Costs by job type
Restumping is priced per stump, then adjusted for access, levelling and permits. These are the ranges we see across capital-city and regional quotes:
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single stump replaced | $500 - $700 | Minimum call-out often applies below ~8 stumps |
| Partial restump (8-20 stumps) | $4,000 - $12,000 | Common where only one wet corner has failed - when partial is enough |
| Full restump, weatherboard | $15,000 - $25,000 | Lighter frame; typically 40-60 stumps |
| Full restump, brick veneer | $20,000 - $30,000 | Heavier loads, more careful jacking to protect brickwork |
| Raise & restump (QLD) | $30,000 - $70,000+ | Lifting the house needs engineering and council approval - raise & restump guide |
What affects your price
Two identical-looking houses can quote $10,000 apart. These are the levers:
Access under the house
Generous crawl space is cheap to work in. Under 40 cm clearance means digging by hand - the single biggest price multiplier.
Stump material
Concrete is the default. Galvanised steel adds $50-$150 per stump but suits reactive clay. Compare stump types.
Number of stumps
Per-stump rates fall on bigger jobs. A quote should state the count - get under the house or ask how they counted.
How level you want it
Re-levelling to near-new adds jacking time and can crack plaster. Many owners accept a few millimetres of character.
Soil and drainage
Reactive clay or a wet subfloor may need deeper stump holes or drainage work first. Why houses sink.
Permits
A building permit (required in VIC and most states) adds roughly $800-$2,000 including certification. State rules.
Be wary of any whole-house quote given without getting under the house. A real quote counts stumps, notes access, and states the levelling standard in writing.
Getting fair quotes
Get at least three itemised quotes: stump count, material, levelling standard, permit responsibility and warranty. Our guide to choosing a restumper lists the questions that separate professionals from van-and-jack operators - and the process guide shows what the job should look like day by day.
Help with restumping costs for pensioners and low-income owners
The honest answer first: no state has a grant that pays for a full restump. Restumping is treated as major structural work, and the home repair programs that exist for pensioners cover minor maintenance and safety repairs, not a $20,000 structural job. There is help around the edges, though, and several legitimate ways to bring the bill down.
Schemes worth checking
- Queensland Home Assist Secure. For older Queenslanders and pension concession card holders. It covers minor repairs and safety work and can refer you on, but it does not fund restumping itself. Still worth asking about if a failed step or floorboard is the immediate hazard.
- My Aged Care home maintenance. If you are 65 or over, home maintenance and modification services through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme or a Home Care Package can cover small repairs that keep you safe at home. Ask your assessor what your package can and cannot be spent on before assuming it covers stumps.
- State home modification and maintenance services (NSW, VIC and others). Delivered through aged care and disability programs. Again, minor works rather than structural.
- Services Australia advance payment. A pensioner can take part of their pension early as an advance and repay it from future payments. The amounts are modest, so it helps with a deposit or a small partial job rather than the whole bill.
- No interest loan schemes. Community organisations run no interest loans for people on low incomes for essential household costs and some repairs. The limits are low compared with a restump, but they can cover a small partial job or the permit and engineering costs.
- Home Equity Access Scheme (formerly the Pension Loans Scheme). This is how many pensioners realistically fund a full restump. Services Australia lends against the equity in your home, paid as a fortnightly supplement or as lump sum advances, and the loan plus interest is repaid when the home is sold or from the estate. The risks, plainly: interest compounds, the debt grows the longer it runs, and it reduces what you or your family get from the house. Get independent financial advice before signing.
Bringing the bill down
- Get a second and third quote. Spreads on the same house regularly run into the thousands.
- Replace only the failed stumps. If one wet corner has gone, a partial restump of 8-20 stumps is a fraction of the full price. See the partial restumping guide.
- Relevel rather than replace. Where stumps are sound but have settled, packing and relevelling costs far less than new stumps. Ask each quoting firm whether this applies to your house.
- Stage the work over two years. Do the worst section now and the rest when funds allow. It costs more in total because of two mobilisations, but it keeps the house safe without one lump sum.
- Ask about payment terms. Some restumpers accept a deposit with progress payments and the balance on completion. Never pay the full amount up front.
What happens if you leave it
Failed stumps rarely stay as they are. The house keeps moving, neighbouring stumps take the extra load and fail, and the repair bill grows. Cracked plaster and brickwork, jammed doors, bouncy floors and strained plumbing joints under the floor usually follow. A partial job now is almost always cheaper than a full job in a few years, so if the full quote is out of reach, ask for a price on the worst section only rather than doing nothing.
Get real numbers for your house
An itemised quote from a licensed restumping firm near you, matched to your job. If the full price is out of reach, tell us and we will match you with restumpers who will price a partial or staged job. Free, no obligation.
Common questions
Is reblocking the same price as restumping?
Yes - reblocking is the Melbourne name for the same job, and Melbourne pricing sits in the same ranges above. What is reblocking?
Can I restump in stages to spread the cost?
Sometimes. If failure is localised, a partial restump now and the rest later is legitimate - but two mobilisations cost more in total, and levelling is cleaner in one pass. Partial restumping guide.
Does the price include re-levelling the floors?
It should include levelling to a stated tolerance - but not always plaster and paint repairs afterwards. Ask each quoting firm to spell out both.
I am a pensioner and cannot afford the quote. Is there government help?
Not for the restump itself. Programs such as Queensland Home Assist Secure and My Aged Care home maintenance cover minor repairs, not structural work. The realistic options are a pension advance for a small partial job, the Home Equity Access Scheme for a full job, and cutting the scope to the failed stumps only. See help with restumping costs for pensioners above.