Demolition Cost Calculator
Estimate the cost to demolish a house, garage or structure in Australia. Enter the floor area, set the storeys and construction, then account for asbestos and access.
Any Australian home built before 1990 should be assumed to contain asbestos until an inspection says otherwise. A hazardous materials survey costs roughly $400 to $900 and is required by most councils and demolishers before work starts, so book it early rather than discovering the problem mid job.
Demolition quotes vary wildly on what they include. Insist that service disconnection, the hazardous materials survey, the council application, waste levies and site levelling are each shown as included or excluded, because those five items are where a cheap quote turns expensive.
Salvage has real value on older homes. Hardwood flooring, cast iron fittings, slate, bricks and even solid timber framing can be worth thousands to a salvage yard, and some demolishers will reduce their price for the right to strip the house before it comes down.
- Machine and labour$9,300
- Waste disposal and levies$7,850
- Asbestos and hazardous materials$5,500
- Service disconnection$3,200
- Permits, surveys and certification$3,200
💰 Ways to save
- Get the hazardous materials survey done before you seek quotes, not after you accept one. A survey costs $400 to $900 and tells every demolisher exactly what they are dealing with. Without it, contractors either price defensively with a large asbestos contingency built in, or they price low and hit you with a variation the day they find sheeting behind the eaves. The survey typically pays for itself several times over in quote accuracy.
- Strip out the soft demolition yourself if you have time. Removing carpet, curtains, cabinetry, appliances, non structural internal linings and fittings can reduce a demolisher's labour and waste volume noticeably, sometimes saving $2,000 to $5,000 on a standard house. Just stop at anything that could contain asbestos, which includes wall sheeting, eaves, vinyl backing and old adhesives.
- Sort the waste stream. Landfill levies in New South Wales and Victoria are among the highest in the country, and mixed skip waste is charged at the worst rate. A demolisher who separates clean concrete, brick, metal and clean timber pays substantially less at the gate and recovers scrap value on the steel. Ask contractors how they handle recycling, because the ones with a recycling process are often cheaper despite looking similar on paper.
- Combine the demolition with the earthworks for the new build. If a rebuild is planned, having the same contractor demolish, remove the slab, cut the pad and level the site avoids paying twice for mobilisation of an excavator and trucks, which is commonly $1,500 to $3,000 each time machinery comes and goes.
or from $139/week over 5 years , indicative finance
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## What demolition costs in Australia in 2026
Pricing reviewed: June 2026.
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Pricing reviewed June 2026. Indicative Australian costs, not a quote.
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Understanding demolition costs in Australia
What demolition costs in Australia in 2026
House demolition in Australia in 2026 typically runs $15,000 to $60,000, or roughly $60 to $180 per square metre of floor area for residential work. A standard single storey brick veneer home of about 180m² on a flat block with good access, no asbestos and straightforward services usually lands between $18,000 and $28,000. A two storey double brick home with bonded asbestos sheeting and tight access can easily reach $45,000 to $70,000. Smaller structures price differently again. A single garage is commonly $3,000 to $6,000, a carport or shed $1,500 to $4,000, and an internal strip out for renovation is priced per square metre at $40 to $90.
Asbestos is the single biggest cost variable
Asbestos was used extensively in Australian construction until the late 1980s and was not fully banned until 31 December 2003. The practical rule is that any dwelling built before 1990 should be treated as containing asbestos until a survey proves otherwise, and most councils and demolition contractors will require a hazardous materials survey before they will proceed. That survey costs around $400 to $900. Bonded asbestos, the sheeting used for wall cladding, eaves, fences and bathroom linings, is removed under a Class B licence and typically adds $50 to $100 per square metre of affected material, or several thousand dollars on a typical fibro home. Friable asbestos, the loose or crumbling material found in old insulation, backing and some pipe lagging, is far more serious. It requires a Class A licensed removalist, prior notification to the state regulator, enclosure and negative pressure controls, and an independent clearance certificate from an occupational hygienist before any other trade can enter. That work commonly runs $15,000 to $50,000 on a badly affected house.
Council approval and what you must lodge
Demolition is building work and it needs approval. In most states you will lodge either a development application or, where your council offers it, a complying or exempt pathway for straightforward residential demolition, with fees usually between $500 and $3,000. Alongside the application, councils commonly require a hazardous materials report, a waste management plan setting out how much material goes to recycling versus landfill, proof of service disconnection from each utility, a site management plan covering hoarding, dust and sediment control, and evidence of the contractor's licence and insurance. Heritage listings and conservation areas are a separate and much harder hurdle, and a contributory item in a heritage conservation area may not be approved for demolition at all. Trees on the site are also protected independently of the building, so a demolition approval does not authorise removing a tree covered by a preservation order.
