Pad Footings in Victoria: Cost, Size and Steel Alternatives

A pad footing is an isolated concrete square or rectangle under a post or point load — not a strip under a wall, and not a precast 100x100 house stump. Typical Victorian sizes already published on this site run about 450×450 to 900×900 mm and 600–900 mm deep on Class A/S/M; 2026 indicative installed cost is roughly $150–$400 per pad. Easy Footings Pty Ltd (ABN 44 689 644 175) does not pour pad footings, sell precast 100x100 concrete stumps, hardware-store footing blocks, or lay brick piers; we convert many pad jobs to engineer-certified RapidStump, StumpRite and SurePile across Melbourne and regional Victoria. Phone 0419 994 555.

What a Pad Footing Is

A pad footing is poured reinforced concrete under one support: a deck post, carport column, shed portal, verandah post or an internal pier. Load arrives as a point. The pad spreads that load over enough soil area that the ground can carry it without punching or excessive settlement. Builders also call it an isolated footing or isolated pad.

It is not:

• A strip footing — a continuous beam under a load-bearing wall. Full comparison: pad vs strip footings in Victoria.
• A hardware-store precast footing block dropped under a post.
• A precast 100x100 concrete house stump, or a brick pier. Easy Footings does not sell those products or lay brick piers.
• A bored concrete pier — still a point support, but founded deeper than a shallow pad when clay is reactive.

This page is the dedicated Victorian pad lander for “pad footing / pad footings / concrete pad footings” — not a duplicate of the pad-vs-strip comparison. For the wider concrete types list see concrete footings in Victoria.

Typical Victorian Sizes & Depth

2026 indicative sizes already published on our pad-vs-strip, house-extension and concrete-footings pages (not a substitute for engineer drawings):

• Pad plan size commonly 450×450 mm to 900×900 mm.
• Depth often in the 600–900 mm band for decks and posts on Class A, S and M sites.
• On Class H sites, deck pad depth is often 900–1200 mm or deeper.
• A finished pad for a deck or pergola is often quoted as roughly 450×450×600 mm to 900×900×900 mm, depending on load and soil.

Those millimetre figures are typical ranges from common Australian residential practice, not a copied AS 2870 table. The soil test and engineer set the actual pad. Search phrases such as “pad footing size” and “pad footing depth” have no single millimetre answer.

When Pads Are Reasonable vs When They Fail

Reasonable. Isolated pads under posts are a legitimate engineered option for light Class 10 work — decks, sheds, carports, pergolas and fence or verandah posts — on Class A or S ground (stable sand/rock or slightly reactive clay) with open truck access. Some stable Class M sites still use a sized-up pad. A kit shed or carport lands on columns; each column is a point load, so the default concrete answer is a pad or a bored pier.

They fail. House loads on Melbourne west and north Class M to H2 clay are the usual mismatch. A shallow pad sits inside the seasonal active zone; the clay swells and shrinks, so one pad can move differently from the next (differential settlement). Undersized pads punch or tilt. Hardware-store blocks and precast 100x100 stumps are not a substitute for an engineered pad — and Easy Footings does not sell them. Isolated pads under a masonry wall are how you get stepped cracks: each pad can settle on its own. For wall lines see strip footings in Victoria.

AS 2870 / Building Permit Path (High Level)

AS 2870-2011 classifies sites A, S, M, H1, H2, E or P from a soil test. Class A and S can often use shallower deemed-to-comply pads. Class M is common suburban Melbourne clay. Class H1/H2 and E need deeper, stiffer concrete or piles below the seasonal active zone. Class P (fill, soft soil, trees, abnormal moisture) always needs an engineered design. Much of Melbourne’s west and north sits on Class M to H2 clay. See soil test for footings in Victoria.

Most new house, extension and restump footings need a building permit from a registered building surveyor (council or private). Expect AS 2870 classification, engineer design and a footing inspection. Surveyor decides Class 10 exemptions. Easy Footings does not issue permits. See building footing regulations in Victoria. Not legal advice.

2026 Cost Drivers (Published Figures Only)

Pad footing for a deck, pergola or light post: roughly $150–$400 per pad (same band on pad vs strip and the national concrete-footings guide). Strip for contrast: $180–$320 per linear metre. Restump if the job is replacing failed supports under a house: roughly $500–$1,000+ per stump — Melbourne restumping guide. Supply-only StumpRite components from $10.35 ex GST.

Access, soil class, steel, rock and council inspections move a quote inside or above those bands. They are not a single precise price. Concrete also carries a cure (typically 5–7 days before you can load a pad, 28 days to full design strength). Rain, heat and a wet hole add days. Easy Footings does not pour pads.

Steel Alternatives: StumpRite, RapidStump, SurePile

A concrete pad remains right for many light Class 10 posts on stable ground with truck access. Engineer-certified BMSA steel fits weather/program, side-gate access, reactive clay, slope, restumping and stumped extensions. Call 0419 994 555 or use the contact form.

• StumpRite — adjustable galvanised steel (up to 120 mm). The usual choice when future re-levelling on clay matters, or when a new bearer must meet an existing floor. Supply-only from $10.35 ex GST. See adjustable stumps in Victoria.
• RapidStump — driven steel, footing and stump in one. Common for restumping and new stumps where compact gear has to work under a house or on a tight block.
• SurePile — helical screw piles for higher loads, Class H clay, slope, modular buildings and containers. Each pile is wound to a verified torque.

Comparison: RapidStump vs StumpRite vs SurePile. More guides on the Easy Footings blog.

Pad Footing FAQs