Homeowners · Builders
House restumping in Hobart: engineering for raised timber floors
Restumping, also called reblocking, replaces the stumps under a raised timber floor. We inspect the subfloor, specify the stumps, footings and bracing, document the work for your building surveyor and certify it once it's built. Any licensed builder can do the restumping. We never sell it.
Engineering only
We specify and certify the restump. Any licensed builder can build it.
Fixed quote in 1–2 business hours
Get a fixed quote for restumping engineering
Send photos of the subfloor and stumps, any floors that slope, and the suburb. A builder's quote helps too.
Fixed quote for your job. No obligation. Or call 03 6146 4747
In short
Restumping in Hobart replaces failed stumps under a raised timber floor with new timber, concrete or steel stumps. The engineer confirms the stumps are the problem, specifies the stumps, footings and bracing, and certifies the work. Major structural repairs to a house are notifiable work in Tasmania, and your building surveyor confirms the category. Our engineering is a fixed quote per job.
- Fee
- Fixed quote per job, within 1–2 business hours
- Stumps
- Timber, concrete or galvanised steel
- You receive
- Stump layout, details, Form 35 and certification
Signs
Does your house need restumping?
A house needs restumping when its stumps have rotted, sunk, cracked or leant over and the floor above has started to sag or slope. Stumps sit in damp ground for decades, and old timber stumps in particular decay where they meet the soil.
- A sagging floor, or a floor that slopes towards one wall
- Doors that stick, or gaps opening above doors and under skirtings
- Cracked plaster and cornices in rooms over the worst stumps
- Stumps that are soft at ground level, leaning or propped with offcuts
- Bearers that no longer sit on their stumps
Not every sagging floor needs a full restump. Sometimes only a few stumps have failed, one bearer has decayed or sound stumps just need packing. The subfloor inspection works out which, so you only pay a builder for what is needed.
Restumping on a sloping block
On a sloping block the stumps on the low side can be much taller than those on the high side. Tall stumps need bracing so the floor can't rack sideways, and their footing pads need firm, level ground. The design sets both, and the engineer checks whether drainage around the stumps needs work too.
We visit raised timber homes across Greater Hobart, from Glenorchy and New Town to Bellerive and Huonville.
Stump types
Timber, concrete or steel stumps: which suits your house?
The best stump depends on the subfloor height, access, how damp the ground is and whether you want to adjust levels later. This is general engineering practice; your design specifies the stump, footing and fixings for your site.
| Stump | What it is | Strengths | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timber | Durable or treated timber posts on footings or set in the ground | Matches original construction; easy to cut and fit on site | Timber in or near the ground decays over time, so treatment and detailing matter |
| Concrete | Precast reinforced concrete stumps on concrete pads, fixed to the bearers | Doesn't rot; long life | Heavy to move in low subfloors; fixed height, so later relevelling means packing |
| Steel | Galvanised steel stumps, often height-adjustable, on concrete pads | Adjustable for relevelling; light to handle | Corrosion protection in damp subfloors and near the coast |
Tall stumps on a sloping block also need bracing, which the design details along with the footing pads.
What's included
What does restumping engineering include?
Restumping engineering gives your builder a clear specification and your building surveyor the documents they need, then checks the work.
- Step 1
Subfloor inspection
Stumps, bearers, joists, floor levels, drainage and ventilation under the house.
- Ground
Footing pads to suit the soil
Pad sizes suit the ground, using the AS 2870 site class. A soil test is arranged where the design needs one.
- Design
Stump layout and details
Stump spacing and heights, pads, fixings to bearers, bracing for tall stumps, and which bearers to replace.
- Documents
Drawings and Form 35
For your building surveyor's Certificate of Likely Compliance.
- During and after
Inspection and certification
Pad excavations and the finished stumps checked, then certified for the surveyor.
Do you need approval to restump in Tasmania?
Often, yes. Replacing the stumps under a house is a structural repair, and major structural repairs to a house are notifiable work under the Director's Determination. Notifiable work needs a building surveyor and a Certificate of Likely Compliance before it starts. Your building surveyor confirms the category for your job.
- Hazard areas: low-risk work in a landslip, flood, coastal or bushfire hazard area becomes notifiable.
- Heritage: works to a place on the Tasmanian Heritage Register need Heritage Council approval. See heritage and older homes.
- Contracts of $20,000 or more: covered by the Residential Building Work Contracts and Dispute Resolution Act 2016.
More in our guide to building approvals in Tasmania.
What to send for a fixed quote
- Photos of the subfloor, the worst stumps and any floors that slope
- A builder's quote or scope, if you already have one
- House plans or the approximate floor size
- Any deadline, such as a sale or a builder's start date
Sagging floor repair
Restumping, relevelling or underpinning?
Restumping fixes failed stumps under a raised floor; underpinning fixes footings under walls and slabs. Relevelling sits in between, for sound stumps under an uneven floor.
| Compare | Restumping | Relevelling | Underpinning |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Replacing the stumps under a raised floor | Packing or adjusting sound stumps back to level | Deepening or strengthening footings |
| Suits | Rotten, sunken or broken stumps | Sound stumps, uneven floor | Brick, sandstone or slab homes whose footings have moved |
| Engineering | Layout, footings, bracing, Form 35, certification | Confirm the cause; sometimes nothing more | Design, Form 35, stage inspections, certification |
What drives restumping cost?
Restumping cost depends on how many stumps are replaced, how high and accessible the subfloor is, the stump type, whether bearers need replacing, and how far the floor has to be relevelled. The builder prices the work; our engineering is a separate fixed quote.
For typical ranges and how to compare builders' quotes, read how much does restumping cost in Hobart? If the walls are brick on strip footings rather than stumps, see underpinning.
Related services
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An independent second opinion on an underpinning quote, then design, stage inspections and certification. We never sell or install underpinning.
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Cracks & foundation movement report
Each crack measured and rated against AS 2870, the likely cause found and a clear repair priority, from an engineer with no repair to sell.
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Extensions & renovations
Structural drawings for extensions, renovations, second storeys and granny flats, working with your architect or building designer.
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