Weatherboard or timber floors? You're looking at restumping.
Older homes on timber, concrete or steel stumps sink as stumps rot or soil moves. Replacing them is called restumping — or reblocking in Melbourne.
What is restumping?It's usually the ground moving under your house — and it's usually fixable. Restumping Help explains what's happening in plain English, what a fix really costs, and puts you in touch with licensed local firms.
The fix — and the word for it — depends on what your house sits on.
Older homes on timber, concrete or steel stumps sink as stumps rot or soil moves. Replacing them is called restumping — or reblocking in Melbourne.
What is restumping?When a slab or strip footing settles unevenly, the footing itself is strengthened and re-supported. That job is called underpinning.
What is underpinning?Not sure which you have — or confused by the three different names?
Restumping vs reblocking vs underpinning →Knowing the honest range puts you in a stronger position when quotes arrive.
Two minutes: your symptoms, your home type and your postcode. No site visit needed to start.
Up to three restumping or underpinning firms that actually service your area.
Firms contact you directly. No obligation, and no charge to you at any point.
Licensed restumping and underpinning firms, by state and city.
Most hairline cracks under 1 mm are cosmetic. Cracks wider than 5 mm, cracks that keep growing, or cracks paired with sloping floors and sticking doors are worth a professional look. Read the crack guide.
Restumping and reblocking are the same job — replacing the stumps under a timber-floored house. Reblocking is simply the Melbourne word for it. Underpinning strengthens the footings of slab or brick homes. Full terminology guide.
Around $500–$700 per stump supplied and installed, or roughly $15,000–$30,000 for a full house, depending on access, stump material and how level the house needs to be. See the cost guide.
In most states, yes — restumping is structural work. Victoria requires a building permit and a registered practitioner; Queensland has extra rules if the house is being raised. Check your state's rules.
Tell us about the problem — we'll match you with up to three licensed local firms. Free, no obligation.