Taking down a whole house in Geelong means removing the dwelling, its footings and any outbuildings in the scope, and leaving a block ready for the next stage, which is usually a new home. The machine work is the short part. Ahead of it sit council report and consent, a building permit, an asbestos inspection and removal, and the abolition of every utility service. After it come waste separation, cartage and the agreed site finish. This page sets those stages out for Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast so you can plan a realistic timeline and compare quotes on equal terms.
Geelong Demolition Service refers enquiries; it is not a demolition contractor. With your consent we pass your details to one independent demolition business that holds the registration your job requires. The inspection, the price and the contract are matters between you and that business.
Who asks about house demolition in Geelong
Most enquiries fall into a handful of groups:
- Knockdown-rebuild owners who like their street and their block but not the house on it. Older weatherboard and post-war brick homes across established suburbs are common candidates.
- Buyers in growth corridors such as Armstrong Creek and Lara, or on older lots nearby, where a site is being cleared for a new build or a small development.
- Investors and developers preparing a lot for units or townhouses.
- Owners of homes beyond repair, whether from termites, failed stumps, water damage or fire.
- Estates and vendors who would rather sell a cleared block than a house needing a full renovation.
If you are keeping most of the house and only removing an extension or some internal walls, start with the partial demolition page instead.
Council report and consent in Greater Geelong
A Victorian demolition needs a building permit, issued by a registered building surveyor. Under section 29A of the Building Act 1993, the surveyor cannot issue that permit without the council's report and consent if the demolition would remove more than 50 per cent of the building's volume, or any part of the facade facing the street. A full house demolition meets both tests.
The City of Greater Geelong publishes a dedicated demolition report and consent (29A) form on its website. As part of that process council considers whether a planning permit is required, most often because a Heritage Overlay covers the property. Some of Geelong's older inner suburbs, including parts of Geelong West and Newtown, carry heritage controls. If yours is affected, a planning permit for demolition usually has to be obtained before consent is given, and that adds time. Check the planning scheme map for your address early, ideally before you commit to a building contract.
Council may also need a protection-of-the-public consent if hoarding or work over the footpath is involved. Properties in Surf Coast Shire, Golden Plains Shire or the Borough of Queenscliffe follow the same state law through their own council.
Asbestos is dealt with before demolition
Victorian occupational health and safety rules require the person demolishing a domestic building to identify any asbestos likely to be disturbed, or assume it is present, and to have it removed before the structure comes down so far as reasonably practicable. Any house built or renovated before about 1990 should be treated as a likely candidate. Typical spots include fibro eaves and wet-area linings, vinyl floor tiles, roof sheeting on additions, flue pipes and electrical meter boards.
Licensed asbestos removal is required for more than 10 square metres of non-friable material and for any friable material, and WorkSafe Victoria must be notified before licensed removal starts. Ask every demolisher you speak to whether they hold the asbestos licence themselves or bring in a licensed removalist, and make sure a clearance certificate is part of the scope before demolition begins. The asbestos before demolition page has the detail.
The sequence on a typical job
- Site inspection. Construction type, roof material, access width, overhead lines, trees, neighbouring structures and anything you want kept.
- Consent and permit. The 29A report and consent, any planning permit, and the building permit. The surveyor may require protection work notices to adjoining owners.
- Services. Electricity, gas, water, sewer and telecommunications are disconnected or abolished. Utility lead times vary, so lodge these requests early.
- Asbestos removal and clearance.
- Soft strip. Doors, windows, fittings, timber flooring and metals are taken out and sorted for reuse or recycling.
- Machine demolition, with dust kept down by water spraying.
- Sorting and cartage. Brick, concrete, timber, steel and general waste are separated and taken to recyclers or licensed disposal.
- Site finish. Slab, footings and stumps removed as scoped, and the block graded.
On a straightforward single-storey house, machine demolition is often measured in days. The paperwork and utility steps beforehand usually take weeks.
Points worth raising when you get quotes
- Access. Narrow side setbacks, shared driveways and overhead power lines limit machine size and can add labour.
- What happens below ground. Builders generally want old footings, stumps and slabs fully removed. Confirm this is written into the scope.
- Trees. Council controls may protect some trees. Do not assume a tree can go just because demolition is approved.
- Neighbours and fences. Agree in writing how shared fences will be protected or replaced.
- Nature strip and footpath. Ask how the contractor will protect council assets from heavy trucks, and photograph them before work starts.
- Ground conditions. If you know of fill, old drains or soft ground on the block, tell the demolisher and your builder.
Indicative cost
Published Victorian guides in 2026 put a straightforward single-storey, three-bedroom house at roughly $15,000 to $25,000. Brick construction, a second storey, slab removal, difficult access and asbestos all push the figure higher. Treat these numbers as a budgeting starting point only; see the demolition cost guide for what usually sits inside a quote.
How to check a demolisher
Ask for the business's Victorian Building Authority demolisher registration and its class, its public liability cover, details of its asbestos licence or licensed subcontractor, and a written, itemised scope. The scope should state what is removed below ground and the condition the block will be left in.
Frequently asked questions
Does the City of Greater Geelong have to approve a house demolition?
Council gives report and consent under section 29A, and a registered building surveyor issues the building permit. If a Heritage Overlay or another planning control applies, a planning permit is usually needed first.
Can a house under a Heritage Overlay be demolished?
Possibly, but approval is not automatic. Council looks at what the building contributes to the area and its condition. Expect to provide supporting information and allow extra time.
How long does the whole process take?
The physical demolition is short. Consent, permits, service abolition and asbestos removal commonly take several weeks, and longer where a planning permit is needed.
What happens to the materials?
Most demolishers separate brick, concrete, metal and timber for recycling. Doors, timber boards and fittings can sometimes be salvaged.
Will the slab and stumps be removed?
Only if the scope says so. If you are rebuilding, your builder will almost always want old footings gone so the new slab sits on suitable ground.
Do I need to be on site on demolition day?
Usually not. The house should be empty, services abolished and keys or access arranged. Share the contractor's details with your neighbours.
Next step
Send the address, the type of house, its approximate age and your preferred timing. With your consent, we will pass the enquiry to a registered demolisher working in the Geelong region. Request a referral.