Services, slabs and what stays in the ground
Disconnection and capping of electricity, gas, water, sewer and telecommunications is a mandatory precursor and generally costs $2,000 to $4,000 across the utilities, with lead times of two to six weeks that people routinely underestimate. Whether the slab comes out is a separate decision with real cost attached. Removing a concrete slab and footings adds roughly $4,000 to $10,000 depending on thickness and reinforcement, but leaving it can compromise the new build's footing design and complicate service trenching. In ground pools are their own project. A partial fill, where the shell is broken and the void compacted, costs less but must be disclosed to buyers and can limit what you build over it. Full excavation and removal costs $15,000 to $25,000 but leaves clean buildable ground.
Access, machinery and waste levies
Access determines the method, and the method determines the price. A site an excavator can drive onto, with room for a semi or truck and dog to park and load, is demolished by machine in days. A site reachable only through a narrow side lane forces smaller machines, hand demolition of parts of the structure, and smaller trucks making more trips, which routinely adds 30 to 50 per cent. Waste is the other half of the equation. Demolition generates 40 to 80 tonnes from an average house, and disposal levies in New South Wales and Victoria are among the highest in the country. Contractors who separate clean concrete, brick, metal and timber for recycling pay far less at the gate and recover scrap value, which is why two quotes on the same house can differ by five figures purely on waste handling.
Regional variation and timing
Sydney and Melbourne sit at the top of the national range, driven by labour rates, tight inner suburban access and high landfill levies. Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth typically run 10 to 20 per cent below for equivalent work. Regional demolition can be cheaper on labour but often carries significant haulage cost to the nearest licensed waste facility, and in remote areas the availability of a Class A asbestos removalist can dictate the timetable entirely. Timing matters at the margin too, because demolition contractors are busiest when the residential construction cycle is strong, and a project quoted during a quiet period can come in noticeably better.
Treat the figure above as a planning bracket. Then commission a hazardous materials survey, and get three written quotes that each state the asbestos scope, whether the slab is included, who arranges service disconnection, who lodges the council application, and how waste is separated. Those five answers explain almost every dollar of difference between demolition quotes.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to demolish a house in Australia?
Typically $15,000 to $60,000, or about $60 to $180 per square metre of floor area. A single storey 180m² brick veneer home on a flat block with good access and no asbestos usually costs $18,000 to $28,000. A two storey double brick house with bonded asbestos and restricted access can reach $45,000 to $70,000.
How much does asbestos add to a demolition?
Bonded asbestos sheeting typically adds $50 to $100 per square metre of affected material, often several thousand dollars on a fibro clad house. Friable asbestos is far more serious and commonly adds $15,000 to $50,000, because it requires a Class A licensed removalist, notification to the state regulator, containment, and an independent clearance certificate before other trades can enter.
Do I need council approval to demolish?
Yes. Demolition is building work and requires either a development application or, where available, a complying or exempt pathway, with fees usually $500 to $3,000. Councils commonly also require a hazardous materials report, a waste management plan, proof of service disconnection, and a site management plan covering dust and sediment. Heritage listed properties and contributory buildings in conservation areas may not be approved at all.
Does my house have asbestos?
Assume yes if it was built before 1990. Asbestos was used widely in Australian construction until the late 1980s and was not fully banned until the end of 2003. Common locations include wall and eave sheeting, bathroom linings, vinyl tile backing, fences and pipe lagging. A hazardous materials survey costs $400 to $900 and is the only way to know, and having one before you seek quotes materially improves their accuracy.
How long does demolition take?
The physical demolition of a standard house is usually two to five days with machine access. The approvals and service disconnections take far longer. Allow two to six weeks for utilities to disconnect and cap, and six to twelve weeks for a council application if a full development application is required. Realistically, plan for two to four months from decision to cleared site.
Is the concrete slab included in a demolition quote?
Often not. Slab and footing removal is usually a separate line at roughly $4,000 to $10,000 depending on thickness and reinforcement. Leaving the slab is cheaper but can complicate the new build's footing design and service trenching, so check with your builder before deciding. In ground pool removal is separate again, at around $15,000 to $25,000 for full excavation.
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