps ahead of building, start with lot clearing, where stump removal is part of the job.
Stump grinding questions
Do I need to call 811 for one stump?
Yes, if a contractor is grinding it. The owner's exemption covers only the owner's own digging, and only to 10 inches, so a contractor grinding a stump should have a locate ticket.
How deep will the stump be ground?
Ask before work starts. Shallow rock in parts of Lee County can limit depth, and the depth should match what you plan to put there.
Can a stump be left under fill on a building lot?
Ask your builder, but the safer request is to have stumps under the house pad and driveway pulled rather than buried.
What does it cost to grind a stump?
HomeAdvisor's 2025 national average is $250, with $120 to $500 typical and a $100 to $150 minimum. Get a written quote.
Getting help
Call or send the form with how many stumps, roughly how big, and where. Your request goes to one independent local contractor, who can quote the work in writing. The referral is free.
Got a lot in Lehigh Acres that needs clearing?
Call or send the short form. Your request goes to one independent local contractor who can walk the lot and put a price in writing. There's no charge for the referral.