The ranges, and where they come from
These are the figures we quote against in Perth. They are ranges rather than prices because access, structure and what is buried under a block move the number more than the floor area does.
| Work | Perth range | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| House demolition, standard detached home | $25,000 – $35,000 | Whole-of-job, up to 12 weeks including approvals |
| Pool removal, all types | $1,000 – $18,000 | Varies with pool type and site access |
| Pool removal, fibreglass shell | $3,000 – $5,000 + GST | Typical straightforward lift-out |
| Partial pool removal (fill over) | Around double a simple removal | Break-out, fill and compaction |
| Concrete removal | $30 – $50 per m² | Perth estimate for driveways, paths and slabs |
| Concrete removal, Australian benchmark | $35 – $50 per m² | Includes removal and recycling of debris |
| Rubbish and waste removal | $75 – $100 per m³ | Residential and commercial collection |
| Skip bin hire | Around $75 per m³ | Average hire rate |
| Bulk mulch | $40 – $75 per m³ | Varies by product and supplier |
Strip-out work — kitchen, bathroom and commercial internal demolition — is quoted on scope rather than to a published rate. The honest reason is that the spread between a small laminate kitchen and a large stone-and-tile one is wide enough that any single figure would mislead you. We do not publish a number we cannot stand behind.
The four things that move a quote
Asbestos. The biggest single swing factor on a pre-1990 Perth home. Licensed removal is a separate stage with its own cost, and it is not optional — see the asbestos page for the legal thresholds.
Access. A block a truck and a standard excavator can reach costs less than one where material is dumpered out through a 900mm side gate. Overhead power lines, battleaxe driveways, steep falls and established trees all narrow the options.
What is underground. Old soakwells, septic tanks, leach drains, buried rubble, previous slabs and footings from a structure nobody mentioned. These are found, not quoted, which is why a good quote says what happens if they turn up.
Volume and weight of waste. Disposal is one of the largest lines in a demolition. Dense material — concrete, brick, tile, limestone, screed — reaches a truck's weight limit fast. Sorting for recycling genuinely reduces this, because recycled streams cost less per tonne than mixed landfill.
Costs that are not in the demolition quote
Four charges commonly sit outside the contractor's price, and they surprise people:
- The demolition permit fee charged by your local government under the Building Act 2011.
- The verge, kerb and crossover bond most Perth councils hold against damage, refunded after inspection.
- Utility abolishment fees from Western Power for the electricity supply and Water Corporation for the meter and sewer connection, plus ATCO where there is a gas meter.
- Temporary fencing and dust control, where the site will sit open for an extended period.
Ask which of these your quote includes. There is no standard answer across contractors.
Time is a cost too
Demolition machine work on a single-storey Perth house is two to four days. The project is two to three months, because the approvals run first: asbestos assessment and removal, Western Power abolishment, Water Corporation disconnection, then the council demolition permit that requires evidence of all of the above.
Those utility processes are queued and cannot be accelerated from site. Starting them the week the quote is accepted, rather than the week before you want the machines, is the cheapest schedule saving available on a Perth demolition.
Comparing quotes properly
Get three quotes, and give all three the same brief. Then compare the exclusions rather than the totals. A $6,000 gap between two demolition quotes for the same house almost always means one of them has priced the asbestos, the concrete, the retaining or the disposal and the other has not.
The full process, stage by stage, is on the house demolition page, with area-specific factors — council, soil, housing age — on the service area pages.
Call (08) 9516 0951 to book a site visit and get the scope in writing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to demolish a house in Perth?
A standard detached house demolition in Perth typically costs between $25,000 and $35,000, and the full process can take up to twelve weeks once permits and service disconnections are counted. Two-storey structures, asbestos, poor access, retaining walls and a pool on the same block all add to it. That range assumes a normal suburban block with truck access.
Why do demolition quotes vary so much?
Because the exclusions vary. The quote that looks cheapest usually leaves out the asbestos removal, the council permit and bond, the service disconnections, or the disposal of concrete and retaining. Ask every quote for the same list of inclusions in writing and compare those, not the headline figure. The work is largely standardised; the scope is not.
What is not included in a demolition quote?
Commonly excluded: the council demolition permit fee and the verge or crossover bond, asbestos removal where it has not yet been tested for, utility abolishment fees charged by Western Power and Water Corporation, and anything found underground such as an old soakwell, septic tank or buried rubble. Ask which of these are in or out before signing.
Is it cheaper to demolish and rebuild than to buy elsewhere?
For many Perth owners, yes, once stamp duty, agent fees, moving costs and the premium on land in an established suburb are counted against the demolition figure. The trade-off is the timeline and having to live somewhere else during the build. It is an arithmetic question specific to your block, not a general rule.
How do I get an accurate demolition quote?
Get someone on site. Access for a truck and an excavator, boundary structures, retaining walls, the state of the crossover, the age of the building and what is underground all change the price, and none of it is visible from an aerial image. Ask for the scope, the inclusions and the exclusions in writing before you commit.