Restumping vs reblocking vs underpinning — plain English
These three terms cause more confusion than anything else in foundation repair. Here's the two-minute version.
Restumping and reblocking: the same job
Restumping and reblocking are two names for one job: replacing the stumps (Melburnians say "blocks") that hold up a timber-framed house. Regional Victoria mostly says restumping; Melbourne trades often say reblocking. If your house has a subfloor you can crawl into, this is your world.
Underpinning: a different job for a different house
Underpinning strengthens or deepens the footings of a house on a concrete slab or strip footings — typically brick homes with no subfloor. Concrete or resin is injected, or new footings poured, beneath the existing ones. It's engineering-heavy and generally more expensive: often $10,000–$40,000+.
Which does your house need?
- Weatherboard/timber home with a crawl space: restumping (reblocking). Typical: $8,000–$22,000.
- Brick home on a slab with cracking: underpinning territory — you need a different specialist and usually a geotechnical report.
- Brick-veneer on stumps (common regionally): restumping — the timber frame carries the load; the brick skin is cladding.
Why this matters for quotes
Some companies quote "underpinning" for what is actually a restump because the word supports a bigger number. Ask the simple question: "Are you replacing stumps under a timber floor, or working beneath a concrete footing?" The answer sorts the job — and the fair price bracket — instantly.