1
Define the demolition scope
State whether you need full demolition, partial demolition or an internal strip-out, and what must be protected and retained. Scope drives everything else in the proposal.
Demolition project planner
Plan the demolition before comparing quotes
Define the scope and site finish, understand the disconnection, asbestos and approval questions for your property, then compare itemised proposals against the same brief.
A request may be sent to up to three eligible suppliers, subject to service-area and supplier availability. Supplier availability and quote outcomes vary.
Local Coverage
Demolition planning by city
Browse location pages for major Australian cities. Supplier coverage and availability vary by area.
Select your nearest city to compare local suppliers, suburb coverage and quote options.
Clear matching limits
How supplier matching works
Submit your project details once. We look for eligible local suppliers; availability and response times vary.
Up to 3
Supplier matches
Eligible suppliers are selected by service, area and current availability
Every one
ABN-checked suppliers
Suppliers are ABN-checked and manually reviewed before receiving leads
$0
Free for homeowners
No payment and no obligation to hire
No obligation
You decide
Compare any responses and choose whether to proceed
Free to request
Matching subject to supplier availability
No obligation to proceed
Before requesting proposals
Give every contractor the same demolition brief
Your brief defines the request; it does not establish feasibility, approvals or structural options. Builders may still need to inspect the home before confirming scope.
2
Document the structure
Photograph the building and site, note the approximate age and construction, and gather any plans, surveys or previous reports you hold.
3
Site, access and neighbours
Note access for machinery and trucks, boundary clearances, neighbouring structures, trees to keep, and anything overhead or underground you know about.
4
Services status
Record which services are connected - power, gas, water, sewer, communications - and whether any disconnection or abolishment has already been arranged.
Property-specific checks
A demolition quote is not a clearance certificate
Disconnection, asbestos, approval, licensing and protection questions belong in the brief before a start date is agreed.
Services must be disconnected first
Demolition cannot safely start until electricity, gas, water and communications are properly disconnected or abolished, which is coordinated with the relevant providers and can take time.
Check before any ground disturbance
Request available utility plans through Before You Dig Australia before excavation or grubbing. Plans are a starting point, not a guarantee of exact asset location.
Asbestos assessment before demolition
Structures built or renovated before 1990 may contain asbestos. An appropriate assessment before demolition is how removal is planned as a licensed scope rather than discovered mid-job.
Approvals for the exact address
Whether demolition needs approval depends on the structure, the property and its planning controls, including heritage. Check with the responsible council or a certifier before booking.
Demolition licensing varies
Licensing requirements for demolition work differ by state and territory and by the type of structure. Check what applies to your job and who holds it.
Protection and notice
Ask how neighbouring property, trees, fences and the public are protected, and what notice to neighbours or authorities the job requires.
Scope and delivery
Ask what the job actually includes
Two proposals for the same structure can describe very different site outcomes. These questions surface the differences before you compare totals.
What the site looks like after
Ask exactly what remains: slab or no slab, footings, driveways, trees, fences - and what "cleared and level" specifically means in the proposal.
Hazardous materials handling
Ask how asbestos or other hazardous findings are handled, by whom, under what licence, and what clearance documentation you receive.
Disposal and recycling
Ask where materials go, what is recycled, and how disposal is charged if quantities differ from the assumptions.
Salvage and retained items
Ask what happens to materials with value, what you want retained, and how retained items are protected during the work.
Compare like with like
Make each demolition proposal answer the same six questions
A total is only comparable when the scope, disconnections, hazardous-material handling and disposal behind it are visible.
1
Scope and site finish
The structures included, what remains after, and any assumptions that still need confirmation.
2
Services disconnection
Who arranges each disconnection or abolishment, the evidence required before work starts, and how delays are handled.
3
Hazardous materials
The assessment relied on, how suspect materials are managed or removed, under what licence, and the clearance documentation provided.
4
Approvals and notices
Responsibility for approvals, notifications and any neighbour or authority notices the job requires.
5
Protection and site management
Fencing, dust and noise controls, traffic management, tree and boundary protection, and working hours.
6
Disposal, variations and completion
Where materials go, how quantity differences are priced, the written variation process and what completion documentation you receive.
Provider due diligence
Check the contractor against the actual job
Marketplace eligibility is not proof of a demolition licence, insurance policy or capability for your structure. Verify the evidence that matters before hiring.
Identity and licensing
Confirm the contracting entity and ABN, then check the demolition licensing requirements for the structure type in your state or territory.
Insurance evidence
Ask what insurance applies to demolition work at your site and request current evidence.
Relevant examples
Ask for comparable demolitions - similar structure, access and constraints - ideally with owners you can speak to.
Subcontracting
Ask who performs the work, who supervises, and how any asbestos removal or specialist work is licensed and coordinated.
Written variations
Require scope and price changes, especially from findings, to be agreed in writing before work proceeds.
