House Demolition
Full demolition of single and double-storey houses — approvals checked, services disconnected, structure down, block handed back level.
Learn more →The demolition is one step in someone else's program
A knock-down-rebuild is two projects run back to back: take the old house away, build the new one. The second project is bigger, slower and more expensive, and the first one has to serve it.
That changes what "on time" means. The demolition is on time when the block is ready the week the builder needs it — no earlier, because you are paying rent somewhere else, and no later, because builders do not hold slots.
The order that actually works
1. The new house approval comes first. Whether the new home goes through a complying development certificate or a development application, the demolition is often included in that same approval. Until it is, the demolition cannot legally proceed, so do not book a machine against a guessed approval date.
2. Pick the demolition price before you move out. The inspection establishes construction type, asbestos risk, access, trees and what the builder needs removed — slab, piers, paths, driveway, retaining walls.
3. Book the disconnections early. This is the single most important scheduling step. Electricity service removal by Ausgrid or Endeavour Energy, gas disconnection and meter removal, sewer capping by a licensed plumber and water arrangements all have lead times. Start them the moment the pathway is clear.
4. Move out.
5. Asbestos survey and removal. If the house is pre-1990, removal by a separately licensed asbestos removalist happens now, with clearance, before the demolition crew starts. See asbestos-aware demolition.
6. Demolition and disposal. Typically three to seven working days on site for a single-storey house, longer for double brick or two storeys.
7. Handover to the builder. Block level and clear, services capped, retained trees protected.
What your builder will want removed
Builders differ, so ask for their written site requirements. Common items:
- The slab, footings and piers of the old house.
- Paths, driveway and crossover if the new design moves them.
- Retaining walls that sit where the new footprint goes.
- Pools, if present — usually a separate specialist job.
- Trees within the building envelope, where approval allows.
- Fill or uncontrolled material that would affect the footings.
Anything the builder expects gone and the demolition quote does not include becomes a variation. Get the two documents side by side.
Trees on Sydney knock-down-rebuild blocks
Sydney councils regulate tree removal, and the rules differ by LGA. A tree that seems to be in the way may need a permit, may have to be retained with protection fencing, or may be approved for removal as part of the new house approval. Remove one without the right approval and the fines can be significant.
Where knock-down-rebuilds cluster
They are common across the Hills District, Ryde, St George, the Sutherland Shire, Bankstown and Parramatta — suburbs where the land is worth far more than a tired 1950s or 1960s house on it.
Costs
Demolition for a knock-down-rebuild is priced like any house demolition, plus whatever extra removal the builder requires. The cost page has 2026 bands, and the guide to sequencing a knock-down-rebuild goes deeper.
Call 02 5943 7968 or send the job details through.
More services
Explore our other services
Partial Demolition
Rear extensions, second storeys, walls and wings taken off while the rest of the house stays standing and weathertight.
Learn more →Garage & Shed Removal
Detached garages, carports, sheds, granny-flat shells and outbuildings removed, slab in or out.
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
Who organises the demolition — me or my builder?
Either. Some volume builders include demolition in their contract; many do not, or subcontract it with a margin. Arranging it directly is common and often cheaper, but it puts the sequencing on you, so the demolition price needs to line up with the builder's approval and start date.
Can the demolition and the new house go on one approval?
Often, yes. Where the new house is approved as complying development or through a development application, the demolition is frequently included in the same approval. Sometimes demolition is approved separately. Your builder's certifier or town planner will confirm which — do not assume.
When should I book the disconnections?
As soon as the approval pathway is clear, and well before you move out. Electricity service removal, gas disconnection and sewer capping each have their own lead times, and none of them can be rushed on the day. They are the most common reason a knock-down-rebuild demolition slips.
How long between moving out and the builder starting?
Plan on four to eight weeks in total for disconnections, any asbestos removal and the demolition itself on a typical single-storey house, assuming the approval is already in hand. Complex sites, heritage conditions or large amounts of asbestos extend that.
What condition is the block left in?
Structure, slab, footings, paths and driveway removed as agreed, services capped, and the block levelled and cleared so the surveyor can peg and the builder can start. Any retained trees are protected. The handover standard is written into the quote.
Free, no-obligation