Stump removal means taking out the whole thing: the stump, the root ball and the big roots around it. Miguel’s Tree Service in Port Jefferson Station describes the job as digging around the stump, cutting the major roots and pulling the system out, with a backhoe, an excavator, or for a big stump even a crane. It is slower, messier and pricier than stump grinding, so it is worth paying for only when the ground has to be clear.
When the roots have to come out
These are the cases Long Island companies name:
- a shed, patio or driveway extension going on the spot, which needs solid, stable ground under it
- a stump close to the house, where Miguel’s says removal may be the safer choice
- a pool going in where the roots would be in the way
- a new tree planted in the same hole, so old roots are not competing with it
- a new foundation or buried utilities, per Long Island Best Tree Service
Jones Tree and Plant Care in Smithtown warns that leaving a big root system under hardscape can cause problems as it decays.
If the spot is being resodded, paved or simply reclaimed as yard, Long Island Best Tree Service recommends grinding instead.
What full extraction costs
| Company | Full stump removal | Compared with grinding |
|---|---|---|
| Miguel’s Tree Service, Port Jefferson Station (Jun 2026) | $370 to $675 a stump | $100 to $300 more than grinding |
| Jones Tree and Plant Care, Smithtown (Jul 2026) | $200 to $600 | grinding a medium stump: $86 to $173 |
| Long Island Tree Pros, Huntington (Apr 2026) | $300 to $700, stump excavation | 15 to 20 percent off stump work booked with a removal |
| Jones Tree and Plant Care (Sep 2026) | tree root removal starting at $300 to $500 |
Long Island Best Tree Service does not price full extraction, but charges around $150 an hour for root work below its normal grinding depth (August 2026). That is a middle option to ask about when only a few roots are in the way.
What the yard looks like after
Expect a hole. Miguel’s says it has to be filled with soil, tamped and leveled before anything goes on top, and that the machines will probably tear up some of the grass around it. Ask whether the price includes the fill, and who hauls away the stump. Neither Jones nor Long Island Best Tree Service lists a separate price for backfill.
The job takes longer, too: Miguel’s says removal can take a full day or more, where grinding usually takes a few hours.
No more suckers
Ground stumps leave roots behind, and Miguel’s says some trees, including willows, poplars and certain maples, can keep sending up shoots from them. Pulling the whole root system out ends that.
Before the digging starts
A stump removal is digging, and PSEG Long Island says to call 811 at least two and no more than 10 business days before any digging so buried lines get marked. Ask the company who makes the call, and get the fill, the haul-away and the lawn repair written into the quote.