Who we work with · Homeowners
Knocking down your own house
Most people do this once. The things that change the price are not obvious from the street, the longest item is never the demolition itself, and the quotes you are comparing are probably not comparing the same job. Here is how it actually runs.
How it runs
Five stages, and only one of them is the demolition
The order matters more than the speed. Anything hazardous comes out and is cleared before the structure is touched.
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01
Before you commit to anything
Find out what is actually on the block
The things that change a demolition price are almost all invisible from the street: asbestos in the eaves or the wet areas, a pool nobody counted, rock close to the surface, a shared boundary structure, or a side gap too narrow for a machine. A site visit settles all of them, and it costs you nothing to have one before you sign anything.
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02
While you are comparing quotes
Check what each price actually includes
Demolition quotes are rarely comparable as written. Ask each one whether asbestos removal and independent clearance are inside the price, whether the slab and footings come out, whether the pool is included, and who pays if the spoil is classified as contaminated. A cheap number with four exclusions is not a cheap job.
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03
Approval and disconnections
The part that takes the longest
Water, sewer, gas, electricity and telecommunications all have to be disconnected and confirmed in writing before anything comes down, and those bookings sit with the authorities rather than with us. They are started the day approval lands. If anyone tells you demolition can begin without them, that is a reason to walk away.
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04
The week itself
What happens on site, and what the neighbours see
Anything hazardous comes out first and is independently cleared before the structure is touched. Then the building comes down with the material sorted as it falls, water used for dust, and the work kept inside the hours the approval sets. We will tell you which days are loudest so you can let the neighbours know rather than have them find out.
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05
Handover
A level, clear block and the paperwork to prove it
The block left graded and clear, the slab out or left in place depending on what your builder needs, and the disposal dockets handed over so the waste trail is documented rather than described. If a site cut is in scope, it is finished to the level your engineer nominated.
Why it matters who holds the contract
Four trades, or one
A knockdown rebuild usually needs asbestos removal, demolition, a site cut and the cartage. Engaged separately, each one waits on the last, each one blames the one before it when the programme slips, and you are the person coordinating four sets of insurance, four invoices and four site inductions.
On one contract there is one mobilisation, one programme and one person answering the phone. The asbestos removal is still carried out by licensed asbestos removalists and the clearance is still issued by an independent licensed assessor, because that independence is the point of it. What changes is that you are not the one arranging it.
Max holds the demolition licence, AD214737, issued by SafeWork NSW. Ask any demolition contractor for their licence number before you sign. It is a public register and it takes a minute to check.
What to send us
Six things, and none of them cost you anything
Send what you have. We will tell you what is missing rather than price around it.
| What | Why it matters | If you do not have it |
|---|---|---|
| The address | Lets us look at the street, the frontage and the access before we come out | We visit the site before quoting anything substantial |
| A few photographs | The front of the house, the side gap, the rear yard and anything unusual | Tells us the machine size, which is most of the price |
| What is coming down | House only, or the pool, shed, garage, slab and driveway as well | Each one is a separate waste stream with its own rate |
| Your approval or CDC | What the consent permits and the conditions attached to it | If it is not granted yet, tell us what you have applied for |
| Any asbestos report you have | Whether removal is a day or a week, and under which licence class | If there is none, we arrange assessment before the quote is finalised |
| Your builder's requirements | Slab out or left, final level, and the date they need the block | We quote to clear and graded at the level nominated |
Straight answers
Things people are too polite to ask
How much does it cost to knock down a house?
Do I have to tell my neighbours?
What if asbestos is found after the quote?
Can I keep the pool, or the garage, or a tree?
Does the slab have to come out?
We work the whole corridor
Wollongong through Greater Sydney and the Central Coast to Newcastle. Western Sydney and the Northern Beaches are where we are most often.
Homeowners
Send the address and a few photographs
Tell us what is standing and what your builder needs the block to look like. We will come and look before quoting anything substantial, and we will tell you what is missing rather than price around it.
- Asbestos, demolition, site cut and cartage quoted as one job
- Demolition licence AD214737, issued by SafeWork NSW
- A price based on a site visit rather than a phone call
Special demolition offer
Get your free demolition quote
Demolition and removal services from $15,999*. Tell us about your project and we'll help you understand the costs.
*Starting price applies to eligible demolition and removal projects only. Final pricing depends on structure size, materials, site access, location, waste disposal requirements, hazardous materials and any necessary approvals. A final quote will be provided following project assessment.