How much does restumping & reblocking cost in Australia?
Restumping a house in Australia — called reblocking in Victoria — costs $8,000–$26,000 for most detached homes, or $180–$640 per stump installed. A 2–3 bedroom single-storey weatherboard cottage on 15–25 stumps typically runs $8,000–$16,000 (around $12,000 on average), while a standard 3–4 bedroom timber or brick-veneer home on 25–40 stumps costs $13,000–$26,000 (typically $18,000). Partial restumping and spot relevelling of 5–10 stumps costs $2,200–$5,600 (typically $3,600).
For complex, low-clearance (<400mm crawlspace where floorboards must be lifted) or two-storey homes, full restumping and relevelling ranges from $20,000 to $40,000 (typically $28,000). Where a home sits on a concrete strip footing or slab-on-ground that has subsided on reactive clay, concrete underpinning costs $1,200–$2,800 per pin / linear metre (typically $1,850). Replacing rotted subfloor bearers or joists adds $120–$340 per linear metre (typically $210/m), and building permits, structural engineering and soil reports add $1,200–$3,800 per job (typically $2,200).
Restumping or reblocking a house in Australia costs $8,000–$26,000 for most homes ($8,000–$16,000 for a 2–3 bed weatherboard or $13,000–$26,000 for a standard 3–4 bed home), or $180–$640 per stump installed. Concrete underpinning runs $1,200–$2,800 per pin / m. All prices include GST — verified October 2026. Get free quotes →
Restumping & Reblocking Price List — Australia (2026)
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete stump replacement (supply & install) | $180per stump | $320 | $480 |
| Galvanised or adjustable steel stump replacement | $240per stump | $420 | $640 |
| Treated hardwood timber stump replacement | $160per stump | $260 | $400 |
| Partial restumping / spot relevel (5–10 stumps) | $2,200total | $3,600 | $5,600 |
| Full house restumping — 2–3 bed weatherboard (15–25 stumps) | $8,000total | $12,000 | $16,000 |
| Full house restumping — standard 3–4 bed home (25–40 stumps) | $13,000total | $18,000 | $26,000 |
| Complex, low-clearance or two-storey restumping & relevel | $20,000total | $28,000 | $40,000 |
| Concrete underpinning (reactive clay subsidence) | $1,200per pin / m | $1,850 | $2,800 |
| Subfloor bearer or joist replacement (timber repair) | $120per m | $210 | $340 |
| Building permit, engineering & soil report allowance | $1,200per job | $2,200 | $3,800 |
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Get quotes →Prices include GST. National averages across Australia, October 2026. Prices vary by city, soil class and subfloor access.
Restumping & Reblocking Cost by City
Restumping demand is concentrated in Australia's five mainland markets with large stocks of timber-subfloor cottages, Californian bungalows, Victorian terraces and Queenslanders on reactive clay or coastal sand:
Restumping vs Reblocking vs Underpinning: What Each Method Costs
Although homeowners often use the terms interchangeably, Australian foundation contractors price two distinct structural systems depending on what sits beneath your floors:
- Restumping & Reblocking ($8,000–$26,000 full house; $180–$640 per stump): "Restumping" (the standard term in Queensland, NSW, SA and WA) and "reblocking" (the Victorian term) are the exact same trade. They apply to houses with a suspended timber subfloor supported on individual piers ("stumps" or "blocks"). Originally cut from red gum, jarrah or ironbark timber, old stumps rot at ground level, suffer termite attack or sink into reactive clay. Reblocking jacks the bearers up slightly, removes the failed timber stumps, augers fresh footing pads to stable bearing depth, and installs precast concrete stumps ($180–$480 per stump, typically $320), galvanised or adjustable steel stumps ($240–$640 per stump, typically $420), or treated hardwood stumps ($160–$400 per stump, typically $260).
