House Demolition
Full and partial knockdowns of brick-and-tile, weatherboard and double-storey homes, permit through to level site.
Learn more →Asbestos is normal in Perth housing, and that is the problem
Perth expanded fastest through exactly the decades when asbestos cement was the standard cheap cladding. Suburbs built from the 1950s through to the 1980s are full of it: fibro sheeting on walls and under eaves, corrugated sheeting on carports and sheds, boundary fencing, the flat sheet behind the old fuse box, linings in laundries and bathrooms, and vinyl floor tiles with asbestos in the tile and the adhesive.
Australian manufacture wound down through the 1980s and a total national ban on importing and using asbestos took effect at the end of 2003. The working rule for demolition is straightforward: anything built before 1990 is treated as containing asbestos until testing proves otherwise.
Undisturbed and in good condition, bonded asbestos is not a crisis. Demolition is the opposite of undisturbed. That is why it has to come out first.
What the law requires in Western Australia
Asbestos removal in WA is regulated work under the state's work health and safety laws, administered by WorkSafe WA. The thresholds that matter to a homeowner:
- More than ten square metres of non-friable asbestos must be removed by a licensed asbestos removalist.
- Any amount of friable asbestos must be removed by a Class A licensed asbestos removalist.
- Asbestos waste must go to a landfill licensed to accept asbestos, with the disposal documented.
- Certain removal work must be notified to the regulator before it starts.
We are a referral service, not a licensed removalist, and we do not hold an asbestos removal licence. What we do is identify the problem at quote stage and put the job in the right order, with a licensed removalist engaged for that stage. Ask any contractor you deal with — including one we refer — for their licence class and check it yourself.
The sequence that keeps a job legal and on schedule
- Identification. A walk-through flags suspect materials, and samples go to a laboratory for analysis. Guessing from a photo is not identification.
- Scoping. A licensed removalist prices the removal based on the quantity, the type and the access.
- Notification and controls. Where required, the regulator is notified. The work area is isolated, signed, wet-suppressed and controlled, with waste double-bagged or wrapped and labelled.
- Disposal. Waste goes to a licensed facility, and the receipts are kept.
- Clearance. The area is inspected and cleared before demolition or any other trade returns.
- Demolition. Only then does the house demolition or strip-out proceed.
Skipping straight to step six is how sites get shut down, how neighbours end up making complaints, and how a cheap quote turns into an expensive one.
Where it shows up in older Perth suburbs
The pre-1990 stock is concentrated in the established areas — the State Housing eras around Cannington and the Canning River suburbs, the workers' cottages and later additions around Fremantle, the railway-era housing near Midland, and the original beach shacks behind the Scarborough dunes. Newer corridors like Joondalup are largely clear, though sheds and fencing brought onto a block later can still catch people out.
What this costs you
Asbestos removal is priced by quantity, type and access, and it is a genuine addition to a demolition budget rather than a rounding error. It is also not optional. The demolition cost guide explains where it sits against the other lines, and the site clearing page covers the asbestos fencing and shed sheeting that often remains once a house is down.
Call (08) 9516 0951 with the age of the building and what you suspect, and do not disturb the material in the meantime.
More services
Explore our other services
Pool Removal and Filling
Fibreglass and concrete pools removed, the void backfilled in layers and compacted ready for whatever comes next.
Learn more →Pool Demolition
Shell demolition for in-ground and above-ground pools, including solid concrete structures and surrounding decking.
Learn more →Strip-Out and Soft Demolition
Internal demolition for offices, shops and homes — walls, ceilings, floors and fit-out stripped back to structure.
Learn more →Kitchen Demolition
Cabinetry, benchtops, splashbacks and floor finishes out, services capped, floor ready for the new install.
Learn more →Bathroom Demolition
Vanity, bath, toilet, wall tiles and screed removed cleanly so waterproofing can start on a sound substrate.
Learn more →Garage and Shed Demolition
Colorbond sheds, limestone and brick garages, carports and patios removed, slab included if you want it gone.
Learn more →Site Clearing
Vegetation, rubble, old slabs and fencing cleared off a block so the builder can set out and start pegging.
Learn more →Concrete Removal
Driveways, paths, patios and slabs broken out and carted to a recycler rather than straight to landfill.
Learn more →Rubbish Removal
Household, commercial and construction waste collection — you pay for the volume you actually put on the truck.
Learn more →Mulch Delivery
Bulk mulch delivered across Perth, useful once a cleared or backfilled site needs covering before landscaping.
Learn more →Civil Contracting
Bulk earthworks, site preparation and plant hire for larger residential and commercial projects.
Learn more →
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Does my Perth house contain asbestos?
If it was built before 1990, assume yes until a sample says otherwise. Asbestos cement was used in Australian housing for decades and manufacture only ended in the 1980s, with a full national ban from the end of 2003. In Perth the usual places are wall and eaves sheeting, fences, carport and shed roofing, the backing board behind the meter box, wet area linings and vinyl floor tiles.
Can I remove asbestos from my own house?
The law limits it sharply. In Western Australia, removing more than ten square metres of non-friable asbestos requires a licensed asbestos removalist, and any amount of friable asbestos requires a Class A licensed removalist regardless of size. Even below those thresholds, the material has to be handled without breaking it and disposed of at a landfill licensed to accept asbestos.
What is the difference between friable and non-friable asbestos?
Non-friable, or bonded, asbestos is held in a matrix such as cement sheeting and does not release fibres unless it is cut, drilled, sanded or smashed. Friable asbestos can be crumbled by hand — old pipe lagging, some insulation and sprayed coatings — and is far more dangerous. Weathered, damaged or fire-affected bonded sheeting can also be treated as friable.
How does asbestos affect the demolition timeline?
It adds a distinct stage before demolition. The material is identified and sampled, a licensed removalist scopes and prices the removal, the removal is carried out under controls with notification to the regulator where required, and clearance is obtained before other work resumes. Depending on the quantity that can add days to a small job and a couple of weeks to a full house.
What paperwork should I end up with?
Keep the laboratory analysis identifying the material, the licensed removalist's details and licence class, the waste disposal receipts or consignment documentation showing where the asbestos went, and the clearance certificate or equivalent confirming the area is safe to reoccupy. Councils may want to see evidence, and a future buyer's building inspector certainly will.
Free, no-obligation