A mixed housing stock
St George grew in waves. The older inner suburbs — Kogarah, Carlton, Rockdale and parts of Hurstville — carry interwar double-brick bungalows from the 1920s and 1930s. Further out, post-war fibro and weatherboard filled the gaps, followed by 1960s and 1970s brick veneer in suburbs like Beverly Hills, Peakhurst and Mortdale.
Each era demolishes differently.
Interwar double brick
Heavy. Solid brick walls, often a terracotta tile roof, sometimes sandstone footings. The tonnage is high, which drives disposal cost, and the bricks themselves can have salvage value. Rear additions from the 1960s and 1970s are commonly fibro and need an asbestos survey.
Post-war fibro
Lighter to take down, but asbestos is likely throughout. Survey, licensed removal and clearance come before any machine work. See asbestos-aware demolition.
1960s–70s brick veneer
The most common knock-down-rebuild candidate in the area. Timber frame, single brick skin, often fibro eaves and wet areas.
Two councils
Georges River Council covers Hurstville, Kogarah, Beverly Hills, Penshurst, Mortdale, Oatley and surrounds. Bayside Council covers Rockdale, Brighton-le-Sands, Bexley and the bay side.
Both allow many dwellings to be demolished under a complying development certificate, and both require a development application where heritage items, conservation areas or site constraints apply. Tree rules differ. Check which council your address falls under first. See council and approvals.
Sloping blocks near the river
Suburbs running down to the Georges River — Oatley, Lugarno, Peakhurst Heights — include sloping blocks with retaining walls and sandstone outcrops. Access and retaining work can add materially to the price.
Busy streets
Around Hurstville and Kogarah town centres and along the major roads, truck access, parking and footpath permits need to be planned in advance.
Suburbs covered
Hurstville, Kogarah, Beverly Hills, Carlton, Allawah, Penshurst, Mortdale, Peakhurst, Oatley, Lugarno, Riverwood, Narwee, Kingsgrove, Bexley, Rockdale, Brighton-le-Sands, Sans Souci and Ramsgate.
Typical jobs
- House demolition for knock-down-rebuild.
- Knock down rebuild site prep.
- Partial demolition of rear additions on interwar homes.
Costs
See the 2026 demolition cost bands.
Call 02 9100 0431 or send the job details through.
Questions people ask before they commit
Which council covers St George?
Most of the area is Georges River Council (Hurstville, Kogarah, Beverly Hills, Penshurst, Oatley, Mortdale) and parts are Bayside Council (Rockdale, Brighton-le-Sands, Kogarah Bay side of Bayside). Controls differ between the two, including for trees and heritage, so the address matters.
Are there heritage controls in St George?
Yes, in pockets. Both councils list individual heritage items and some areas carry heritage conservation controls. Demolishing a listed item, or a house within a conservation area, commonly needs a development application rather than a complying development certificate.
My house is interwar brick. Does that change the price?
It usually means double brick, which produces much more tonnage than brick veneer, and sometimes sandstone footings or foundations. Both add to disposal and time. Interwar houses can also have later fibro additions at the rear that need an asbestos survey.
Do you cover the Sutherland side too?
The Sutherland Shire has its own page, since it is a different council with different controls. Suburbs along the Georges River on the St George side, such as Oatley and Lugarno, are covered here.