Most delays on Sydney demolition jobs have nothing to do with the demolition itself. They're caused by disconnected services still being live, an asbestos report that never got ordered, a neighbour dispute that lands the day before start, or a tree that shouldn't have been touched. This guide is the sequence we actually walk homeowners through — in the order things need to happen — so your job starts on time and finishes clean.
1. Confirm the Approval Pathway (6–12 weeks out)
Before you spend money on anything else, know which approval you need. In NSW there are two main options for residential demolition:
- Complying Development Certificate (CDC) — issued by a private certifier, usually 2–4 weeks, cheaper. Available if your property meets the standards under State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes).
- Development Application (DA) — lodged with your local council, typically 6–14 weeks. Mandatory for heritage items, contributory items in conservation areas, and anything the CDC pathway excludes.
Check your Section 10.7 planning certificate (previously the 149 certificate) for heritage listings, flood affectation, bushfire zoning and tree preservation orders. If any of those flags are set, assume DA. Sites in Woollahra, Leichhardt, Marrickville, Ku-ring-gai and parts of the Inner West are far more likely to need DA than outer-west greenfield lots.
You'll also need a demolition contractor's licence number, insurance certificates and a WorkCover notification lodged 5 working days before demolition begins under Clause 425 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017. Your contractor handles that lodgement — but only after approval is in your hand.
2. Order an Asbestos Survey (4–8 weeks out)
If your home was built before 1990, assume asbestos is present until an occupational hygienist tells you otherwise. It's not just fibro cladding — asbestos routinely turns up in:
- Eaves and soffit linings
- Vinyl floor tiles and the black bituminous adhesive underneath
- Bathroom and laundry wet-area linings
- Backing sheet behind wall tiles
- Old fencing (super-six or corrugated fibro)
- Roof sheeting and ridge capping
- Electrical switchboard backing (Zelemite / Ausbestos board)
- Pipe lagging and hot-water flue insulation
A hazardous materials survey (HAZMAT / asbestos register) is what the SafeWork NSW licensed removalist will price against. Without one, you'll either get inflated "worst case" quotes or a surprise variation halfway through the job. Cost for a residential survey is typically $450–$900. Read our asbestos removal service page for what happens after the survey.
3. Disconnect the Services (3–4 weeks out)
This is where jobs get held up more than anywhere else. Each utility has its own process, its own lead time and its own fee. Start early.
- Electricity (Ausgrid / Endeavour / Essential Energy) — Apply for a permanent disconnection and meter removal via your retailer. Ausgrid quotes 15–20 business days. Fee: $400–$900. The pole fuse must be pulled and the service cable removed to the pit or pole — not just isolated at the meter.
- Gas (Jemena) — Apply for a gas abolishment (not a temporary disconnection). Lead time 10–20 business days, fee around $650. Jemena caps the main at the property boundary.
- Water and sewer (Sydney Water) — Section 73 is for new developments; for demolition you need a "Discontinue Water Service" and, if you're not rebuilding immediately, sewer capping. Sewer caps are non-negotiable if the slab is coming out. Allow $1,200–$2,500.
- Telecommunications (NBN / Telstra) — Cancel services and request cable removal. It's often free but takes 2–4 weeks.
- Solar panels and batteries — Book a licensed electrician to decommission. Panels have salvage value if they're recent — get quotes from second-hand solar buyers before you throw them in a skip.
Every disconnection generates a certificate or reference number. Keep them in one folder. Your demolition contractor will ask for them before machines start.
4. Notify the Neighbours (2–3 weeks out)
Not just a courtesy — Sydney councils increasingly require written notice as a condition of consent, and a good neighbour relationship saves you real money if there's a boundary dispute later. Drop a printed letter to every property that shares a boundary and to houses directly opposite. Include:
- Start date and expected duration (be honest — say 2 weeks not 3 days)
- Working hours (7am–5pm Mon–Fri, 8am–1pm Sat is the NSW default)
- Contractor name, licence number and site supervisor's mobile
- A note about dust, noise and truck movements
Take dated photos of every shared fence, retaining wall and any visible cracks on neighbouring buildings before anything starts. Email them to yourself so the timestamp is unarguable. This one habit has settled more disputes than anything else we've seen.
