SF Restumping
Melbourne

The cost of restumping a house will vary depending on its specific circumstances such as the extent of damage to existing stumps, the soil or structure they are located in, access to the stumps, and any excavation work required among other factors. Before you agree to anything, your site needs to be assessed by an experienced professional who will provide an appraisal of the work required and a plan for completing it – including the overall cost.

In most cases, for example, not all the stumps in a home need to be replaced, only those that show signs of deterioration or are no longer sound. Other issues that can impact the cost are the number of levels of the home, the soil the stumps are in, and how deep they are driven in. Access to the home’s stumps can also impact the cost depending on how much digging is required to reach them as well as the jacking and removal of existing stumps.

In general terms, the price for restumping a home in Melbourne will range between $500 and $100 per stump that needs attention. The price will generally be in the lower range when stumps are easily accessible and do not require extensive excavation to reach them. The soil in which the stumps are located also needs to be tested to determine the optimum depth of new foundation footings; reusing existing stump holes can also reduce costs where it is possible.

While getting the most competitive quote for your restumping project is important, keep in mind that you are dealing with the foundations of your house and poor work in this area can have costly consequences that will far outweigh any savings you make by choosing the least expensive option.

While all houses have their idiosyncrasies, there are several well-known indicators that your house may need restumping. First of all, make sure that its foundations are actually based on stumps and not some other technique. Older houses are often built on stumps rather than on a concrete foundation but can nonetheless last for well over 80 years with regular maintenance.

Indications that the stumps of a house have failed or are deteriorated will manifest in cracking or movement in the floors and walls of the house. Some signs that your house may need restumping include:

• Cracks appearing continually on interior walls
• Floors that are bowed or feel soft or bouncy when you walk on them
• Floors that are uneven or sloping
• Evidence of cracking on the exterior brickwork of the house
• Doors and windows that are difficult to open or close

It’s important to get the opinion of a restumping professional. Sometimes the problems are not caused by the stumps or may only require partial restumping.

While it depends on the individual circumstances that apply to a given house and the extent of the work required, restumping an entire house generally takes between 5 and 7 days to complete. Once again, this can vary depending on other factors such as how accessible the stumps are, whether only some or all are being replaced and the soil they are located in among others.

When undertaking repairs to your home’s foundation it is vital that you choose an experienced and accredited restumping company to ensure the job is done right. You can begin research on the internet by reading ratings and customer testimonials as well as asking any friends that have similar work done. After you produce a shortlist of candidate companies you can ask to speak to some of their previous customers to get a better idea of their service.

You should always ask for and receive, a quote from a candidate company that lists the scope of the work required and the costs of performing it. Make sure that you ask about any guarantees and insurance that apply to the work they do and their process for resolving customer issues.

Following are some questions you should ask candidate restumping companies:

• Is there any risk of additional interior damage to the house during the work?
• Can you guarantee that all floors will be level after the work is complete?
• Will the floors be at the same height after the work is complete?
• If accessing the stumps involves removing the flooring will it be replaced?
• Can you ensure that all doors and windows will operate correctly after the work is done?
• How many stumps will need to be replaced?
• Is the replacement of any damaged joists or bearers included in the quote?
• Will the site be cleaned up afterwards with replaced stumps and waste material removed after the work is done?