Asbestos shed and garage removal in Toowoomba

Asbestos shed and garage removal in Toowoomba is a regular job because so many backyards still have an old fibro building in the corner. Garages, workshops, laundry blocks, carports and chook sheds were commonly clad in asbestos cement sheeting before the late 1980s. This guide covers what to look for and what removal involves.

Why old sheds so often have asbestos

Asbestos cement sheeting was cheap, tough and weatherproof. It was used from the 1940s to the late 1980s on walls, roofs, eaves and lean-tos. Outbuildings were often put up in a hurry with whatever sheeting was around, and they were rarely updated.

That means an old shed can contain asbestos even when the house has been renovated. A shed built or extended before 1990 is worth treating with caution.

What to check

Walk around the outside of the building and look at:

• wall sheeting, especially flat sheets with timber or metal battens over the joins
• corrugated roof sheets and ridge capping
• eaves and gable ends
• lean-tos or carport roofs that were added later
• cement sheet lining inside, behind shelves or benches
• old flues or pipes passing through the wall or roof

Note anything cracked, broken or weathered. A lab sample is the only way to be sure what the material is. Our hub page on asbestos removal in Toowoomba covers how testing works.

What you can do while you decide

Some things make the situation worse, so avoid them:

• do not drill, cut or screw into sheeting to hang shelves or hooks
• do not pressure clean the walls or roof
• do not use an angle grinder or saw on the building
• do not sweep or vacuum dust and fragments, because household vacuums spread fibres even with a filter
• do not store the old sheets or reuse them

If the shed is solid and no one is disturbing it, leaving it for now is often reasonable. Plans change when you want to demolish it, extend it, or when the roof starts to break down.

What removal involves

A licensed crew follows a clear process.

1. We identify the material and mark which parts are asbestos.
2. We prepare the Asbestos Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS).
3. The area around the building is controlled and the ground is protected.
4. Sheets are removed carefully and whole where possible, working from the roof down.
5. Waste is wrapped, sealed and labelled, then taken to a facility licensed to accept it.
6. We do a complete site clean, including the slab or ground and nearby garden.
7. An independent assessor or competent person inspects and you receive a clearance certificate.

If the shed is coming down completely, asbestos has to be taken out before demolition. We also do demolition and strip outs, so one team can handle both. A separate guide covers shed and outbuilding demolition in more detail.

The slab, the floor and the ground

Asbestos can also be hiding in places people forget:

• vinyl floor tiles or sheet flooring inside a converted garage or granny flat
• sheeting under a roof lining or behind plasterboard
• old electrical meter boards, which may be lined with fibro if fitted before 1990
• soil where sheets were once broken or buried

If you find tiles or sheet flooring, see our guide on asbestos floor tile and vinyl removal. Sheet vinyl and linoleum can have a friable felt backing, which a Class A licensed removalist must handle.

Who can do the work?

A homeowner can remove 10 square metres or less of bonded asbestos without a licence, as long as they follow the safety rules. A single-car garage with walls and a roof can easily exceed that. The whole job counts toward the total.

Over 10 square metres, the work needs a licensed contractor or a certificate holder. Our contractors hold a Class B licence for bonded asbestos. If the shed was burnt in a fire, the material may be friable and a Class A licensed removalist is needed. Call us and we will talk it through. We cover the Toowoomba suburbs and nearby towns.

Rules change, so check the current requirements at asbestos.qld.gov.au.

Before you call

Have these details ready if you can:

• the type of building and when it was built
• which parts are sheeted and roughly how big they are
• whether anything is cracked, broken or burnt
• whether you plan to keep, replace or knock down the shed