House Restumping & Reblocking in Burwood

Restumping (also called reblocking) replaces house stumps that are no longer suitable to support a suspended floor. In Burwood, this may involve replacing individual deteriorated stumps or a larger group, with floor adjustments where appropriate. The correct scope depends on what is supporting your home and what the inspection reveals.

We work with homeowners who have noticed dipping floors, movement around internal doorways or concerns about existing subfloor supports. Before recommending a replacement, we consider the stumps, bearers, joists, available access and any known building alterations.

If your supports are sound but the floor needs adjustment, our house levelling and relevelling service may be more suitable. If movement relates to masonry footings or another foundation system, the investigation may lead to a different repair.

Burwood has established residential streets with a mix of earlier houses, post-war homes and redeveloped properties. A house’s age or external brick finish cannot, by itself, tell you whether its floors rely on stumps. Some brick-veneer houses have suspended floors; others have slabs or other footing arrangements.

A particularly important question arises when an original house has been extended. The bedrooms and hall might retain a suspended floor, while a later kitchen or rear living space uses a different structure. When floor levels differ near the connection, replacing the old house stumps will not necessarily address movement in the addition.

• Original floor system: Are the affected rooms supported by stumps, bearers and joists?
• Previous alterations: Has an extension, wall removal or earlier reblocking changed how loads are carried?
• Floor-to-wall relationship: Are symptoms confined to the timber floor or also affecting brickwork and footings?
• Practical access: Can the relevant supports be safely examined without assuming their condition?

We assess the affected part of the house instead of applying one repair method to every area.

The following symptoms can justify an assessment, but they do not prove that restumping is required. Several structural and non-structural conditions can create similar symptoms.

Where movement appears sudden, cracking is severe or the building seems unstable, obtain prompt advice from an appropriately qualified structural professional.

Replacing every stump is not automatically the best choice, and keeping every existing stump is not automatically economical. We consider the condition and suitability of the entire relevant support arrangement.

For a more detailed comparison, read our partial vs full restumping guide. If the cause of movement is uncertain, our foundation repair service explains how different problems are investigated.

The amount of clearance under the house can change dramatically between rooms. Existing ductwork, plumbing pipes, enclosed verandahs, stored materials and old access hatches may make it difficult to examine or replace particular supports.

Before quoting, we need to understand where the work is required and how it can be accessed safely. If access beneath a section is not possible, the inspection may reveal the need for another assessment or access arrangement. We won’t claim to know the condition of concealed stumps that haven’t been inspected.

We also look for visible signs that water may be affecting the underfloor area. Persistent dampness can have more than one source, including plumbing leaks, surface runoff or restricted ventilation. Restumping addresses the supports included in the work scope; it does not automatically repair a drainage or plumbing problem. Those issues may need separate specialist attention.

Our free initial on-site inspection helps establish whether restumping should be considered and what further information is needed to prepare a realistic quotation.

1. We discuss your concerns. Tell us which rooms have changed, when you noticed the problem and whether earlier repairs or extensions are known.
2. We establish the floor construction. We identify the relevant suspended floor or alternative foundation arrangement where accessible.
3. We assess visible supports and framing. Stumps, bearers, joists and access limitations are considered within the areas that can be safely inspected.
4. We explain repair options. This may mean targeted replacement, broader restumping, relevelling or recommending further professional investigation.
5. We outline next steps. We explain the proposed scope, likely access requirements and any structural documentation or approvals needed before work begins.

Having details of a past extension, an earlier inspection report or photographs of accessible supports can help make the conversation more useful.

There is no single process that fits every Burwood house, but a typical project follows these stages once its scope is confirmed:

1. Scope, design and approvals: finalise the work method, required documentation, access and the agreed quotation.
2. Temporary support and access: provide suitable temporary support and prepare to work beneath the affected part of the structure.
3. Stump and footing work: remove or replace the specified supports, install the approved replacement system and undertake related work in the agreed scope.
4. Adjustment and checks: carry out the planned floor-level adjustments, inspect the completed support work and organise required regulatory inspections.

Levelling may affect brittle plaster, tiles, skirting junctions or other old finishes. We discuss realistic expectations before work begins; a perfect finish or an entirely level floor cannot be promised for every older home.

If you’re preparing to replace floor coverings, install a new kitchen or undertake a rear extension, it is worth addressing unexplained floor movement first. New finishes can hide inspection points or may be affected by later structural adjustment.

For homes with previous additions, check whether the old and new sections have compatible levels and structural systems before treating cracks at their junction as a stump problem. Planning the sequence early may reduce avoidable disturbance to newly completed finishes.

For background on how stump replacement works, see our homeowner guide to reblocking and restumping. If your floor is uneven but the supports are serviceable, see house relevelling rather than assuming a full restump.

The cost depends on the number and type of supports being replaced, the work required to reach them and the condition of the existing structure. Two Burwood houses of similar size can need very different work.

• Extent of replacement: selected stumps versus a more comprehensive scope.
• Access: working clearance, obstructions and any access that must be created.
• Footings and design: specified support type, footing requirements and any engineering documentation.
• Related work: agreed floor adjustment, affected bearers or joists and protection of existing finishes.
• Approvals: applicable permits, inspections and other project requirements.

For indicative Melbourne prices and what changes a quotation, see our restumping cost guide. An on-site assessment is needed to establish a reliable scope for your Burwood property.

Burwood VIC 3125 spans the City of Whitehorse and the City of Monash. The correct council for your property depends on the address, so permit information should not be assumed from the suburb name alone.

Restumping changes a home’s structural support and typically requires a building permit. In the Whitehorse portion of Burwood, follow the Whitehorse building-permit process. In the Monash portion, the council’s reblocking guidance states that underpinning and restumping are structural alterations requiring a building permit and that a soil report is needed for the application.

A building surveyor assesses the applicable requirements. For domestic building work, the owner or a properly authorised agent appoints a private building surveyor; the builder cannot make that appointment on the owner’s behalf. Depending on the property’s controls and work scope, separate planning, asset protection or other approvals may also need checking.

We’ll discuss the proposed work and required documentation as part of preparing for the project, rather than assuming all Burwood properties have identical approval requirements.

When the support beneath your home is in question, you need an explanation of the work being recommended, not simply a quotation for replacing every stump. We aim to make the repair scope and next steps clear before work is agreed.

• Registered Building Practitioner: an established credential for Global Reblocking’s building services.
• HIA member: membership of the Housing Industry Association.
• 15-year guarantee: applies to eligible contracted work, subject to the written guarantee terms.
• Free initial inspection and quote: an opportunity to discuss the symptoms, accessible support conditions and available repair options.

View our project gallery for examples of the work we present publicly, or contact our team to discuss your Burwood property. We don’t claim that a particular featured project was completed in Burwood unless its location is verified.

We welcome restumping and reblocking enquiries for Burwood VIC 3125, including established homes and properties with previous alterations. We’re a Melbourne service business; this page does not represent a separate office in Burwood.

If you’re in a neighbouring suburb, explore our Areas We Service directory or see the Melbourne eastern-suburbs service hub. For nearby location-specific guidance, visit our Chadstone or Mount Waverley service pages. Please confirm appointment availability for your address when contacting us.

Answers to practical questions Burwood homeowners ask before requesting a quote.

Tell us which rooms have changed, whether the home has been extended and what you know about the existing subfloor. We can discuss the next steps for assessing your Burwood property and determining whether restumping is the appropriate service.

Call 03 9308 5863 or send an enquiry to arrange a free initial on-site inspection and quote.