- Concrete Underpinning ($1,200–$2,800 per pin / linear metre): Applies to homes on a concrete strip footing or slab-on-ground (such as solid double-brick homes, brick-veneer perimeter walls, and modern slab homes) where soil subsidence has cracked brickwork and dropped sections of the wall. Underpinners excavate sequenced pins beneath the existing footing and pour mass concrete pads or drive steel screw piers down to stable bearing strata (typically $1,850 per pin / m). Note that brick-veneer homes have a timber floor on stumps inside an outer brick wall on a strip footing — they often need reblocking under the internal floors and underpinning only if the outer brick wall itself has dropped.
Concrete vs Galvanised Steel vs Timber Stumps
- Precast Concrete Stumps ($180–$480 per stump, typically $320): The industry standard across Victoria, SA and WA. Compliant with AS 3600, immune to rot and white ants, and cast with high-tensile reinforcing wire or threaded pins to tie into the bearers. Best for subfloors up to 1.2m–1.5m clearance.
- Galvanised or Adjustable Steel Stumps ($240–$640 per stump, typically $420): Hot-dip galvanised steel posts (often with a threaded adjustable top head). Essential on highly reactive clay soils (AS 2870 Class H1, H2 and E sites) because future seasonal soil heave or settlement can be re-levelled with a spanner rather than re-jacking the house, and mandatory on high-set Queenslanders or sloping sites requiring piers taller than 1.5m.
- Treated Hardwood Timber Stumps ($160–$400 per stump, typically $260): H4/H5-treated F17 or durability-class-1 hardwood. Primarily used where heritage overlays require like-for-like subfloor timber or for economical partial repairs matching existing sound timber piers, always fitted with galvanised ant caps.
What Affects Restumping & Reblocking Costs in Australia
Subfloor clearance & access method
If your subfloor has at least 450mm–600mm of crawlspace, crews can excavate and set stumps from underneath using augers and trolleys ($8,000–$16,000 for a 2–3 bed weatherboard or $13,000–$26,000 for a 3–4 bed home). When clearance drops below 400mm ('tight access'), restumpers must cut and lift strips of internal floorboards ('through-floor restumping'), pushing full-house jobs into the $20,000–$40,000 complex band.
Stump material & height
Treated hardwood stumps cost $160–$400 per stump (typically $260), precast concrete stumps run $180–$480 per stump (typically $320), and galvanised or adjustable steel columns cost $240–$640 per stump (typically $420). Sloping blocks or high-set homes requiring stumps over 1.5m–3.0m tall need deeper bored piers, engineered steel posts and diagonal bracing.
Soil reactivity (AS 2870 site class)
Under AS 2870, highly reactive clay soils (Class H1, H2 and E across western Melbourne, Geelong, Adelaide and Brisbane) shrink and swell seasonally. Building surveyors require deeper concrete footing pads (often 700mm–1,200mm+ into stable bearing clay) or adjustable steel heads so the floor can be tweaked later.
Subfloor bearer & joist condition
Once hydraulic jacks take the weight of the house, decayed or termite-damaged hardwood bearers and floor joists frequently come to light. Replacing or sistering damaged subfloor timber adds $120–$340 per linear metre (typically $210/m) on top of the stump price.
House construction & storeys
Single-storey weatherboard and fibro homes flex gently during jacking and relevelling. Brick-veneer, solid double-brick and two-storey homes concentrate much higher point loads on each pier and risk cracking internal plaster, cornices, tiled wet areas and external masonry if lifted too far in one pass ($20,000–$40,000 for complex or two-storey relevelling).
Permits, engineering & soil reports
Full restumping, reblocking and underpinning are structural building works that require a building permit or building approval in almost every jurisdiction. A geotechnical soil report, structural engineering computations and private building surveyor permit fees add $1,200–$3,800 per job (typically $2,200).
How to Save Money on Restumping & Reblocking in Australia
Frequently Asked Questions — Restumping & Reblocking Cost in Australia
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 →