Strip-Outs & Concrete Slab Removal in Ipswich
Slab removal is one of the few demolition jobs with genuinely predictable pricing — it comes down to thickness and how much steel is in it.
Slab removal, priced honestly
Unlike most demolition work, concrete removal prices reasonably predictably. Brisbane published rates:
| Slab type | Rate |
|---|---|
| Plain, 75 – 100 mm | $40 – $60 per m² |
| Reinforced with steel mesh | $60 – $80 per m² |
| Heavily reinforced, 150 mm+ | $80 – $120 per m² |
| Small jobs under 20 m² | flat $400 – $800 minimum |
| Rip-up only, driveway or path | $20 – $50 per m² |
Two things drive the difference. Thickness is obvious. Reinforcement is the one people underestimate — steel mesh has to be cut and separated, which is slower and turns a straightforward break-up into a two-stage job. A heavily reinforced slab can cost double a plain one of the same area.
The small-job minimum is not padding. Mobilising an excavator, a breaker and a truck costs the same whether the slab is 10 square metres or 30.
Do you actually need the slab out?
Worth asking before spending the money.
Keep it where the area is becoming parking, a shed base, or a paved or decked space, and the slab is sound. Remove it where the ground is going back to lawn or garden, where new footings are going in, or where the slab has failed and would telegraph problems into whatever goes on top.
Can a new house use the old slab? Almost never, and it is worth being direct about that. A slab from a previous dwelling was engineered for that building's loads and layout, will not match the new footprint, and will not carry a current engineer's certification. Assume the slab goes.
Internal strip-outs
A strip-out takes a building back to its structure without demolishing it — the step before a renovation rather than a knockdown.
Removed: non-structural partitions, ceilings and bulkheads, floor coverings and substrates, joinery, cabinetry, benchtops, fixtures and fittings, lighting, plumbing fixtures, and the services fit-out once isolated.
Retained: structural walls and columns, the slab or subfloor, the roof structure, external walls, and the utility mains.
You are left with a clean, dry shell — the frame, the roof and the walls that hold both up.
The thing to establish before anyone starts is whether anything being removed is load-bearing, because that changes the job substantially and brings engineering and approval into scope. And in a pre-1990 building, an asbestos survey comes first: wet-area sheeting and vinyl floor coverings with their backing are exactly the materials a strip-out disturbs.
What happens to the concrete
It goes to a licensed recycler and is crushed into aggregate, and the steel reinforcing is separated for scrap.
That matters commercially as well as environmentally. Queensland's waste levy runs at $125 per tonne in metropolitan areas for 2025-26, rising to $135 in 2026-27, and concrete is heavy. Diverting it to recycling rather than landfill is a meaningful part of why a quote lands where it does.
If a quote seems low, it is worth asking where the material is going.
Driveways, paths and paving
Same work, usually simpler access. Driveway and path removal is often quoted as a rip-up rather than a full break-out, at $20 to $50 per square metre, where the concrete is thinner and unreinforced.
Where a driveway crosses the verge, note that Ipswich charges $113.00 for a driveway or crossover permit on the current fee register, and reinstatement work in the road reserve falls under the Road Permit — which needs at least 20 business days.
Why choose us for site strip-out & slab removal
- Priced per square metre by slab type, so quotes are comparable
- Straight advice on whether the slab genuinely needs to come out
- Concrete recycled into aggregate and steel recovered, cutting levied tonnage
- Load-bearing elements identified before a strip-out starts
- Asbestos survey first on pre-1990 buildings, before anything is disturbed
Site Strip-Out & Slab Removal — common questions
How much does concrete slab removal cost per square metre?
Brisbane published rates run $40 to $60 per square metre for plain 75 to 100 millimetre slabs, $60 to $80 where reinforced with steel mesh, and $80 to $120 for heavily reinforced slabs of 150 millimetres or more. Jobs under 20 square metres carry a flat $400 to $800 minimum. Driveways and paths, often thinner and unreinforced, can be ripped up for $20 to $50 per square metre.
Why does reinforced concrete cost more to remove?
Because the steel has to be cut and separated rather than simply broken. A plain slab breaks up and loads out; a mesh-reinforced slab holds together in sheets that have to be cut free, which turns a single-stage job into a two-stage one. A heavily reinforced slab can cost roughly double a plain slab of the same area, which is why any quote should state which type it has assumed.
Can my new house be built on the old slab?
Almost never, and it is worth being direct rather than hopeful. A slab from a previous dwelling was engineered for that building's loads and layout, will not match your new footprint, and will not carry certification from your engineer for the new design. There are occasional exceptions for outbuildings and parking areas, but for a new house, assume the slab goes.
Do I have to remove the slab for a rebuild?
Usually yes for a new house, for the reasons above. Where it genuinely can stay is when the area is becoming parking, a shed base, or a paved or decked space and the slab is sound. It should come out where the ground is going back to lawn or garden — a slab under turf gives poor drainage and no root depth — or where new footings are going in, or the slab has failed.
What is included in a strip-out?
Removed: non-structural partitions, ceilings and bulkheads, floor coverings and substrates, joinery, cabinetry, benchtops, fixtures, lighting, plumbing fixtures and the services fit-out once isolated. Retained: structural walls and columns, the slab or subfloor, the roof structure, external walls and utility mains. You end up with a clean, dry shell ready for the renovation to start.
What happens to the concrete after removal?
It goes to a licensed recycler and is crushed into aggregate, with the steel reinforcing separated for scrap. That is a genuine part of the pricing, not just environmental good practice — Queensland's waste levy is $125 per tonne in metro areas for 2025-26 rising to $135, and concrete is heavy. If a quote looks unusually low, asking where the material is going is a reasonable question.
Do I need an asbestos survey before a strip-out?
For any building predating 1990, yes. A strip-out disturbs exactly the materials most likely to contain asbestos — wet-area sheeting in bathrooms and laundries, and vinyl floor coverings together with their backing. Finding it after work has started means stopping, which costs far more than testing beforehand. Buildings constructed after 31 December 1989 are generally treated as clear.
Can you remove my driveway and paths as well?
Yes, and it is usually simpler than a house slab — thinner concrete, generally unreinforced, and better machine access, so it is often quoted as a rip-up at $20 to $50 per square metre. One thing to note where the driveway crosses the verge: Ipswich charges $113.00 for a driveway or crossover permit, and work in the road reserve falls under the Road Permit, which needs at least 20 business days.
Ready to book site strip-out & slab removal?
Contact us today for your free, no-obligation quote.