Check the licence first
Restumping is structural building work, and in every state the serious operators hold a licence or registration you can verify online for free. In Victoria, look the business up on the VBA's public register — there is a domestic builder registration specifically limited to restumping and reblocking work, alongside broader builder registrations. In Queensland, check the QBCC's online licence search for a current licence in an appropriate class. In New South Wales, verify the contractor licence through the Fair Trading licence check; South Australia and Western Australia run their own public registers for licensed builders and contractors. Check the actual entity name on the quote, not just the trading name on the ute. Our regulations guide covers what each state requires, including permits, which state pages link to the registers.
An unlicensed restump is not just a quality gamble. It can void warranty insurance, complicate your home insurance, and become a disclosure problem when you sell.
The itemised-quote test
First rule: nobody can genuinely quote a restump without getting under the house. A price given from the kerb, from photos, or from “houses like yours” is a placeholder, not a quote. Once they have been under, the quote should itemise:
- Stump count — exactly how many are being replaced, and a marked plan or count method for a partial job.
- Material and size — concrete or steel stumps, and their dimensions.
- Founding depth — how deep new stumps will be founded, the detail most underquotes go quiet on.
- Levelling standard — what tolerance the floor will be brought to, and whether packing existing stumps is included.
- Permit responsibility — who obtains the building permit and arranges inspections.
- Warranty — the period and what it covers, in writing.
A contractor who resists itemising is telling you how variations will be handled later. The process guide explains what each line item means on site.
Comparing three quotes
Get three quotes on the same scope and compare line items, not totals. At $500–$700 per stump supplied and installed, a full house should land somewhere in $15,000–$30,000 — the costs guide narrows that by house type. When one quote sits far below the others, find the missing line: shallower founding, fewer stumps, no permit, no re-levelling of retained stumps.
The underquote trap works like this: a low headline price wins the job, then “we found more failed stumps once we got under” arrives as a variation. Sometimes that is genuine — hidden stumps do surprise. Protect yourself by agreeing the unit rate for additional stumps in the contract before work starts, so a surprise changes the count, not the price per stump. You can request quotes from vetted contractors through our quotes service.
Ask each contractor one question: “What founding depth are you allowing, and what happens to the price if the soil is worse than expected?” A good operator answers both parts without hesitation.
Warranties and insurance
Ask for the workmanship warranty in writing — reputable restumpers commonly warrant their work for a decade or more — and confirm the business carries public liability insurance. In Victoria, domestic building work over $16,000 requires the builder to take out domestic building insurance in your name before taking a deposit; a full restump almost always crosses that threshold, so ask for the certificate, not a verbal assurance. Other states have their own home warranty schemes with different thresholds — the regulations pages cover them state by state.
Red flags
Walk away from cash discounts that come with no paperwork, offers to “skip the permit to save you money”, prices that expire today, quotes given without going under the house, and any pressure framed around your anxiety rather than your floor. A missing ABN, a mobile-only contact, or reluctance to name past jobs you can drive past all point the same direction. Restumping is a competitive, established trade; you never need to accept a contractor who will not do the basics in writing.
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Common questions
How many quotes do I really need?
Three is the practical number. One quote gives you a price; two give you an argument; three give you a pattern. Make sure all three are quoting the same scope — same stump count, material and founding approach — or the comparison is meaningless.
Should I choose the cheapest quote?
Only if it itemises the same scope as the others and the licence, insurance and warranty check out. A quote thousands below the pack usually omits something you cannot see — founding depth, permit costs or re-levelling. The middle quote from the contractor who explained their numbers best is the common right answer.
Do restumpers need a licence in every state?
Structural work of this kind is regulated everywhere, though the licence class and threshold vary by state. The practical rule holds nationally: verify the business on the state register before signing, and be wary of anyone who says a licence or permit is not needed for your job.
What deposit is reasonable?
Small and regulated. States cap deposits on domestic building contracts — commonly around 5–10% depending on contract size and state. A demand for a large upfront payment, especially in cash, is a red flag regardless of how good the price looks.