LevelMaster’s adjustable steel stumps are the best choice for tiny home foundations. We offer flexibility, strength, and ease of installation. Our alternative to traditional concrete or timber stumps is robust and long-lasting. With adjustable steel stumps, you get simple but long-term durability, and a consistently level floor for your modern Aussie tiny home.
Why are Australians Loving Tiny Homes?
Thousands of Australians are living in tiny homes, which come at a fraction of the price of a standard house, and offer mobility. And it isn’t just young people – many tiny home owners are over 40, many being single women looking for an affordable space to make their own.
Tiny homes create a path to homeownership amid rising property costs, and their promotion of a minimalist and eco-friendly lifestyle aligns with the typical Australian’s values.
Tiny homes have simple construction, low maintenance, and minimised utility costs. Your time and money are freed up for a nomadic low-stress lifestyle. Small spaces mean minimalism is necessary – you don’t get bogged down with clutter, and your environmental footprint shrinks.
With tiny homes growing steadily in popularity, they’re also a great investment. Whether you’re a first-home buyer or looking for an investment property, a tiny home is accessible and increases in value like any other property, especially if it comes with a ‘tiny’ plot.
What are the Benefits of Adjustable Steel Stumps for Tiny Homes?
1. Adaptability and Levelling
- Easy Levelling on Sloping Ground: Our adjustable design allows you to perfectly level your tiny home on uneven, sloping, or challenging terrains without requiring extensive groundworks.
- Handles Soil Movement: Because soil conditions can change (e.g., reactive clay or erosion), steel stumps can be adjusted up or down over time to correct for settling, preventing structural damage and avoiding costly, difficult restumping.
- Precision Installation: Achieving a perfectly level floor is simple, an important step for the structural integrity of a smaller, often pre-fabricated home. Our stumps allow for up to 150mm of vertical adjustment, enabling builders and even DIYers to easily achieve a level floor.
2. Durability and Low Maintenance
- Resistant to Pests and Rot: Unlike timber, steel stumps are impervious to termites, rot, and decay. Ours come with a long-lasting hot-dipped galvanised finish that prevents corrosion.
- Low Maintenance: They are virtually maintenance-free, requiring no routine, expensive checks or replacements, which saves money in the long run. The only maintenance would be adjusting them if necessary, which with our stumps is a simple task.
- Fire Resistance: Steel is non-combustible, making it a safer option for bushfire-prone areas. As many tiny homes are set up in rural areas surrounded by bushland, this is a must.
3. Ideal for Tiny Home Specifics
- Efficient Construction: LevelMaster steel stumps can be installed quickly, minimising on-site labour and costs. They remove the need for precise millimetre-perfect cutting during installation. This reduces on-site fabrication time, saving you on labour costs or DIY effort.
- Elevation Capabilities: They are excellent for elevating a tiny home to capture better views or to allow for natural ventilation, reducing the need for air conditioning – fantastic for Aussie summers.
- Easy Access: Being elevated on stumps allows for easy access to under-floor plumbing, electrical, and heating, which is a great benefit for tiny home maintenance.
- Structural Strength: Galvanised steel offers exceptional strength-to-weight ratios, providing a solid foundation for the entire home.
- Ideal for Challenging Sites: They are perfect for sloping or uneven terrain, as eac
- h stump can be adjusted independently at any time to suit the landscape.
How are Adjustable Steel Stumps Installed for Tiny Homes?
The easy installation of steel stumps for tiny homes is one of their biggest advantages. With no welding needed, nor heavy machinery, they’re perfect for the laid-back, no-hassle lifestyle tiny home owners want. And, of course, they can be adjusted easily over time – no intensive restumping necessary.
Here’s how adjustable steel stumps can be installed for tiny homes:
- Check for Approval: Before installing your steel stumps, talk to the local council and ask if you need any permission to move forward.
- Prepare Foundations: Dig holes where the stumps will be placed. Each hold should be aminimum of 300mm in diameter. If you’re replacing existing stumps, clean out the old holes.
- Fit the Stump: Unwind top and use the thread and bearer connection plate as a template. Push the connection plate against the bearer and drill holes.
- Check Stump Length: Typical stump length will be about 100mm off the bottom of the hole to the bearer.
- Fix Stump Height: The finished height of the thread will be 50-60mm.
- Concreting: Fill holes with concrete to secure each stump in place. Level and, after curing, finish into secure domes.
- Levelling: Let the concrete cure for three days before levelling, then use a laser or water level to create your tiny home’s perfect level foundation.
Read our full installation guide for LevelMaster steel stumps here.
Are Adjustable Steel Stumps Compliant for Tiny Homes in Australia?
Adjustable steel stumps are considered a compliant foundation system for tiny homes and granny flats in Australia, provided they’re engineered, certified, and installed according to the National Construction Code (NCC) and relevant Australian Standards. Steel is preferred over timber for modern builds due to durability, termite resistance, and ability to be adjusted for soil movement.
With LevelMaster stumps, you can trust that all compliance and certifications have been met. You can see our state compliance certificates here.
To be compliant, adjustable steel stumps must meet the following, particularly if the tiny home is a Class 1a dwelling (permanent structure) or a granny flat:
- Engineering Certification: The stumps must be designed by a professional engineer, with certified load capacity and structural certification.
- Corrosion Protection: Steel stumps must be properly hot-dip galvanised to prevent corrosion.
- Structural Standards: They should comply with AS 4100 (Steel Structures) or similar, ensuring they are robust enough to manage the load paths of the building.
- Soil and Wind Ratings: The footing system should be designed specifically for the site’s soil classification and wind rating.
