Question answered
Can you remove asbestos roof sheets yourself?
The short answer
HSE places careful removal of weathered, undamaged asbestos cement roofing in the non-licensed category, so no licence stands in the way of doing it yourself. But the roof is fragile, sheets must come off whole, and waste has to be double-wrapped, labelled and disposed of properly. If sheets crumble and raise real dust, the job turns notifiable. For most householders a planned professional job is safer.
The rules do not forbid a homeowner from handling sound asbestos cement, but fragile roofs, dust and waste make it a poor DIY job. Here is what the guidance expects.
What the guidance allows, and what it does not
HSE lists the lifting of asbestos cement items, roof sheeting and rainwater goods among them, as non-licensed work, on condition that the pieces are handled carefully and not broken up. Weathered sheeting is included, provided nothing else has badly damaged it.
Read that slowly. It describes when the work stays non-licensed. It does not call the work safe for anyone with a ladder and a free weekend. The conditions are careful handling, no breaking up and no serious damage. An old roof of mossy, cracked sheets that flake at the edges may already sit outside them.
The other category matters as well. Where sheeting has been badly damaged or smashed, for example by tipping a whole roof down, the work is notifiable non-licensed work. HSE requires notice to be given in advance, and rules on health checks and record keeping then apply. That is a very different level of formality from clearing a garage.
The roof is the problem before the asbestos is
HSE describes roofs of this material as fragile without exception. Every stage of removal means getting onto, or working beside, a surface that may give way. Falls through garage roofs are a serious source of injury, and the job involves moving along the roof to undo fixings, so a person is on or beside the sheets for much of the time.
Professional crews use planned access: edge protection, working platforms or other equipment made for fragile surfaces. A householder rarely has any of that, and a plank laid over the sheets does not count.
Fixings add a complication. Bolts and hooks can be rusted solid, which tempts people to snap them, hammer sheets free or cut through. Those are the actions that break sheets and free fibres. Our page on whether an asbestos garage roof is safe to walk on explains the fall risk in more detail, and the garage roof replacement overview shows how a planned job runs.
Handling the sheets without breaking them
The guidance is specific about method. HSE wants big pieces carried down to the ground, not thrown and not slid down a chute. Sheets are heavy and awkward, a long corrugated piece bends in the middle, and a gust can catch one mid-carry. Two people may not be enough, and a sheet that cracks on the way down has become a different kind of job.
The guidance also covers what to avoid: power tools that make dust, scraping, brushing off moss and pressure washing. Keeping the material damp to hold dust down is part of good practice, which implies equipment and a plan.
Ask whether the work can be avoided. HSE raises the option of a non-asbestos layer over the old one, and there are cases where a new roof goes straight on top. Asbestos cement roof removal sets out what a planned removal looks like, and the overcladding option has a page of its own.
Waste: wrapping, a lockable skip and the consignment note
Removal is only half the task. HSE's waste leaflet says asbestos waste should be double-wrapped and labelled, that cement sheet belongs in a lockable skip, and that draping sheeting over an ordinary skip is not good enough. Diluting it with ordinary rubbish to slip under the 0.1 per cent threshold is also ruled out.
Disposal has its own paperwork. GOV.UK explains that the household exemption for hazardous waste leaves out asbestos waste. A contractor stripping asbestos out of a home must consign the load, completing the note in the producer's name. Anyone who carries construction waste for a living falls in the upper tier of carrier registration.
What a householder may do with their own sheets, and where they may take them, depends on local arrangements, so confirm with the council or a registered carrier before moving anything. Do not leave sheets in a garden, on a verge or in a skip you have not checked. Our guide to asbestos waste disposal gives the full picture.
Cost, insurance and a sensible way to decide
People consider doing it themselves to save money. Published cost guides show typical UK figures for removal, and our page on garage roof cost shows them with source and date. Before comparing, count the skip, protective kit, wrapping, a lockable container, carrier charges and your own time.
Check your home insurance as well. Policies differ, and a claim for an injury or damage during DIY work may turn on terms you have not read. Read the policy or ask the insurer before starting; garage roof insurance explains how storm and wear claims are viewed.
A practical test: if you cannot say how the sheets will come off whole, where they will wait, how they will be wrapped and who will collect them, you are not ready. A survey tells you the state of the sheets and whether overcladding or removal suits the garage. We photograph what we find, and the written quote follows. Moisture below the roof, such as condensation, can be looked at then.
Before you pick up a spanner
Must I notify anyone before taking asbestos cement sheets off a garage?
HSE says notice must be given before notifiable non-licensed work starts, which covers badly damaged or broken-up cement roofing. Careful removal of weathered, undamaged sheets is non-licensed. If you cannot tell which applies to your roof, ask HSE or a surveyor before touching anything.
Can I take a few sheets to the tip in my car?
Do not assume you can. The household exemption leaves out asbestos waste, and each site sets its own rules, so check with the county council before taking any there. Wrapping and labelling rules apply too. Contact the council or a registered waste carrier before loading anything, and never break sheets to make them fit.
Tell us about your roof
Describe what is happening and we will call you back to arrange a visit.
- Photographs of what we find
- A written quote with one total price
- Or call 01903 299063
10-year workmanship guarantee, in writing.