How much does it cost to demolish a house in Sydney?

Typical house demolition costs in Sydney

Direct Demolition's guide, updated in March 2026, publishes the ranges below including GST. They cover the structure, debris removal, basic levelling and the demolition certificate, assuming reasonable access and no asbestos.

• A small single storey house under 150 m² costs $15,000 to $22,000.
• An average single storey house of 150 to 250 m² costs $20,000 to $32,000.
• A large single storey house of 250 to 350 m² costs $28,000 to $42,000.
• A double storey house of 200 to 350 m² costs $32,000 to $55,000.
• Heritage or hand demolition starts at about $45,000 and can pass $90,000.

Gabrael's 2026 guide lands in a similar place, with bands from $15,000 for a small house up to $38,000 for a large or double storey home. Its bands include arranging the approval, although council and certifier fees are itemised separately. The guide does not say whether its prices include GST.

The cost to demolish a house with asbestos

Many Sydney homes built before 1990 contain asbestos in eaves, wall sheeting, floor tiles or roofing. SafeWork NSW requires all of it to be removed before demolition begins. A licensed removalist must handle friable asbestos and any bonded asbestos over 10 m², notifying SafeWork at least five calendar days before starting.

Direct Demolition puts removal at $2,000 to $5,000 for small bonded areas such as eaves and $5,000 to $12,000 for a typical fibro house. A heavily affected property can reach $25,000 or more. Friable asbestos, such as pipe lagging or loose fill insulation, is quoted separately because it needs the higher Class A licence.

H&R Demolition's October 2026 guide prices bonded removal at roughly $40 to $90 per square metre. It puts testing at about $150 to $600, which is worth paying before you compare demolition quotes because every contractor then prices the same scope.

What moves a demolition quote up or down

Size and storeys set the starting point, while construction and access decide where a quote sits in the range. Double brick and rendered masonry take longer to break up than weatherboard. Narrow streets in suburbs such as Paddington or Balmain mean smaller machines, more handwork and more truck movements.

Direct Demolition also lists these common additions, all including GST:

• Removing a 100 m² concrete slab costs $5,000 to $12,000 while an inground pool costs $8,000 to $18,000.
• Each disconnection of gas, power, water or phone services is allowed at $400 to $1,200.
• Traffic controllers in tight inner city streets cost $1,500 to $4,500 a day where a traffic plan is needed.
• Hoarding required by council runs at $80 to $150 per linear metre, with a significant tree at $1,500 to $8,000 to remove.

Comparing demolition quotes

On the knockdown rebuilds we deliver, demolishing a single storey house with asbestos usually comes to about $30,000, while a double storey home usually runs $40,000 to $60,000. Those figures sit comfortably within the published ranges above once asbestos removal is added.

Two quotes for the same house can differ widely because they include different work. Check whether each one covers slab and footing removal, the asbestos clearance certificate, disposal dockets, approval fees and GST before you compare totals.

Demolition is one line in a knockdown rebuild and it is rarely the largest. Our knockdown rebuild cost guide sets out the whole budget for replacing a home. If you are still deciding whether the house should go at all, our comparison of knocking down or renovating walks through that choice.