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Replacing an asbestos cement roof: how the job runs

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Knowing the shape of the job is what lets you tell a competent quote from a cheap one — and roof removal is where cheap quotes do the most damage.

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Roof replacement is the largest asbestos job most households will ever commission. It is also the one where cutting corners is easiest to hide, because the work happens above eye level and the evidence ends up in the gutters and the garden.

Who may do it

A roof is a large area of bonded asbestos, far beyond any homeowner small-quantity allowance, so in practice it is licensed removal work — a Class B licence covers bonded material, and a Class A licence covers that plus friable. If the roof is fire-damaged, storm-damaged or badly degraded, the material may be treated as friable, which changes the licence class and brings mandatory air monitoring with it.

Licences are issued and recorded by the WHS regulator in each state and territory, and they can be checked. Asking to see one is routine and a competent contractor will expect it.

Notification

Licensed asbestos removal generally has to be notified to the regulator before it starts, with a lead time. This matters to you for a practical reason: a contractor who can start tomorrow on a licensed job is a contractor worth asking questions of.

What a properly run site looks like

  • Signage and barriers around the work area, keeping the household and neighbours out.
  • Sheets removed whole wherever possible — unscrewed and lifted rather than broken, cut or dropped.
  • No power tools on the sheeting. No grinders, no circular saws, no water blasting.
  • Wetting of the material to suppress dust.
  • Immediate wrapping of removed material in heavy-duty plastic, sealed and labelled, rather than a pile in the yard.
  • Controlled lowering to ground level, not dropping into a skip.
  • A dedicated, lined waste bin or covered load, going to a landfill licensed to accept asbestos.
  • A thorough clean-up of gutters, the roof space, paths, garden beds and soil under the eaves line.

The half everybody forgets: the roof space

Removing the sheets does not deal with what is under them. Decades of dust and debris accumulate in the roof space beneath an asbestos cement roof, along with, in some houses, insulation that has its own history. A quote that covers the sheets but says nothing about the space underneath is an incomplete quote, and it is the most common reason a house is still contaminated after the roof is new.

Clearance

Insist on the finish. For friable work, air monitoring by a licensed assessor independent of the removalist and a clearance certificate are mandatory. For bonded work they are not always required, but a clearance inspection is worth having anyway, and the certificate is a document you will want when you sell.

Neighbours

Roof work is visible, noisy and lasts days. Telling neighbours before it starts costs nothing and prevents the phone call to the regulator that stops the job halfway through — particularly if the roofline is shared or the boundary is close.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I remove my own roof if I take it slowly?

No. A roof is a large area of bonded asbestos, well beyond any homeowner small-quantity allowance, and it is elevated work on brittle sheeting. It is licensed removal work.

How do I check a removalist is licensed?

Licences are issued and recorded by the WHS regulator in each state and territory, and they can be checked. Asking to see the licence is routine, and a competent contractor expects the question.

What should the quote include besides the sheets?

The roof space underneath, the gutters, and clean-up of paths, garden beds and soil under the eaves line. A quote covering only the sheets is the most common reason a house is still contaminated after the roof is replaced.

Do I need a clearance certificate?

For friable work, air monitoring by an independent licensed assessor and a clearance certificate are mandatory. For bonded work they are not always required, but a clearance is worth having and the certificate is useful when you sell.

Sources

What this page explains is based on these official sources. If you check one and it does not match what you read here, send it to us and the article gets corrected.

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