If your home is due for restumping, one of the first decisions is what to replace the old stumps with. Timber stumps are rarely used for new work anymore — they rot and attract termites — so the real choice comes down to concrete or galvanised steel. Both are far more durable than timber, but they behave differently, and the right one depends on your soil, your budget and how your house is built.
Concrete stumps
Precast reinforced concrete stumps are the traditional, workhorse option and still the most common choice.
- Durable and low-maintenance — they don't rot, don't attract termites, and last for decades.
- Cost-effective — generally the more affordable option per stump.
- Proven — they've been used under Australian homes for generations.
The main limitation is that concrete stumps are fixed. Once they're set, re-levelling the house later means digging them out and starting again.
Galvanised steel stumps
Steel stumps are a newer option that's become popular in reactive-clay areas like Wyndham. They're steel posts, hot-dip galvanised to resist corrosion, usually fitted with an adjustable screw-jack head.
- Adjustable — the jack head lets a builder re-level the house in future without a full restump. On soils that move seasonally, that's a big advantage.
- Corrosion-resistant — galvanising protects the steel underground.
- Easier in tight access — they're lighter and can be handled more easily in low subfloors.
The trade-off is cost: steel stumps typically cost more per stump than concrete.
Which should you choose?
There's no single right answer, but a few rules of thumb help:
- On stable soil, or a tight budget — concrete stumps are hard to beat.
- On reactive clay (most of Melbourne's west) — adjustable steel stumps are worth the extra cost, because they let you re-level down the track as the ground moves.
- Mixed approach — some homes are restumped with concrete through most of the house and adjustable steel in the areas most prone to movement.
The best way to decide is to have a specialist inspect your subfloor and soil conditions. We'll walk you through the options for your specific home and quote both so you can compare. [Get a free quote](/contact) to get started.