If you’re thinking, “Surely smashing a bathroom can’t cost that much… it’s just ripping stuff out, right?” — welcome to Sydney, where even demolition wears a hi-vis vest and hands you an invoice.

Bathroom demolition and disposal are usually the first major cost in a renovation project, and getting this stage right sets the tone for the entire build. In Sydney, the cost varies widely based on design, size, age of the home, access and—let’s be honest—the surprises hiding behind those 1980s tiles your house has been wearing like a bad Hawaiian shirt.

As a renovation team working across the North Shore, Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, Hills District, St George, Sutherland Shire and Sydney CBD, we see these patterns repeat again and again.

Let’s break it down properly.

1. Typical Cost Range for Bathroom Demolition in Sydney

Standard Bathroom Demolition Cost

For a typical 3m²–6m² bathroom found in many Sydney houses and apartments:

$1,800 – $3,500 (incl. disposal)

This usually covers:

• Removing wall & floor tiles

• Stripping fixtures (toilet, vanity, shower screen, bathtub)

• Demolishing plasterboard or Villaboard surfaces

• Disconnecting plumbing safely

• Rubbish removal & tipping fees

This is the average for suburbs like:

• Ashfield, Burwood, Marrickville, Leichhardt (Inner West)

• Ryde, Chatswood, Lane Cove (North Shore)

• Bankstown, Hurstville, Penshurst (St George)

• Parramatta, Wentworth Point, Lidcombe (Western Sydney)

A straightforward job in a single-level house with good access will sit at the lower end of the range, while apartments with strict strata rules, tricky lifts, and limited parking will push that number up.

2. Why Does Bathroom Demolition Cost More Than People Expect?

Sydney is a “funny” city. We have homes built in the 1890s… sitting next to homes built in 2022… and both of them somehow manage to surprise you when you open a wall.

Reason #1: Hard Tiles & Old Construction

Federation, Californian bungalows and early 1900s terraces (Paddington, Newtown, Glebe) often have:

• Thick sand-and-cement bedding

• Double-brick internal walls

• 900kg of mysterious render held together by pure attitude

Removing tiles glued onto concrete from the 1960s is like trying to convince a toddler to leave the playground. Very expensive and very loud.

Reason #2: Dumping & Tipping Fees in Sydney

Sydney disposal rates have gone up faster than avocado toast prices.
You’re looking at $350–$550 per tonne, and a full bathroom often produces:

• 1.5–2.5 tonnes of waste

Tip fees alone can be $500–$1,000 depending on weight and materials.

Reason #3: Asbestos (Common in Pre-1990 Homes)

This is the big one.

In Epping, Eastwood, Bexley, Kogarah, Blacktown, Campbelltown, and much of the Inner West, bathrooms built before 1990 often contain asbestos in:

• old fibro sheeting

• tile backing

• ceiling linings

If asbestos is found, demolition becomes:

$2,500 – $6,000

for licensed removal.

Reason #4: Access and Strata Restrictions

Apartments in Zetland, Wolli Creek, Waterloo, CBD, Milsons Point often require:

• Limited work hours

• Mandatory floor protection

• Lift bookings

• Noisy work windows

• Waste transported via specialised bins

• Parking permits

Every restriction = more labour = higher cost.

Reason #5: Extra Reinforcements in Modern Builds

Newer suburban homes in Kellyville, Marsden Park, Schofields, Box Hill can include:

• Waterproof membranes bonded like glue

• Thick screed

• Robust steel-reinforced hob floors

Great for performance; terrible for your demolition budget.

3. What Affects the Final Demolition Price? (Line by Line)

Here’s a simple breakdown so you know what you’re paying for:

✔ Size of bathroom

Larger = more tiles, more work, more waste.

✔ Tile material

Porcelain tiles & stone tiles = extra heavy and harder to remove.

✔ Bathtub removal

Cast iron bathtubs from old homes weigh 100–180kg.
Removing one is basically a gym workout… that you pay for.

✔ Wall type

• Brick walls cost more to demolish

• Gyprock walls cost less

• Rendered cement walls are painful (for both workers and your budget)

✔ Number of layers

Sydney homes often have:

1. Tile

2. Tile on tile

3. Render

4. Fibro or gyprock

5. Brick

That’s five layers. Five!
Every layer adds labour and weight.

✔ Asbestos

Even a small amount changes the process entirely.

✔ Access

Long walks to street bins = higher labour hours.

4. What Does Bathroom Demolition Include (And Not Include)?

Usually Included

• Labour for stripping-out

• Tile removal

• Fixture removal

• Disposal & tip fees

• Dust protection

• Safe capping of plumbing

• Site clean-up

Not Usually Included

• Relocating plumbing

• Structural changes

• Asbestos testing

• Asbestos removal

• Pest control (but yes, sometimes demolition discovers a cockroach Airbnb inside your walls)

5. Examples From Around Sydney

Case Study 1 – Inner West Terrace (Leichhardt)

• Hard render walls

• Small bathroom

• Narrow access

• 2 tonnes of waste
  Cost: $2,950 incl. disposal

Case Study 2 – North Shore Apartment (Chatswood)

• Strata noise restrictions

• Lift bookings

• Double-layer tiles
  Cost: $3,300 incl. disposal

Case Study 3 – Older Home With Asbestos (Bexley)

• Asbestos sheeting behind tiles

• Licensed removal
  Cost: $4,800 incl. disposal

Case Study 4 – New Build House (Kellyville)

• Large tiles

• Thick screed

• Concrete hob removal
  Cost: $2,200 incl. disposal

6. How to Reduce Your Demolition Costs (Without Creating a Disaster)

People often ask: “Can I do some of the demolition myself?”

Technically yes… but realistically…

DIY demolition sounds fun until:

• you hit a live electrical wire

• you damage waterproofing in another area

• you accidentally crack the neighbour’s ceiling

• you discover asbestos and now everyone’s crying in the driveway

Professional demolition is safer, cleaner, and—surprisingly—cheaper when you consider risks.

But here are ways to save properly:

1. Ensure good access

Move furniture, clear the path, organise parking.

2. Get asbestos testing early

A $150 test might save you thousands in surprises.

3. Choose a contractor that includes disposal

Some cheap quotes don't include tipping fees.
And trust me, the tip bill is where the tears begin.

4. Avoid unnecessary removals

If the wall is fine structurally—don’t destroy it.

7. Why Using a Local Sydney Renovation Specialist Matters

Sydney is unique. Its houses are stubborn, its strata rules are strict, and its dumping fees are unforgiving. Working with a local team means:

• We know council rules (Inner West, Northern Beaches, City of Sydney)

• We understand access issues in tight terraces

• We’re familiar with asbestos patterns in older suburbs

• We know how to manage waste within Sydney’s regulations

• We’ve worked on hundreds of bathrooms across the city

This isn’t just “labour + materials.”
Bathroom demolition is a craft, and in Sydney, it’s a science mixed with archaeology.

8. Final Answer (In One Simple Sentence)

Bathroom demolition and disposal in Sydney generally cost between $1,800 and $3,500, but older homes, tricky access, apartment rules, heavy tiles and asbestos can bring that total up to $2,500–$6,000.

Want to Renovate With Confidence?

If you're planning a kitchen, bathroom or home renovation in Sydney and want transparent pricing, professional service, and a team who treats every home like their own, you’ll find everything you need at MB9 Australia.

To learn more about kitchen, bathroom and house renovation services, visit www.mb9.com.au for full details from MB9 Australia Pty Ltd.