House Demolition
Full demolition of single and double-storey houses — approvals checked, services disconnected, structure down, block handed back level.
Learn more →Small job, same rules
A garage or shed takes a day or two to remove. It still needs the same things a house does, just smaller: the right approval, an asbestos check, services isolated, and disposal handled properly.
What gets removed
- Detached garages — fibro, weatherboard, brick and metal.
- Carports — including the fibro roofing common on older ones.
- Garden sheds and workshops.
- Old laundries and outhouses at the back of older blocks.
- Granny flat shells and lightweight studios.
- Slabs, footings and paths under or around them.
Why fibro garages need testing first
Asbestos cement was used heavily in Sydney outbuildings until the late 1980s: wall sheeting, flat and corrugated roofing, eaves and fences. A lot of it is still there, weathered and brittle.
It cannot be identified by eye. Test first. Where it is present, removal is done by a licensed asbestos removalist and the waste goes to a licensed facility. Smashing a fibro garage with a bobcat spreads contamination across your yard and your neighbour's, and cleaning that up costs far more than doing it properly.
Approvals
Some small outbuildings can be removed as exempt development under the NSW Codes SEPP if they meet the conditions for that type of structure. Others need a complying development certificate or a development application — for example where heritage controls apply, where the structure is larger, or where it is attached to the house.
The quickest way to get this wrong is to assume. See council and approvals.
Access
Many Sydney garages sit down a narrow side path or at the back of a battle-axe block. Where a machine cannot get in, the structure is dismantled by hand and carried out, which takes longer and is priced accordingly. Rear lane access, common in the Inner West and Eastern Suburbs, often makes the job easier.
Services
Old garages often have power run to them, and sometimes water. Those are isolated by a licensed electrician or plumber before demolition.
Clearing for what comes next
If you are making room for a granny flat, a pool or a new garage, the approval for the new structure may already cover the demolition, and its footprint decides whether the slab stays. Line the two up before booking.
Costs
See the 2026 cost bands for garages and outbuildings by size and construction.
Call 02 5943 7968 or send the job details through.
More services
Explore our other services
Knock Down Rebuild Site Prep
The demolition half of a knock-down-rebuild, sequenced to your builder's start date rather than to ours.
Learn more →Partial Demolition
Rear extensions, second storeys, walls and wings taken off while the rest of the house stays standing and weathertight.
Learn more →Concrete & Driveway Removal
Driveways, slabs, paths and footings broken out and carted, reinforced or not, with the kerb and neighbours protected.
Learn more →Site Clearing
Blocks cleared of structures, rubbish and fill for sale, survey or construction — with protected trees left alone.
Learn more →Asbestos-Aware Demolition
How asbestos is found and dealt with before a Sydney demolition. Removal is carried out by a separately licensed asbestos removalist — referred, never done in-house.
Learn more →
FAQs
Questions people ask before they commit
Do I need approval to demolish a garage or shed?
Small, detached outbuildings can sometimes be removed as exempt development under the NSW Codes SEPP, provided set conditions are met. Asbestos, heritage controls, size and location can all change that. Check the specific structure against the conditions before work starts rather than assuming.
Is my old garage likely to contain asbestos?
If it is fibro and pre-1990, assume so until it is tested. Fibro garages, sheds, carport roofing and old fences were very common uses of asbestos cement across Sydney. Removal is by a licensed asbestos removalist — small quantities can have different rules, but testing comes first either way.
What does garage demolition cost in Sydney?
As a 2026 guide, a small timber or metal shed is often $1,500 to $4,000, a single fibro or brick garage $4,000 to $12,000, and a double brick garage with slab removal more. Asbestos removal, access down a narrow side path and slab removal are the usual variables.
Can the slab stay?
Yes, if it is sound and useful for what comes next — a new carport, a studio or a granny flat on the same footprint. If the new structure has different footings or the slab is cracked, it comes out. The quote states which.
Free, no-obligation