Restumping before you sell: worth it or not?
The question every vendor with a creaky weatherboard asks. The answer depends on maths, not feelings — here it is.
What stump problems do to a sale
Every serious buyer of an older home orders a building inspection, and failing stumps are among the most-flagged defects in regional Victoria. When the report lands, three things happen: nervous buyers walk, remaining buyers renegotiate (typically asking more than the repair cost — uncertainty premium), and settlement slows. Agents will tell you: "subject to building inspection" is where older-home sales go to die.
The case for restumping first
- You buy the work at trade reality ($12,000–$22,000 for a typical full job) instead of conceding a buyer's inflated fear-figure.
- You sell with permit + engineering certification — paperwork that converts an inspection landmine into a selling feature: "restumped and certified 2026".
- Level floors and doors that close transform how a house feels at an open — before styling spends a dollar.
The case for selling as-is
- Renovator-priced properties where buyers expect a project and price it in already.
- Genuine time pressure — a proper job (permit included) needs 3–6 weeks end to end.
- Houses headed for demolition or full renovation, where your restump buys the next owner nothing.
The honest rule
Mid-market family homes: restumping before sale usually returns its cost and then some, because you're removing the reason buyers negotiate hardest. Project homes: disclose, price accordingly, keep your money. Either way, get the condition mapped first — a free inspection tells you which conversation you're actually in.