Safe Removal Practices
Asbestos cement roofing must be handled with care. We follow strict safety procedures, including containment, protective equipment and approved disposal, to protect your family, neighbours and our team, with care.
Wellington Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement
Replacing an Old Fibre-Cement Roof Safely Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement
Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement in Wellington
Corrugated fibre-cement roofing was used on New Zealand houses, garages, sheds and commercial buildings for decades, and much of it contains asbestos. While it is intact and left alone, the risk is low. Once the sheets weather, crack or are disturbed, fibres can be released. That is why asbestos roof removal and replacement in Wellington is controlled, planned work, never something to tackle over a weekend.
Plenty of Wellington properties built before 2000 still have fibre-cement roofs, often on a garage, sleepout or lean-to as well as the main house. Decades of wind, rain and moss leave the surface brittle and the fixings corroded. We plan the whole job, from testing through to a new metal roof, with removal carried out by a WorkSafe-licensed asbestos removalist so the property is left safe for you and your neighbours.
Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement
Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement Services in Wellington
Professional Assessment
Not every old roof contains asbestos, but many from earlier decades do. We help identify suspect materials and arrange testing so you can plan removal confidently and legally, on schedule.
Modern Replacement Roofing
After removal, we install a new lightweight roof such as Colorsteel or tiles, giving you a safer, more durable and better-insulated home with improved appearance and value, from day one.
Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement
Start With Testing, Not Assumptions
You cannot tell by looking whether a fibre-cement roof contains asbestos. Later sheets used other fibres, and repairs over the years may have mixed old and new sheets on the same roof. The only way to know is to have a sample taken by a trained asbestos surveyor or assessor and analysed by an accredited laboratory.
Testing tells you whether licensed removal is required, how the job needs to be planned and what it is likely to involve. Until you have a result, treat the roof as if it contains asbestos: do not walk on it, cut it, drill it, waterblast it or scrub it.
Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement
How the Rules Work
Asbestos work in New Zealand falls under the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016. Removing more than 10 m² of non-friable asbestos, which covers almost every roof, must be done by a WorkSafe-licensed asbestos removalist. That is more than paperwork. It governs how the area is set up, how sheets are wetted and lowered without breaking, how workers are protected, and how waste is wrapped, transported and disposed of.
On our jobs, removal is carried out by a WorkSafe-licensed asbestos removalist, and we organise the roofing work around it. The removalist handles the required notifications to WorkSafe, and once the asbestos is gone the area is checked and cleared before the new roof goes on. That keeps responsibilities clear and the property safe.
Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement
What the Job Looks Like From Start to Finish
Every asbestos roof is different, but most replacement projects follow the same broad sequence, with each trade doing the part it is qualified for.
Testing and planning
Samples confirm what you are dealing with. We assess the framing, access and the new roof, and confirm with council whether consent is needed for the replacement.
Licensed removal
The licensed removalist sets up the work area, removes the sheets whole wherever possible, and wraps and labels them for disposal at an approved facility.
Weather cover while open
Removal and reroofing are timed around the forecast, and any open area is covered if the weather turns. On exposed Wellington sites, temporary covers are fixed down against the wind.
Spouting and debris
Spouting below an old fibre-cement roof can hold weathered fibres and debris, so it is dealt with as part of the removal. It is often a good time to replace the spouting as well.
Framing checks
Fibre-cement sheets were often fixed to purlins at different spacings from those metal roofing needs. Purlins may need adding or replacing so the new roof is fixed correctly for the wind zone.
New metal roof
Underlay goes on, followed by new Colorsteel or ZINCALUME roofing with new flashings and ridge capping, so the building is weathertight again as soon as possible.
Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement
Never a DIY Job
We regularly see asbestos roofs that have been waterblasted, painted over cracked sheets, or had a section cut out for a skylight. Each of those can release fibres onto the property and into neighbouring gardens. Fibre-cement is also fragile, and falls through roofs are a known cause of serious injury. If you have a fibre-cement roof, stay off it and get advice before anyone works on it.
If the roof is leaking now, call us and we will advise on what can be done safely in the meantime while testing and removal are arranged. The new roof itself follows the same careful process as any reroofing job, and our roof replacement page covers the choices involved.
Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement
Why Choose Our Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement Contractors in Wellington
Asbestos roofing is not something to take chances with, and your safety, your family's and your neighbours' come first in everything we do. Our contractors follow strict procedures for containment, protective equipment, wetting down materials and approved disposal, and we explain every step before work begins. We can help identify suspect materials and arrange testing so you understand exactly what you are dealing with. Once the old roof is gone, we install a modern lightweight replacement such as Colorsteel or tiles, improving your home's safety, insulation and appearance in one project. You get careful planning, open communication and a clean site, with nothing left to chance. Call us for a clear, honest quote.
- Strict safety procedures at every stage
- Help identifying and testing suspect materials
- Approved disposal handled responsibly
- Modern lightweight replacement roofing
- Clear communication from first visit to finish
Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement
Related Services
Replacing an asbestos roof often brings other work with it, from new spouting to a full inspection of the rest of the building.
Helpful answers
Asbestos Roof Removal and Replacement FAQs
Call our team if you need advice for your property or roofing project.
04 888 0115How do I know if my roof contains asbestos?
Only a laboratory test can confirm it. If your building has a fibre-cement roof and was built or re-roofed before 2000, there is a real chance it contains asbestos. A sample needs to be taken carefully by someone trained to do it, then analysed. Until you have a result, treat the roof as if it does.
Can I paint an asbestos roof instead of removing it?
Painting intact fibre-cement can slow surface weathering for a while, but preparation is the problem: waterblasting, scrubbing or sanding releases fibres and should never be attempted. The sheets also stay fragile and keep ageing underneath the paint. For most roofs, planned removal and replacement is the better long-term answer.
Do I need a licensed removalist for a small shed roof?
Under the regulations, removing more than 10 m² of non-friable asbestos requires a WorkSafe-licensed removalist, and smaller jobs must still follow strict controls on how the work is done. A shed or garage roof can easily exceed that area. Our advice is to use a licensed removalist for any asbestos roof, whatever its size.
Is it safe to stay home during asbestos roof removal?
The licensed removalist will advise based on the job. Removal is planned to keep fibres contained, with sheets wetted and taken off whole wherever possible. You may be asked to keep windows closed, stay out of certain areas or be away from the house while the work is under way. Neighbours are usually told in advance too.
What do you replace an asbestos roof with?
Most owners choose longrun metal roofing such as Colorsteel. It is light, suits the existing roof shape and is well proven in Wellington conditions. Changing to a different material can affect consent requirements, so we will confirm with council. Our metal roofing page explains the profiles and colour options.
Wellington Roofing
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