House Demolition
Full and partial knockdowns of brick-and-tile, weatherboard and double-storey homes, permit through to level site.
Learn more →Why mulch keeps coming up on demolition jobs
It sounds like a landscaping product and it is, but a lot of the mulch that goes out in Perth ends up on bare ground rather than in garden beds. A block that has just been cleared or a pool void that has just been filled is loose sand, and loose sand in a Perth summer blows onto neighbouring properties and down the street.
Covering it is the cheap fix. A layer of mulch holds the surface, stops the drift, reduces dust complaints and buys time before landscaping or building starts.
Getting the quantity right
The mistake people make is ordering by area. Mulch is sold by volume, and the two are only related once you fix a depth.
At the standard 100mm covering depth, a square metre of bed takes about 0.1 cubic metres of mulch — roughly ten wheelbarrow loads per cubic metre delivered. Measure each bed, multiply by the depth you want, add them together, then add about 20 per cent for compression and settling. A shortfall means a second delivery fee for a small volume, which is the most expensive mulch you will ever buy.
What suits Perth ground
Perth's sands are the defining factor. Bassendean and Spearwood sands across the Swan Coastal Plain are free-draining, low in organic matter and, once thoroughly dried out, water-repellent — water beads and runs off rather than soaking in.
Coarse organic mulches are the answer. Composted tree waste, chipped green waste and screened pine bark break down over time and build organic matter in the top layer, which improves both water retention and the soil's ability to support root growth. Coloured chips and premium black mulches do the same job with a tidier appearance. Inorganic mulches like gravel and rubber suppress weeds and hold moisture but add nothing to the soil.
A soil wetting agent applied before mulching is worth the extra step on Perth sand. Without it, water can sit in the mulch layer and never reach the root zone.
When to put it down
Any time, but the most useful window is heading into summer, when moisture retention matters most and the bare ground is at its most mobile. Weed thoroughly first — mulch suppresses new weed germination, it does not kill what is already growing. If you are topping up an existing layer, break up the old crust first so water can get through instead of running off it.
Ordering alongside other work
Where mulch is going onto ground we have just cleared, it is simplest to book it with the site clearing or the pool removal so the delivery lands once the ground is graded rather than before. Green waste going the other way — prunings, branches and garden clearance — runs through rubbish removal, and larger level changes or imported fill sit with the civil contracting side.
Call (08) 9516 0951 with the volume in cubic metres and the delivery address, and we will confirm a current price and a drop time.
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 →Asbestos-Affected Demolition
Pre-1990 Perth homes need an asbestos check first. We arrange licensed removal before demolition starts.
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 →Civil Contracting
Bulk earthworks, site preparation and plant hire for larger residential and commercial projects.
Learn more →
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cubic metre of mulch cost in Perth?
Published Perth figures put a cubic metre of mulch at roughly $40 to $75 depending on the type and the supplier, with premium and coloured products at the upper end and plain chip at the lower end. Delivery is charged separately and depends on distance and load size. Ring for a current price on the volume you actually need, because bulk rates change with the season.
How much mulch do I need?
Work in volume, not area. At a 100mm depth, allow roughly 0.1 cubic metres per square metre of garden bed — about ten wheelbarrow loads. Measure each bed separately and add them up, then order around 20 per cent more than the calculation says, because mulch compresses when it settles and running short mid-job is worse than having a little left over.
How deep should mulch be in Perth?
Around 100mm gives proper weed suppression and moisture retention on garden beds in a Perth summer, though a lighter 50mm layer is used where plants are sensitive to stem contact. Keep mulch pulled back from trunks and stems. Too thin and weeds come through and the soil still dries out; too thick and water struggles to reach the root zone.
Which mulch works best on Perth's sandy soil?
Coarse organic mulches that break down slowly and add organic matter as they go — composted tree waste, chipped green waste, pine bark. Perth sands are low in organic matter and hydrophobic when they dry out, so a mulch that rots down into the top layer does more long-term good than a purely decorative gravel or rubber product.
Can you deliver to a block with no one home?
Usually yes, provided there is a clear, agreed drop point that a tipper can reach and that leaving a pile there is acceptable. Mark the spot. On a demolition or cleared site, confirm the truck can get through the access gate or over the crossover, and keep the drop off the verge unless your council permits it.
Free, no-obligation