5. Salvage What's Worth Salvaging (2 weeks out)
Once the machines start, everything becomes waste. Before then, there's real money in the right items:
- Hardwood flooring — Blackbutt, tallowwood, brush box and ironbark boards from 1940s–1970s homes fetch $8–$20 per lineal metre. Reclaimed timber yards in Sydney will quote and collect.
- Bricks — Handmade sandstock and early machine-made bricks (pre-1950) can be worth $1.50–$3 each cleaned. Not worth it for standard post-war cream bricks.
- Roof tiles — Terracotta Marseille pattern tiles are in demand for heritage repairs.
- Fittings — Cast-iron baths, original leadlight, solid timber doors, brass hardware, mantelpieces.
- Appliances and hot water systems — Sell or gift on Marketplace before demo week.
Salvage takes time. Don't book the demolition for the day after you finish clearing the house — leave a buffer. If you don't want to deal with it, some contractors (us included) will strip and sell salvage on your behalf and credit it against the invoice.
6. Protect the Trees That Must Stay (2 weeks out)
Every Sydney council has a Tree Preservation Order or equivalent under its Local Environmental Plan. Damaging or removing a protected tree without approval can attract fines up to $1.1 million for a corporation and $110,000 for an individual under the EP&A Act. Even trees on your own land are usually protected once trunk diameter exceeds 150mm at 1m height (varies by council).
Before demolition:
- Get an arborist report if any tree within 5m of the works has a trunk over 300mm diameter.
- Apply for tree removal permits separately from your demolition approval if any trees are coming out. This can take 4–8 weeks.
- Install tree protection zone (TPZ) fencing — typically 1.8m chain-wire at the drip line. Don't stockpile spoil, park vehicles or wash out concrete inside the TPZ.
- Photograph street trees before start. Council will inspect after and any damage is charged back to you at the tree's amenity value — often $20,000+ for a mature street tree.
7. Sort Out Site Access (1 week out)
Site access decides which machines can come in, how many truck movements per day are possible, and whether you need traffic control. Walk the frontage with your contractor and confirm:
- Driveway crossover — Can a 12-tonne excavator and 8-wheel tipper get in? Narrow crossovers in Inner West terraces often force smaller machines and 30–40% more truck movements.
- Overhead lines — Powerlines below 5m clearance need Ausgrid tiger-tails or temporary de-energisation.
- Verge and footpath — Council permits are needed to park a bin, skip or waste container on the verge in most LGAs. Fee $60–$180 per week.
- Traffic control — Streets with parking on both sides in Paddington, Newtown, Balmain, Mosman and similar suburbs usually need a Traffic Control Plan and TCP-accredited controllers on truck days.
- Hoarding — Zero-boundary sites (semi-detached, terrace, some duplex) often require A-class or B-class hoarding to protect the public and adjoining property.
8. The Final Week Checklist
- All service disconnection certificates received and forwarded to contractor
- Asbestos survey and licensed removalist confirmed
- Approval in hand (CDC or DA), copy on site
- WorkCover notification lodged (5 clear working days before)
- Neighbours notified in writing
- Dated photos of shared fences, walls, footpaths and street trees
- Salvage removed
- Tree protection fencing installed if required
- Personal items, valuables and any hidden safes cleared from the house
- House swept — surprisingly, this speeds up the strip-out because the removalist can identify hazardous materials faster
- Pool drained if being demolished (chlorinated water can't go to sewer in some LGAs)
- Meter numbers, service reference numbers and permit numbers all in one document
Do this properly and the demolition itself is the boring part — 5 to 10 working days for a standard single-storey, and you're handed back a clean level pad ready for the builder. Skip the prep and you'll spend more on delays and variations than you saved by rushing.
Planning a demolition in Sydney? We provide free site assessments and walk you through the whole prep sequence before you commit. Call 0451 117 275 or request a quote online.
Direct Demolition is a licensed Sydney demolition contractor (NSW Demolition Licence AD214611, Asbestos Class B AD214613) working across Greater Sydney. See our residential demolition and asbestos removal pages for scope and pricing detail.