Completion documentation
Agree what clearance certificates, disposal records and completion documentation you receive.
How it works
Request supplier matches in three simple steps
Requesting supplier matches is free and does not obligate you to hire.
1
Tell Us What You Need
Share details about your demolition project using the request form.
2
Look for Supplier Matches
We look for up to 3 eligible demolition contractors based on service fit, coverage and current availability.
3
Compare Any Responses
Compare any responses you receive, including scope, price, timing and supplier terms. You decide whether to proceed.
Authority directory
Starting points, not a national rulebook
Each source has a stated role and limit. Use the council, consumer body and licence register relevant to the property and proposed work.
Before You Dig Australia
For homeowners
A national starting point for requesting available utility plans before ground-disturbing work and understanding their limits.
Limit: Plans do not show every asset or guarantee exact onsite location. The provider still needs appropriate locating and a safe work method.
Open source page (opens in a new tab)Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency
Householders and home renovators
Australian Government guidance on asbestos in structures built or renovated before 1990 and what to do before disturbing materials.
Limit: Identification requires testing. State and territory rules govern assessment and removal; this page does not replace a licensed assessment.
Open source page (opens in a new tab)NSW Government
Verify licence
The NSW portal for checking licence and registration information for building and demolition trades.
Limit: New South Wales only. Licence classes and registers differ in other states and territories.
Open source page (opens in a new tab)
Get up to 3 free demolition quotes for your property
Requesting quotes is free for homeowners, and a request may be sent to up to three eligible suppliers, subject to service-area and supplier availability. Share the scope, the structure details and the services status. Contractors may still need to inspect the site before proposing a scope.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Clear answers to the questions homeowners usually ask before comparing quotes.
1 Do I need approval to demolish a house?
Do I need approval to demolish a house?
Usually yes for whole structures, and the pathway depends on the property, its planning controls and heritage status. Partial demolition and strip-outs are treated differently by scope. Check with the responsible council or a certifier for the exact address before booking.
2 What has to happen before demolition can start?
What has to happen before demolition can start?
Electricity, gas, water, sewer and communications must be properly disconnected or abolished with the relevant providers, utility plans should be requested before any ground disturbance, and structures built or renovated before 1990 should have an asbestos assessment so removal is planned as a licensed scope.
3 How is asbestos handled in demolition?
How is asbestos handled in demolition?
Through assessment before work starts, removal under the licensing rules that apply in your state or territory, and clearance documentation before general demolition proceeds. Ask who performs the assessment, who removes any material found, and what documentation you receive.
4 What does a demolition quote actually include?
What does a demolition quote actually include?
Scope varies enormously: full or partial demolition, slab and footing removal, tree and vegetation clearing, disposal and recycling, and what "cleared and level" means. Compare proposals on the site outcome, not the headline figure.
5 Who is allowed to do demolition work?
Who is allowed to do demolition work?
Licensing requirements differ by state and territory and by the type and size of structure. Check what licence class your job requires and verify the contractor holds it in the relevant register before hiring.
6 What happens to the demolished materials?
What happens to the demolished materials?
Ask where materials go, what is recycled, how disposal is charged if quantities differ from assumptions, and what happens to items with salvage value. Put retained items and their protection in the written scope.
7 How are neighbours and the site protected?
How are neighbours and the site protected?
Ask about fencing, dust and noise controls, traffic management, protection of neighbouring structures, trees and boundaries, and what notices the job requires. Protection arrangements belong in the written proposal.
8 How does The Wombat demolition request work?
How does The Wombat demolition request work?
Requesting a supplier match is free for homeowners. A request may be sent to up to three eligible suppliers, subject to service-area and supplier availability. Supplier availability and quote outcomes vary, and you should independently verify the provider and written scope before hiring.
Expert resources
View all guides
Our Demolition Guides
Free guides to help you plan, scope and compare demolition work
Demolition Cost Guide 2026
Cost structure and pricing factors for residential demolition
Read guide
Demolition Permits & Council Approval
How approval pathways work for demolition projects
Read guide
Knockdown Rebuild vs Demolition
How demolition fits into a knockdown-rebuild decision
Read guide
Asbestos Testing & Removal
What testing involves and how licensed removal works
Read guide Related services
Plan the site together
Compare related quotes for asbestos scope, rebuild decisions and site works.
Asbestos Removal
Plan licensed assessment and removal before demolition.
- Licensed assessment
- Separate safety scope
- Clearance documentation
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Second Storey Extension
Weigh extending against knockdown and rebuild.
- Structural planning
- Design coordination
- Approval questions
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Home Renovation
Plan strip-out demolition within a broader renovation.
- Bundled scope planning
- Project coordination
- Builder quotes
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Fencing
Secure or rebuild boundaries after site clearance.
- Boundary fencing
- Gate options
- Site access works
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