What is house re-levelling?
Not every house with uneven floors needs a full restump. Sometimes only a handful of stumps have sunk, rotted or lifted, and the rest are still sound. In that case, re-levelling can bring the floor back to level by packing, adjusting or replacing just the stumps that have moved.
Re-levelling is usually a smaller job than a full restump, which makes it worth checking first if your floors have only started to move recently.
Signs your floors need re-levelling
- A marble or ball rolls across the floor
- One room or corner feels lower than the rest of the house
- Doors that used to close properly now catch or swing
- New cracks in plaster above door frames
- Gaps between floorboards, skirtings or kitchen cabinets that weren't there before
- A bounce or dip in part of the floor
Re-levelling vs full restumping
| Re-levelling | Full restump | |
|---|---|---|
| When it suits | A few stumps have moved or failed, the rest are sound | Most stumps are old, rotten, termite damaged or sinking |
| What's done | Packing, adjusting or replacing selected stumps and levelling the floor | Replacing all or most stumps with new concrete or steel on new footings |
| Size of job | Smaller, depends on how many stumps are involved | Larger, but a longer-term fix |
| Risk | Remaining old stumps may fail later | Whole foundation renewed at once |
If most of your stumps are original timber and several have already failed, re-levelling can end up being a short-term fix. An inspection will show which option makes sense for your house.
What causes floors to drop?
Rotten stumps. Timber stumps often rot at or below ground level, where you can't see it. Once a stump loses strength, the bearer above it starts to sag.
Termite damage. Termites can hollow out timber stumps and bearers with little visible sign from inside the house.
Soil movement. Ground that swells when wet and shrinks when dry pushes stumps up and down. Wet seasons can soften the soil around footings and let stumps sink.
Undersized footings. Older stumps were sometimes set on small or shallow footings that can't spread the load properly.
Changes to the house. Renovations that add weight, like a new kitchen, tiled bathroom or extra room, can overload stumps that were fine before.
How re-levelling works
- Inspection and measurement. Floor levels are measured across the house to find the low points, and each stump is checked.
- Quote. You get a quote setting out which stumps need packing, adjusting or replacing.
- Jacking. The affected section is jacked carefully to take the load off.
- Repair. Failed stumps are replaced with concrete or steel, and sound stumps are packed or adjusted.
- Final check. Floor levels are re-measured to confirm the house is back to level.
Can I pack the stumps myself?
It's tempting to jack up a low corner and slip some packers under a bearer, but it's riskier than it looks. Jacking the wrong point can crack plaster, pop tiles or damage bearers and joists, and packing on top of a rotten or sinking stump just hides the problem for a while. Stumps hold up the whole house, so it's a job to get done properly.
How long does re-levelling last?
That depends on what caused the movement. If one or two stumps failed because of something like a leaking downpipe or a local termite problem, and that cause is fixed, re-levelling can be a lasting repair. If the rest of the stumps are the same age as the ones that failed, expect more of them to follow, and a full restump is often better value in the long run.
A few habits help any repair last longer:
- Keep downpipes and stormwater draining away from the house, not pooling around stumps
- Keep garden beds and sprinklers away from the base of the house
- Get regular termite inspections, especially if you still have timber stumps or bearers
- Keep an eye on doors and cracks after big wet seasons
After re-levelling
Once the floor is level, some cracks may close up and doors often start working properly again. Plaster and paint touch-ups are usually a separate job. If termites were found, deal with them too, or the problem can come back.
Book a free re-levelling inspection for your Rockhampton home. Request a quote using the form.