Service region
House demolition Inner West
House demolition across the Inner West, from the free site assessment to a level, cleared block for your builder. Licensed asbestos removal, and a written quote that lists the work and any external fees.
- Restricted demolitionDE2 · AD202697
- Class B asbestosAD211249
- Public liability$20M
Free site assessment
Get a written quote
Local knockdowns
Knocking down a house in the Inner West
We demolish houses in all 47 suburbs across the Inner West, covering 8 council areas. The largest include Marrickville, Ashfield and Strathfield.
Complete house demolition
Fibro cottages to double-storey brick, with the slab and footings removed where quoted.
See the prices
Asbestos checked first
Bonded asbestos assessed and removed under our Class B licence before the excavator starts.
Asbestos removal
Disconnections and neighbours
Electricity, gas, water and nbn disconnected, and the neighbours told before work starts.
Utility disconnections
Ready for your builder
The handover agreed in writing with your builder before demolition starts.
Knockdown rebuilds
Published prices
House demolition costs in the Inner West
- Small house$15,000 – $22,000
Under 150 m², single-storey fibro or weatherboard
Quote for a small house - Medium house$22,000 – $30,000
150–250 m², single-storey brick veneer
Quote for a medium house - Large house$30,000 – $38,000
250–350 m² or double-storey
Quote for a large house - Very large or complex$38,000 – $45,000+
Over 350 m², multi-storey or difficult access
Quote for a complex house
What can affect your quote?
- Floor area and storeysThe published bands step up with size; a double-storey house takes longer to bring down and produces more material.
- Construction typeFibro and weatherboard come down faster than brick veneer, and full brick or concrete takes the longest to sort and remove.
- AsbestosBonded asbestos removal is quoted from the assessment. Friable asbestos is removed by our Class A licensed partner.
- Access and machineryNarrow frontages, battle-axe blocks and steep sites limit the machine we can bring in, which changes the time on site.
- Pools, slabs and retaining wallsStructures beyond the house are priced as their own items so you can see what each one adds.
- Council, certifier and utility feesApproval and disconnection fees are set by others. They are itemised separately in your written quote.
Indicative prices in Australian dollars. Council, certifier and utility fees are itemised in your written quote. Use the price calculator or ask us to assess the property.
Why Gabrael
Twice national champion. Over 1,000 homes since 1995.
Family-run by Zac and Janette for more than 30 years. Named national champion for Excavation & Demolition at the Australian Trades Small Business Champion Awards in 2023 and again in 2025.
- 1,000+Homes demolished since 1995
- 2×National champion, Excavation & Demolition
- 4.7From 99 Google reviews
The award record
2020WinnerBUILD Recycling & Waste Management AwardsBest Demolition Site Remediation Specialists – Sydney
2022WinnerAPAC Insider Australian Enterprise AwardsBest Demolition Contractor – Sydney
2023National championAustralian Trades Small Business Champion AwardsExcavation & Demolition
2023WinnerAPAC Insider Australian Enterprise AwardsDemolition Contractor of the Year – Sydney
2024APAC recognitionTop Asbestos Abatement Services ProviderEnvironmental Business Review
2024National finalistAustralian Trades Small Business Champion AwardsExcavation & Demolition
2025National championAustralian Trades Small Business Champion AwardsExcavation & Demolition
2026National finalistAustralian Trades Small Business Champion AwardsExcavation & Demolition
2026National finalistAustralian Small Business Champion AwardsTrade Services
Licensed and accredited
SafeWork NSW licensed
Master Builders NSW member
Conserve approved contractor 2026
Google reviews
What clients say
Inner west and inner city
★★★★★“Zac, Eddie and Victor went above and beyond expectations. If you’re thinking of doing your demolition in the inner west/ inner city these guys should be a on top of your list!”
Sooty Ly · Google review, August 2026 The neighbours
★★★★★“Gabrael House Demolition worked on the property next door to us… They were incredibly respectful of our property, took their time to do things carefully, and made sure to communicate with us whenever there was any potential safety concern.”
Lambros Photios · Google review, November 2025 A large block
★★★★★“I had a monster house on a 1000m2 block. The cleanest demolition work I’ve experienced. Straightforward and no nonsense.”
Braxton Shamon · Google review, September 2025
Builders and councils we have worked for
What we do
Demolition services in the Inner West
House demolitionFull house knockdowns, from the site assessment to a level, cleared block your builder can start on.
Site preparation and excavationClearing, excavation, levelling and compaction to the requirements of your next build.
Asbestos removalLicensed asbestos removal: bonded asbestos assessed, removed and disposed of under our Class B licence before demolition starts.
Site remediationContaminated-site assessment, soil removal, disposal and validation, so the block is ready to build on.
Pool removalUnused pools removed, with backfilling and the agreed finish set out in your quote.
Garage, shed and carport demolitionGarages, sheds, carports and their slabs taken down on their own or with the house, with fibro assessed for asbestos first.
More services
See the work
Recent Gabrael jobs
Photos from Gabrael jobs across Sydney.
