Post-war housing, now at the end of its life
Drive through Bankstown, Punchbowl, Greenacre or Yagoona and the pattern is obvious: modest single-storey houses from the 1940s to the 1970s — fibro, weatherboard and brick veneer — on blocks that are now worth far more than the buildings on them.
That is why demolition here is overwhelmingly about redevelopment: a larger family home, a knock-down-rebuild with a volume builder, or a dual occupancy where the lot and zoning allow.
Asbestos first
Almost every demolition in the Bankstown area starts with the same question. Fibro cladding, eaves linings, bathroom and laundry walls, back verandah enclosures, garages and old fences are all likely places for asbestos cement in houses of this era.
The sequence is fixed:
- Survey by a competent person, with samples tested.
- Removal by a separately licensed asbestos removalist.
- Clearance before demolition begins.
- Demolition and sorted disposal.
Skipping step one on a fibro house is how a $30,000 job becomes a contaminated-site clean-up. See asbestos-aware demolition.
Council
The area sits under Canterbury-Bankstown Council. Many dwellings can be demolished under a complying development certificate from an accredited certifier, but heritage items and any site that does not meet the standards need a development application. Council's own tree controls apply to removing trees on your block.
For dual occupancy and larger redevelopment, the demolition is usually part of the approval for the new building. See council and approvals.
What makes Bankstown jobs easier
- Wider blocks than the inner city, often with a driveway down one side.
- Detached houses — no party walls to protect.
- Flat terrain across most of the area.
What makes them harder
- Asbestos, on most houses built before 1990.
- Rear additions built in several stages over decades, each in a different material.
- Old garages and sheds down the back, frequently fibro.
- Busy streets around the Bankstown CBD and major roads, where truck access and parking need planning.
Suburbs covered
Bankstown, Punchbowl, Greenacre, Yagoona, Condell Park, Revesby, Padstow, Panania, East Hills, Chester Hill, Sefton and Birrong, plus the Canterbury side of the LGA.
Typical jobs
- House demolition for knock-down-rebuilds and duplexes.
- Garage and shed removal, often fibro.
- Concrete and driveway removal.
- Partial demolition of rear additions.
Costs
See the 2026 demolition cost bands.
Call 02 5926 2741 or send the job details through.
Questions people ask before they commit
Is asbestos common in Bankstown houses?
Very. A large share of the housing across Bankstown, Punchbowl, Yagoona, Condell Park and Revesby was built or extended between the late 1940s and the 1980s, when asbestos cement was widely used for cladding, eaves, wet areas and fencing. Survey before pricing; removal is by a separately licensed asbestos removalist.
Why are so many Bankstown houses being demolished?
Land value and redevelopment. Many post-war houses sit on generous blocks that suit a larger new home or, where planning controls allow, a dual occupancy. The old house has usually reached the end of its useful life, so knocking down makes more sense than renovating.
Can I demolish and build a duplex?
Where the zoning and lot size allow it, dual occupancies can be approved either through a development application or, in some cases, as complying development. The demolition is often included in that approval. Your certifier or town planner confirms what applies to your lot.
What does demolition cost in Bankstown?
As a 2026 guide, most single-storey fibro and brick-veneer houses in the area fall between $20,000 and $45,000 before asbestos removal. Double brick costs more because of the extra tonnage. Asbestos is priced separately after a survey.