Timber Stump Replacement in Geelong
Timber stumps rot from the ground line down, where soil moisture sits against the wood, and termites finish what damp starts. Old red gum stumps often last decades, but most homes built before the 1970s are now overdue. Replacements are usually concrete or galvanised steel, at roughly $500 to $700 per stump installed.
- Free inspections
- Itemised quotes
- Permits handled
Most older weatherboard homes around Geelong were built on red gum stumps, and red gum earned its reputation: plenty have carried a house for 50 years and more. Every timber stump is slowly rotting where it meets the soil, though, and when one fails it fails at ground level while still looking fine above it.
That's why the screwdriver test matters. Sound red gum is hard enough to blunt a blade; a failing stump lets a screwdriver push into wet, punky timber at the ground line. Under the house, failed stumps show crushed tops, lean, or a gap where the bearer no longer touches. Floors above them sag, doors stick, and plaster cracks trace the movement.
Like-for-like timber replacement is rare now. Concrete stumps are the standard swap in Victoria, and galvanised steel suits low-clearance and termite-prone sites. Restumping Geelong checks every stump, tells you how many are actually gone, and quotes replacement per stump. Book a free inspection to find out where your stumps stand.
Signs you need timber stump replacement
- Stumps that a screwdriver or knife sinks into at ground level
- Visible lean, crushing or splitting in stumps under the house
- Termite leads (mud tubes) running up stumps from the soil
- Sagging floors above one area of the subfloor
- White fungal growth or constantly damp soil around stump bases
- A house built before the 1970s that has never been restumped
How the job runs
Probe test every stump
Each stump is checked at ground line and photographed, so the count of genuinely failed stumps is evidence, not guesswork.
Quote with material options
Replacement priced per stump in treated timber, concrete and galvanised steel, with a plain recommendation for your site.
Building permit
Stump replacement is structural work in Victoria. The permit goes through a registered building surveyor before we start.
Replacement
The house is jacked section by section, failed timber comes out, new footings go in and the new stumps are set and packed to level.
Final inspection and certificate
The surveyor signs off the work and you keep the certificate with your property records.
Why choose Restumping Geelong
- We probe every stump rather than condemning the lot on age.
- Replacement materials priced side by side: treated timber, concrete and steel.
- Ant capping and drainage advice included, because new stumps deserve better conditions than the old ones got.
- Free inspections across Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast.
Related services
Where we do this work
We service Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast. Suburbs where this job comes up often:
Get a free timber stump replacement quote
Tell us about your place and we will get back to you with an honest assessment and a fixed price.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do timber stumps last?
It depends on the timber and the soil. Well-drained ground can preserve red gum for 50 years or more, while constantly damp ground can rot cheaper timber in 15 to 25. Termite pressure shortens all of it. Age alone isn't the verdict; a stump-by-stump probe test is.
Should I replace timber stumps with timber?
Usually not. Treated timber is still the cheapest stump, but it inherits the same weaknesses: rot at the ground line and termite risk. Concrete and galvanised steel cost more per stump and last far longer, and they are what nearly every restump in Victoria now uses. We quote timber only when the budget demands it.
Can just the rotten stumps be replaced?
Yes, that's partial restumping. It works well when failure is localised, such as one damp side of the house. If most stumps are original and the same age, replacing only the worst ones tends to be short-lived economy, because the rest aren't far behind. The inspection tells you which case you have.
Do termites in my stumps mean termites in the house?
Not necessarily, but treat it as urgent. Stumps are the highway between soil and frame, which is why ant caps sit on top of them: they force termites into the open where their leads are visible. If we find live termites during an inspection, we'll tell you to get a pest inspection before structural work.