Residential Demolition
The knockdown half of a knockdown rebuild
Full house demolition for knockdown rebuilds, duplex sites and new development. The house comes down, the asbestos is dealt with properly first, and the block is handed back at a level your builder can start on.
Carried out under demolition licence AD214737
Before anything comes down
Six things have to be done first, and not all of them are ours
Most knockdowns that run late run late on this list rather than on the machine work. Each line says who owns it.
-
01
Hazardous materials survey
Who Max, through an accredited laboratory
A sample based survey of everything that will be disturbed. On a pre 1990 house this is not optional.
-
02
Demolition approval
Who You or your builder, through council or a private certifier
A complying development certificate or a development consent, depending on the property.
-
03
Service disconnections
Who You, with each authority
Power, water, gas and sewer. These have the longest lead time of anything on the list and they are not ours to book.
-
04
Asbestos removal and clearance
Who Licensed asbestos removalist, then an independent assessor
Removal under the control measures the material requires, then air monitoring and a clearance certificate.
-
05
SafeWork notification
Who Max
Lodged where the work requires it, with the notice period the regulation sets.
-
06
Site protection
Who Max
Fencing, hoarding where it is needed, dust and sediment control, and protection of the adjoining property.
Scope
What a house demolition quote does and does not cover
Stated side by side so there is nothing to discover later. Anything in the right hand column can be added, it is simply priced separately.
Included as standard
| Item | What that means |
|---|---|
| The structure | House, verandahs, attached garage, carport and any attached outbuilding |
| Separation | Concrete, brick, steel and timber sorted as they come down |
| Cartage | All demolition waste removed as it is generated |
| Site protection | Fencing, dust and sediment control, protection of the adjoining property |
| Asbestos management | Survey, licensed removal, air monitoring, clearance and licensed disposal |
| Handover | Site cleared, graded and swept, with the disposal dockets |
Quoted separately
| Item | Why it is separate |
|---|---|
| Slab, footings and driveway | Significant extra machine time and cartage, and not every build needs it |
| Swimming pool | An excavation job as much as a demolition one, including backfill and compaction |
| Trees and stumps | Often has its own approval condition |
| Retaining walls and boundary structures | Usually shared with a neighbour, which changes who can authorise it |
| Contaminated or unsuitable soil | Has to be classified before it can be priced |
| Site cut and new levels | Excavation work, driven by the new design rather than the old house |
On the day
What actually happens once we are on site
By the time a machine arrives the house is already empty, disconnected and cleared of asbestos. What is left is the structure, and it comes apart in an order rather than all at once.
- Soft strip. Anything that is not structure and not already removed: fit out, linings, fixtures, floor coverings.
- Roof and upper structure. Taken down with a grapple rather than pushed, so material lands where it can be sorted instead of across the block.
- Walls and frame. Worked down in sections, with the adjoining boundary watched the whole way.
- Load out. Separated material leaves on different trucks to different destinations as it is generated, not stockpiled.
- Slab and footings, if included. Broken out, with the clean concrete going to recycling rather than landfill.
- Grade and hand back. Levelled to what your engineer specified, swept, and the dockets handed over.
Asbestos is handled before the machine arrives
We manage the whole pathway as part of the contract. The removal is carried out by licensed asbestos removalists and the clearance certificate is issued independently. Max holds the demolition licence, not the asbestos removal licence.
Before you book
What homeowners and builders ask us first
What does a house demolition cost?
Is the slab included?
How long before we can start the new build?
What about the trees and the pool?
Do you deal with the neighbours?
What is left when you finish?
Get a quote
Send us the address and what is standing
A photograph of the front and the side, the approximate age of the house, and whether the slab is coming out tells us most of what we need. We will come and look before quoting anything substantial.
- Demolition, asbestos management and cartage quoted together
- We attend the site before quoting a full house demolition
- Knockdown rebuild, duplex and new development sites all welcome
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.