Engineered adjustable steel stumps like ours are commonly used for tiny homes and preferred by councils because they offer:
- Micro-adjustment: Easy re-levelling to handle soil settling.
- Sloping Site Suitability: Ideal for uneven terrain.
- High Load Capacity: Suitable for heavier, permanent, or modular dwellings.
Always check with your local council, as regulations can vary significantly, even if the building components themselves are technically compliant.
For a complete overview of all tiny home foundation types, not just steel stumps, see our Ultimate Guide to Tiny Home Foundations.
Why is Steel Better than Timber or Concrete for Tiny Home Stumps?
Durability and Structural Integrity
Unlike timber, which is vulnerable to rot, termites, and fungi, LevelMaster’s steel stumps are immune to these issues, eliminating the need for chemical treatments or frequent replacements. Steel is also far stronger than timber, allowing for a much higher load-bearing capacity.
While concrete is strong, it can suffer from concrete cancer, where internal steel reinforcement rusts and causes the concrete to crack. Steel stumps don’t face this issue, particularly when hot-dip galvanised.
For a full breakdown of how steel, timber, and concrete stumps compare on cost, durability, and site suitability, see our detailed guide: Adjustable Steel Stumps vs Timber or Concrete for Tiny Homes.
Adjustability and Precision
Our steel stumps are adjustable, meaning you can easily re-level your tiny home if the soil moves, something that is difficult to do with fixed concrete or timber stumps without full restumping. Because steel stumps are manufactured to exact consistent standards, you can achieve a perfectly straight and true foundation, which is harder to achieve with natural timber. Simple precision means a perfectly level house without hassle.
Long-Term Cost Savings
Steel stumps are virtually maintenance-free and have a much longer lifespan than timber or concrete. Investing in them for your tiny home now means long-term savings and ease, without worrying about replacing them or restumping the house.
Why Choose LevelMaster for your Tiny Home Stumps?
High Adjustability and Ease of Levelling
- Our unique design allows for up to 150mm of vertical adjustment, making it easy to level your tiny home on uneven or sloping terrain without heavy hydraulic jacks.
- A single person can adjust the stumps, allowing for easy, precise levelling during installation and for future maintenance.
- The stump remains adjustable for the life of the building, allowing you to correct for soil movement and avoid cracked walls or sticking doors.
Durability and Strength
- All components are hot-dipped galvanised, ensuring high resistance to corrosion, rust, and pests (termites), which is crucial for long-term durability.
- The stumps are designed and manufactured in Australia to exceed strict Australian Standards.
- The heavy-duty designed thread offers superior strength for both timber and steel-framed tiny homes.
Tailored for Tiny Homes and DIY
- With many top designs available, they can accommodate various bearer sizes, ensuring a secure connection.
- The screw-on option allows for easy, fast installation without needing on-site welding, which is ideal for owner-builders.
- LevelMaster offers assembly of our products, reducing on-site work and saving time.
Versatility and Value
- Ideal for sloping or uneven sites, allowing for quick setup without extensive excavation.
- Alongside offering superior quality, they are designed to be cost-effective.
- Components are generally in stock, allowing for quick, efficient project timelines.
A Trusted Australian Business with Positive Reviews
Absolutely fantastic service. Ordered house stumps using their awesome online custom builder. Arrived quick and well packed, easy to install and worked perfectly. Friendly and very helpful staff. Would definitely buy from them again. – Chris, Google Reviews
Read more from our many happy customers.
Contact Us
LevelMaster is the modern way to stump a house, including tiny homes. We’re waving goodbye to stumps that rot away and can’t be adjusted, and bringing in a new era of long-lasting stumps that keep your home level simply and easily.
Have a look at our range of house stumps and components, or order pre-assembled house stumps using our stump builder. If in doubt, give us a call and we’ll guide you on the best options for your tiny home.
We service all of Australia, including the major cities of Brisbane, Toowoomba, Sydney, Coffs Harbour, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions about Steel Stumps for Tiny Homes
Why choose steel over timber for tiny homes?
Steel stumps are termite-proof, rot-resistant, and significantly more durable. They are designed to withstand harsh weather, including heavy rain and potential seismic activity.
What’s the cost difference?
While steel stumps have a higher upfront cost than timber, their longevity, resistance to rot, and low maintenance mean they’re more cost-effective over the lifetime of the tiny home.
How do I measure for them?
Provide overall, finished heights. LevelMaster will calculate the correct length to ensure exposed thread for future adjustments.
How do I adjust them?
These stumps feature a threaded top, allowing you to easily adjust the height using a nut to lift or lower the building for perfect, precise levelling during or after installation.
What is the adjustment range?
Each stump provides up to 150mm of screw height adjustment.
Are they suitable for uneven ground?
Yes, they are ideal for challenging, sloping, or uneven sites, allowing for micro-level adjustments to ensure the tiny home remains level even if the soil shifts.
Do they require specialised skills to install?
While DIY-friendly for some, professional installation is recommended to ensure proper structural integrity, load-bearing compliance, and to avoid future foundation issues.
Does LevelMaster install the stumps?
No, we manufacture the stumps but provide referrals to independent, professional installers.
Do they come in custom sizes?
Yes, LevelMaster can fabricate stumps to custom lengths.
What about corrosion?
High-quality adjustable stumps are hot-dip galvanised, which provides superior protection against rust and ensures a long lifespan.
Can they be used on wheels?
No. Adjustable steel stumps are for permanent or semi-permanent foundations, not for transportable Tiny Houses on Wheels (THOWS), which require a trailer chassis.