How much does restumping & reblocking cost in Melbourne?
Reblocking or restumping a house in Melbourne costs $8,400–$27,300 for most detached homes, or $190–$670 per stump installed. A 2–3 bedroom Victorian or Edwardian weatherboard cottage on 15–25 stumps costs $8,400–$16,800 (typically $12,600), while a standard 3–4 bedroom Californian bungalow or post-war brick-veneer home on 25–40 stumps runs $13,650–$27,300 (typically $18,900). Partial reblocking of 5–10 stumps costs $2,300–$5,900 (typically $3,775).
Melbourne is Australia's largest reblocking market because tens of thousands of pre-1970 homes were built on river red gum timber stumps set into highly reactive basaltic and alluvial clays. When clearance is tight (<400mm) and floorboards must be lifted inside, complex or two-storey reblocking runs $21,000–$42,000 (typically $29,400). Concrete underpinning for cracked perimeter brick footings costs $1,250–$2,950 per pin / m (typically $1,950), bearer or joist replacement adds $125–$355 per m (typically $220/m), and a Victorian building permit, engineering and soil report adds $1,250–$4,000 per job (typically $2,300).
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: How much does restumping & reblocking cost in Australia?
Reblocking or restumping a house in Melbourne costs $8,400–$27,300 for most homes ($8,400–$16,800 for a 2–3 bed weatherboard or $13,650–$27,300 for a standard 3–4 bed home), or $190–$670 per stump installed. Concrete underpinning runs $1,250–$2,950 per pin / m. GST included — verified October 2026. Get free Melbourne quotes →
Restumping & Reblocking Price List — Melbourne (2026)
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete stump replacement (supply & install) | $190per stump | $335 | $505 |
| Galvanised or adjustable steel stump replacement | $250per stump | $440 | $670 |
| Treated hardwood timber stump replacement | $170per stump | $275 | $420 |
| Partial restumping / spot relevel (5–10 stumps) | $2,300total | $3,775 | $5,900 |
| Full house restumping — 2–3 bed weatherboard (15–25 stumps) | $8,400total | $12,600 | $16,800 |
| Full house restumping — standard 3–4 bed home (25–40 stumps) | $13,650total | $18,900 | $27,300 |
| Complex, low-clearance or two-storey restumping & relevel | $21,000total | $29,400 | $42,000 |
| Concrete underpinning (reactive clay subsidence) | $1,250per pin / m | $1,950 | $2,950 |
| Subfloor bearer or joist replacement (timber repair) | $125per m | $220 | $355 |
| Building permit, engineering & soil report allowance | $1,250per job | $2,300 | $4,000 |
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Get Melbourne quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Melbourne metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs and complex access may vary.
Melbourne Reblocking: Reactive Basaltic Clays, Red Gum Stumps & VBA Rules
In Victoria the trade is almost universally called reblocking. Across Melbourne's inner and middle rings, generations of houses built between the 1880s and 1970s were set on untreated river red gum blocks. After 50 to 90 years in damp subfloors, red gum rots at the soil line — while seasonal shrink-swell cycles in Melbourne's clays push and pull the footings out of level:
- Western & Northern Basaltic Clays (Class H1, H2 & E): Suburbs such as Footscray, Yarraville, Newport,Williamstown, Sunshine, Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Brunswick, Coburg, Northcote, Preston and Reservoir sit on quaternary basaltic clays that crack deeply in dry summers and heave in wet winters. Reblocking a 2–3 bed weatherboard here ($8,400–$16,800, typically $12,600) requires deeper bored footing pads and often galvanised or adjustable steel stumps ($250–$670 per stump, typically $440) so future movement can be adjusted.
- Inner-City Tight-Access Terraces: Single-fronted and double-fronted Victorian terraces in Fitzroy, Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond, South Melbourne and Prahran often have less than 250mm–350mm of subfloor clearance and zero side access. Crews must lift Baltic pine or Tasmanian oak floorboards inside to auger and pour stumps from above ('through-floor reblocking'), moving full-house jobs into the $21,000–$42,000 band (typically $29,400).
- Eastern & Bayside Brick-Veneer Homes: Post-war homes across Camberwell, Box Hill, Ringwood, Glen Waverley, Bentleigh, Moorabbin and Frankston combine a perimeter brick strip footing with internal timber floors on stumps. Standard 3–4 bed reblocking runs $13,650–$27,300 (typically $18,900) using precast concrete stumps ($190–$505 per stump, typically $335), plus $1,250–$2,950 per pin / m if external brickwork needs concrete underpinning.
- VBA Registration (DB-L / DB-U) & Building Permits: In Victoria, reblocking and underpinning are structural building works. Under the Building Act 1993, a building permit from a registered building surveyor is mandatory ($1,250–$4,000 including soil/engineering), and your contractor must be a Registered Building Practitioner with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) — either Domestic Builder Unlimited (DB-U) or Domestic Builder Limited — Reblocking and Restumping (DB-L). Jobs over $10,000 require a Major Domestic Building Contract, and jobs over $16,000 require Domestic Building Insurance (DBI).
What Affects Restumping & Reblocking Costs in Melbourne
Crawlspace height & through-floor access
Melbourne weatherboards with 500mm+ subfloor clearance can be reblocked from underneath ($8,400–$16,800 for a 2–3 bed cottage or $13,650–$27,300 for a 3–4 bed home). Low-set inner-Melbourne terraces where floorboards must be lifted and re-laid push costs to $21,000–$42,000.
Western vs eastern Melbourne soil class
Reactive basaltic clays in Melbourne's West and North (AS 2870 Class H1, H2 and E) require deeper footing pads than eastern Silurian mudstone or bayside sand, and often justify adjustable steel stumps ($250–$670/stump) over standard concrete stumps ($190–$505/stump).
Rotted red gum bearers & Baltic pine joists
Poor subfloor ventilation in older Melbourne homes causes wet rot in hardwood bearers and joists. Replacing damaged subfloor timber adds $125–$355 per linear metre (typically $220/m).
Brick-veneer perimeter settlement
If your brick-veneer home has stepped cracks in the external brickwork as well asbouncy internal floors, you may need concrete underpinning ($1,250–$2,950 per pin / m, typically $1,950) along the dropped strip footing in addition to internal reblocking.
VBA building permit & DBI insurance
Every legal Melbourne reblock requires a building permit through a private building surveyor, soil classification and engineering ($1,250–$4,000 per job, typically $2,300), plus Domestic Building Insurance (DBI) on contracts over $16,000.
Plaster, cornice & service reconnections
Jacking a settled Melbourne bungalow or terrace by 25mm–60mm can crack lath-and-plaster walls, ornate cornices and rigid underfloor gas or sewer lines. Budget for a licensed plumber to disconnect/reconnect rigid pipes if required.
How to Save Money on Restumping & Reblocking in Melbourne
Frequently Asked Questions — Restumping & Reblocking Cost in Melbourne
Our Methodology
These are independent estimates from public cost guides, marketplaces and industry rate data, and no tradesperson can influence them, so always get a few quotes. Last reviewed October 2026. Read our full methodology →