Restumping
Stump replacement and floor levelling for Sydney's older homes — before the floor slope becomes impossible to ignore.
Old stumps fail quietly. The floors slope so gradually you blame the furniture. The doors stick just slightly — easy to attribute to humidity. Then someone drops a marble and it rolls straight to the corner of the room. That's usually when people call us.
Sydney has tens of thousands of homes built on timber stumps — federation cottages, interwar bungalows, post-war houses across the inner west, north shore, and eastern suburbs. Those stumps were typically hardwood, typically good for fifty to eighty years, and typically overdue. When they fail, the floor follows.
Restumping involves temporary support of the floor structure, removal of failed stumps, installation of new concrete or steel stumps to correct height, and re-levelling the floor system. Done correctly, a floor that was sloping noticeably can be brought back to level — or close to it, accounting for any long-term settlement in the structure above.
We also handle the carpentry component of subfloor repairs: access, bearer and joist replacement where necessary, subfloor sheeting reinstatement, and structural make-good after the stumping work is complete.
What's Included
- Temporary floor support installed before any stump is touched
- Timber stump removal — full or partial restumping
- New concrete or steel stump installation to correct level
- Floor relevelling and re-packing after stump replacement
- Bearer and joist replacement where required
- Subfloor sheeting and flooring reinstatement
- Subfloor access and ventilation carpentry
- Brick pier assessment and replacement where applicable
We provide restumping across Sydney. Select your area for local information.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my house needs restumping?
Sloping floors — especially where one end of a room is noticeably lower than the other. Doors starting to stick. Cracks in plaster running from the corners of door and window openings. Stumps that are visibly rotten, cracked, checked, or leaning. Any one of these warrants a look underneath.
How much does restumping cost in Sydney?
For a full restump of a standard three-bedroom home, budget $8,000–$20,000 depending on the number of stumps, site access, and stump material (concrete vs steel). Partial restumping of a handful of failed stumps costs significantly less. See our detailed restumping cost guide for Sydney for a full breakdown.
How long does restumping take?
A full restump of a three-bedroom home typically takes three to five days. Partial jobs involving a small number of stumps are faster — often one to two days.
Do I need to vacate the house during restumping?
Not always. The floor structure is temporarily supported — the house isn't lifted significantly. Most people can stay in the house during the work. We'll advise based on the extent of the job and what access is required.
What's the difference between concrete and steel stumps?
Concrete stumps are standard for most restumping work. Steel adjustable stumps are sometimes used in areas with heavy clay soils where ongoing ground movement is a factor — they can be re-levelled without excavation. Both are significantly more durable than the original timber stumps they replace.
Other Services
View AllWall Framing
Structural wall framing where every stud is checked, every plate is straight, and every fixing is done twice.
Subfloor Framing
Squeak-free subfloors built on a level datum — because squeaking floors are a construction failure, not a maintenance issue.
Roof Framing
Roof structures framed straight, set with controlled pre-camber, and fixed so they stay that way under load.