House Restumping on the Sunshine Coast

What house restumping and raising on the Sunshine Coast actually involves

Restumping replaces the stumps a timber-framed house sits on: the house is jacked just far enough to take the load off, the old stumps come out, new ones go in on new footings, and the house is set back down and levelled. Council's building-approval page lists re-stumping as needing a development building work permit where it involves replacing more than 20% of the total number of stumps. Ask the quote to say who removes the old stumps. Council's 2026–27 waste facility charges include A$80.00 for construction and demolition waste of up to approximately 1m3, and A$37.00 (pro rata, per tonne or cubic metre) for clean concrete and brick sent for recycling.

What restumping actually involves

Stump choice is where a Sunshine Coast job stops being generic. In a CSIRO-authored national dataset of chloride deposition, the only strong correlation with the observed deposition was distance to the coast, and the authors list predicting corrosion among its uses. AS 4312 is the Australian standard that classifies atmospheric corrosivity zones, and the zone for your lot is a site assessment, not a suburb name. Close to the beach at Marcoola, Mudjimba or Wurtulla that makes salt a live question for steel stumps and for the galvanising on them.

How water behaves where you are matters as well. The Bureau of Meteorology says of the Maroochy and Mooloolah catchments that the flat coastal plain areas generally tend to experience longer duration flooding than the upper headwaters in the hinterland, so a timber stump on the plain stands in floodwater for longer. In the hinterland the same rain produces flash flooding from many small creeks, and the question for a footing becomes ground moving or washing out from around it.

House Restumping on the Sunshine Coast — common questions

How do I know if my house needs restumping?

Doors that stick, visible slope across a floor, gaps opening between skirting and floorboards, and bounce underfoot. Under the house, look for stumps that are split, leaning, or soft at ground level. One or two failed stumps may only need re-levelling rather than a full restump.

Concrete or steel stumps on the Sunshine Coast?

That is a specification decision for the contractor and engineer against your site's exposure. Ask which stump material they propose at your distance from the surf, what coating or grade, and whether adjustable stumps will let the floor be re-levelled later without another lift.

Do I need council approval to restump?

A QBCC-licensed contractor is required once the work passes A$3,300. Council lists re-stumping as needing a development building work permit where more than 20% of the stumps are replaced, and a private building certifier can advise on your job. If your property sits in a designated flood hazard area, Sunshine Coast Council requires a flood information search before building work, returning the defined flood level, freeboard and finished floor level for your site.