Though it may seem straightforward, restumping a house yourself involves physical labour, appropriate tools, and, most importantly, technical knowledge to perform restumping safely and correctly.
We would not recommend attempting this job yourself and should always consult with a professional restumping contractor.
In this article, we will go through whether you can DIY restump a house, the limitations, and our recommendations for house reblocking.
Is DIY Restumping A House Possible?
DIY restumping may be possible but is not recommended without relevant experience and knowledge.
It may be fun and exciting to DIY at home without technical knowledge, but DIY reblocking can lead to serious structural issues if you’re not licensed and don’t have the correct knowledge.
When restumping a house, one of the most important things to know is how to identify the problem and what will be required structurally to fix it. There are many reasons why a house may need to be restumped.
Suppose you are not sure what the problem is. In that case, it is best to consult with a professional restumping contractor who is experienced in reblocking in Geelong. They will be able to identify the problem and provide the best solution.
Restumping Can Be Complex
It’s a complex job that can be done only by certified and experienced contractors. The process involves many steps, including digging around the stumps, removing the old stumps, jacking up the building, installing new stumps, and backfilling the holes.
If you even make a small mistake, it can cause big problems. For example, suppose you don’t dig the holes correctly to the correct depth and use the correct amount of concrete. In that case, the new stumps will not be installed correctly, leading to instability and shifting.
Restumping Can Be Dangerous
If you don’t maintain safety measures and proper tools, it can be dangerous to you and your family. There are many risks associated with restumping, such as:
- Injury while working with tools
- Cause more damage to your house if you don’t know what you’re doing
- Over-correct relevelling, causing further cracking
- Cause Compliance issues with permits
Restumping Requires Experience
Relevant experience is a must for restumping. If you don’t have the required experience, you could make mistakes that could result in serious damage to your house. In addition, if you’re not experienced, you may incorrectly install the stumps, leading to potentially catastrophic structural issues. Also, you might not know how long restumping takes unless you have the proper knowledge.
What about a warranty on restumping?
You will get a warranty on the restumping work performed when working with a licensed contractor. It’s also important to ensure your restumping contractor is a licensed builder. This will give you peace of mind that the job is done correctly and to a high standard, and the relevant building authority endorses all the warranty.
If you try to restump your house yourself, you will not be able to get a warranty on the work. This is because it’s a complex job that requires licensing, specific knowledge and skills.
Therefore, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you could end up causing serious damage to your house, leading to costly repairs or even demolition of the work you perform.
Always use a reblocking contractor
As discussed above, you should contact a reblocking contractor to do the job for you. This is because:
- They are experienced and know what they are doing
- They have the right tools and equipment
- They offer a warranty on their workmanship and materials
- You will not have to worry about compliance issues
- It will save you time and money in the long run.
In conclusion, attempting to restump your house yourself is not a good idea. It’s complex, dangerous and can cause compliance issues with the building authorities. Always use a certified and experienced professional for this job.
To better understand the restumping procedure, see our blog, What is reblocking?