House Demolition
Full demolition of single and double-storey houses — approvals checked, services disconnected, structure down, block handed back level.
Learn more →What clearing actually covers
Site clearing sits between demolition and construction. Sometimes it follows a house demolition. Sometimes the block has no house at all — a vacant lot, a subdivided rear block, an old market garden in the outer west, or a site that has sat untouched for years.
Typical scope:
- Minor structures — sheds, carports, old fences, retaining walls.
- Rubbish and dumped material.
- Vegetation — weeds, shrubs and any trees approved for removal.
- Fill — especially uncontrolled fill.
- Old slabs, paths and footings.
- Levelling so a surveyor can peg the site.
Trees are the first question, not the last
Sydney councils each have their own tree controls, often under a development control plan, with permits needed above set sizes or for particular species. Some trees are protected outright. Heritage and biodiversity overlays add further layers, particularly in the Hills District, Hornsby, the Northern Beaches and the Sutherland Shire.
So no tree is priced for removal until the approval position is known. Retained trees get protection fencing around their root zone, and machines stay out of it.
Fill and contamination
Older Sydney blocks, particularly former industrial or agricultural land in the west and south-west, sometimes carry fill of unknown origin. It matters because:
- Engineers may not accept it under footings.
- It can contain asbestos fragments from old buildings demolished decades ago.
- Disposal cost depends on what it is, and testing may be needed to classify it.
Where fill looks suspect, it is tested before it is moved rather than after.
Erosion and sediment control
Clearing exposes soil. Approvals typically require silt fencing, a stabilised entry point for trucks, and keeping mud off the road. Sydney storms turn an unprotected block into a creek of sediment in minutes.
Outer-west and larger blocks
Growth areas around Penrith, Blacktown, Liverpool and Campbelltown include larger and rural-residential blocks where clearing is a bigger job — more vegetation, more fill, and sometimes old farm structures and dams.
Costs
Clearing is priced on volume, vegetation, disposal classification and access. See the 2026 cost bands.
Call 02 5943 7968 or send the job details through.
More services
Explore our other services
Knock Down Rebuild Site Prep
The demolition half of a knock-down-rebuild, sequenced to your builder's start date rather than to ours.
Learn more →Partial Demolition
Rear extensions, second storeys, walls and wings taken off while the rest of the house stays standing and weathertight.
Learn more →Garage & Shed Removal
Detached garages, carports, sheds, granny-flat shells and outbuildings removed, slab in or out.
Learn more →Concrete & Driveway Removal
Driveways, slabs, paths and footings broken out and carted, reinforced or not, with the kerb and neighbours protected.
Learn more →Asbestos-Aware Demolition
How asbestos is found and dealt with before a Sydney demolition. Removal is carried out by a separately licensed asbestos removalist — referred, never done in-house.
Learn more →
FAQs
Questions people ask before they commit
Can I remove trees when clearing my block?
Not freely. Sydney councils regulate tree removal and the thresholds differ between LGAs. Many trees need a permit or approval, some must be retained and protected, and removing one without approval can bring significant fines. Tree removal is only included once the approval position is confirmed.
What is uncontrolled fill and why does it matter?
Fill is material dumped or spread on a block in the past — soil, rubble, sometimes rubbish. If it is not compacted or its contents are unknown, engineers often will not put footings on it. It may need to be removed or tested, and on older Sydney sites it can contain asbestos fragments.
How long does site clearing take?
A standard suburban block with a few outbuildings and vegetation typically takes one to three days on site. Large blocks, heavy fill, contaminated material or limited access take longer.
Do I need erosion controls?
Sediment and erosion controls are a standard condition of most demolition and construction approvals in Sydney — silt fencing, stabilised site access and keeping soil off the road. Even without a formal condition, washing soil into council stormwater can breach environmental rules.
Free, no-obligation