Council and approvals
Demolition approvals in the Inner West
We prepare and lodge the relevant demolition application. Council boundaries do not always follow our service areas, so we check the council, planning controls and any heritage requirements for your address.
If you already have approval for a new home, check whether it includes demolition. The council or certifier confirms the DA or CDC pathway and conditions. Your quote identifies responsibilities and external fees.
Our Inner West service area spans eight council areas: Inner West Council, City of Canada Bay Council, Burwood Council, Strathfield Council, Canterbury Bankstown Council, City of Sydney Council, Cumberland Council and City of Parramatta Council. All eight councils publish heritage requirements that affect demolition. Most of these councils publish flood or bushfire mapping that can change the approval pathway. Inner West Council and Canterbury Bankstown Council name specific conservation areas.
Inner West Council24 of our suburbs in this region
- Approvals
- Inner West Council requires a demolition and construction waste plan with any DA involving excavation, demolition or construction waste, addressing the NSW 80% recycling target. Tip dockets must be kept and given to the Principal Certifier before an Occupation Certificate.
- Heritage
- Inner West has 107 heritage conservation areas. Any DA for a heritage item needs a Heritage Impact Statement, which may also be requested in conservation areas, and some conservation-area works may qualify for a CDC. Named conservation areas include Annandale, Iron Cove, The Valley, Waterview Estate, Balmain East, Birchgrove and Ballast Point Road and others.
- Trees
- Trees within 1 metre of a house and exempt species can be removed without permission; others need a Tree Works Permit or DA. In heritage conservation areas, removing or pruning any tree needs a DA, whatever its size or species.
- Flood and bushfire
- A council flood certificate shows flooding around a property, the flood hazard, and the 1% annual exceedance probability (AEP) and probable maximum flood (PMF) levels and depths, which can guide future development.
City of Canada Bay Council16 of our suburbs in this region
- Approvals
- DAs must be lodged through the NSW Planning Portal with complete documents. The council returns incomplete applications and allows one chance to amend within 14 days.
- Heritage
- The City of Canada Bay says demolishing heritage items, or places that contribute to a conservation area’s significance, goes against its development controls. It recommends a pre-lodgement meeting and using heritage professionals.
Burwood Council6 of our suburbs in this region
- Approvals
- Burwood Council requires a demolition and construction Waste Management Plan with DAs, plus a Heritage Impact Statement for any development relating to a heritage item or within a heritage conservation area. All DAs go through the NSW Planning Portal.
- Heritage
- Any development relating to a heritage item or in a heritage conservation area needs a Heritage Impact Statement, and one may also be requested for adjoining or nearby sites.
- Flood and bushfire
- Depending on the development, Burwood may ask for a Flood Management Report or an Acid Sulfate Soil Assessment Report.
Strathfield Council4 of our suburbs in this region
- Approvals
- Most development, including demolition, needs a DA, Strathfield Council says, though demolition can use a CDC, a straightforward pathway determined within ten days.
- Heritage
- Strathfield’s Local Environmental Plan 2012 lists about 231 heritage items and 17 heritage conservation areas, shown on its heritage maps. The council has an in-house Heritage Advisor for enquiries.
- Trees
- Strathfield Council’s written consent is needed to cut down, remove or injure a tree over 4 metres high or with a girth over 0.5 metres at 1 metre above ground, and its tree controls also restrict works within 5 metres of a tree’s base. Removal applications are lodged through the NSW Planning Portal; rubber trees, privet, umbrella trees, rhus trees and commercial fruit trees are exempt.
- Flood and bushfire
- Strathfield Council manages flood-liable land under an Interim Flood Prone Land Policy adopted in 1999, which it is updating to reflect flood studies for Boundary Creek, the Cooks River and Coxs Creek, and Powells and Saleyards creeks. It also publishes a flood planning study area map.
Canterbury Bankstown Council3 of our suburbs in this region
- Approvals
- Canterbury Bankstown Council lists demolishing a building as development that needs council approval, with DAs lodged through the NSW Planning Portal. Unauthorised work can bring on-the-spot fines from $3,000 for individuals and $6,000 for companies.
- Heritage
- The council names the Ashbury Heritage Conservation Area (most of Ashbury and part of Croydon Park) and six conservation areas in Hurlstone Park. Changing a heritage-listed property needs development consent, though minor works and maintenance may not if written council advice is obtained first.
- Trees
- Trees over 5 metres that aren’t on the exempt species list need permission for most work; trees within 3 metres of the main house wall are exempt. Approved removals must be replaced 3:1 within 28 days, and work must be done by an AQF Level 3 arborist.
- Flood and bushfire
- The council’s planning controls manage flood risk on flood prone land, using high, medium and low risk precincts mapped by the Georges River floodplain study. Since July 2021, councils must also consider development impacts in low flood risk areas.
City of Sydney Council2 of our suburbs in this region
- Approvals
- The City of Sydney lists demolition among development that may need consent. New and change-of-use developments that generate construction, demolition or operational waste need a waste and recycling management plan.
- Heritage
- The City of Sydney says consent is generally required for development on heritage items or within heritage conservation areas. Some maintenance and repair work on heritage properties can be carried out without development consent, but approval is still required.
- Trees
- The City of Sydney requires permission before you prune or remove a tree on a residential or business property. Heritage-listed trees typically need development consent, trees protected under the development control plan need a permit, and some trees are exempt.
Cumberland CouncilOne suburb in this region
- Approvals
- Cumberland Council needs a notice of commencement at least five days before work starts, covering asbestos cement, written notice to neighbours and a booked pre-demolition inspection. The DA needs a waste management plan, and tip receipts are due within 14 days of finishing.
- Heritage
- In Cumberland, heritage items and heritage conservation areas carry special planning controls, with listings in the local environmental plan and inventory sheets by suburb.
- Trees
- The council’s Tree Works Application is used to seek approval for tree work on a property, and it publishes a list of qualified arborists and a tree species list.
- Flood and bushfire
- Bushfire prone land is one of the mandatory disclosures on a section 10.7 planning certificate, according to the council.
City of Parramatta CouncilOne suburb in this region
- Approvals
- City of Parramatta Council’s demolition page describes the Development Application (DA) pathway through the NSW Planning Portal; a Complying Development Certificate may still be available under the state Demolition Code where the property qualifies. Demolishing something originally built as exempt development may itself be exempt if it meets the state criteria, which rule out heritage-listed properties and heritage conservation areas.
- Heritage
- Work on heritage items and properties in heritage conservation areas needs a DA, and the council says it is highly unlikely to allow their demolition. Some minor works can go ahead through a heritage minor works application.
- Trees
- You need the council’s permission to remove any tree or palm five metres or taller, planted trees three metres or taller, and trees on heritage items or in heritage conservation areas. Removal can’t be approved because of a planned development, only on the tree’s own merits.
- Flood and bushfire
- Parramatta maps high, medium and low flood risk precincts. A DA in a flood risk area needs a flood enquiry application as well as a section 10.7 planning certificate, and redevelopment in medium or high risk precincts needs a flood study and modelling.
Before you start
Inner West demolition FAQs
Before a knockdown in the Inner West: cost, coverage, councils and asbestos.
More demolition FAQsHow much does house demolition cost in the Inner West?
House demolition in the Inner West starts from $15,000 for a small house (under 150 m², single-storey fibro or weatherboard) and runs to $45,000 or more for a very large or complex home. Access, suspected asbestos, additional structures and the handover you need shape the quote. Our demolition cost guide lists each category’s inclusions and what is quoted separately.
Which suburbs do you cover in the Inner West?
Every suburb listed on this page, including Marrickville, Ashfield, Strathfield and Burwood. Send us the property address so we can assess access, the structures to be removed and your builder’s handover requirements.
Which councils approve demolition in the Inner West?
Our Inner West suburbs fall in Inner West Council (24 suburbs), City of Canada Bay Council (16 suburbs), Burwood Council (6 suburbs), Strathfield Council (4 suburbs), Canterbury Bankstown Council (3 suburbs) and City of Sydney Council (2 suburbs) and others. Each council sets its own requirements, so we check the planning controls for your address and prepare and lodge the application.
Do you remove asbestos in the Inner West?
Yes. Gabrael holds Class B licence AD211249 and removes non-friable asbestos, such as bonded fibro sheeting, before demolition, with approved disposal and clearance documentation. Friable asbestos is removed by our Class A licensed partner. Our asbestos guide explains the steps.
Do you handle partial demolition and strip-outs?
Yes. As well as full knockdowns, we remove part of a house for an extension and strip out interiors, protecting the structure that stays. Tell us what is staying at the free site assessment. See house demolition for the options.
Are you licensed and insured?
Gabrael holds restricted demolition licence AD202697 (DE2), Class B non-friable asbestos removal licence AD211249, and $20M public liability insurance. We have served Sydney since 1995 and won the Australian Trades Small Business Champion award in 2023 and 2025. Certificates are available on request.
Suburbs we cover
Our Inner West service area
We cover every suburb listed here. Choose your suburb for its local council rules, or send us the property address.
Largest suburbs in the Inner West
- Abbotsford
- Annandale
- Ashbury
- Ashfield
- Balmain
- Balmain East
- Birchgrove
- Breakfast Point
- Burwood
- Burwood Heights
- Cabarita
- Camperdown
- Canada Bay
- Chiswick
- Concord
- Concord West
- Croydon
- Croydon Park
- Dobroyd Point
- Drummoyne
- Dulwich Hill
- Enfield
- Enmore
- Five Dock
- Haberfield
- Homebush
- Homebush West
- Hurlstone Park
- Leichhardt
- Liberty Grove
- Lewisham
- Lilyfield
- Marrickville
- Mortlake
- Newington
- Petersham
- Rhodes
- Rodd Point
- Rozelle
- Russell Lea
- Stanmore
- Strathfield
- Strathfield South
- Summer Hill
- Sydenham
- Tempe
- Wareemba
Start with your property
Ready to clear the block?
Tell us your property address in the Inner West, what you need removed and anything you need to keep. We’ll arrange a free site assessment and written quote.
7am to 7pm, seven days.