Why older Melbourne roofs deserve a closer look
Asbestos cement products were widely used in Australian housing until the late 1980s, and a total ban on asbestos came into force across the country at the end of 2003. Plenty of Melbourne homes from the post-war building boom, along with countless garages, carports and backyard sheds, still carry the original grey corrugated sheeting.
On a well-kept roof that nobody touches, the material can sit quietly for years. The problems start when it weathers, cracks in a hailstorm, gets walked on or is disturbed during renovation. At that point fibres can be released, and breathing them in is linked to serious lung disease. That is why the rules around removal are strict and why this is not a weekend project.
Spotting likely asbestos roofing
Only a lab can confirm asbestos, but some clues should make you cautious:
- Age of the building. Homes and outbuildings built or extended before about 1990.
- Corrugated grey sheeting with a fairly deep profile, often with a lichen-covered or pitted surface.
- Flat sheets used as eaves lining or soffits, sometimes with a fine dimpled texture.
- Ridge cappings and barge pieces moulded from the same grey material.
- Older fibre cement gutters or downpipes, though these are less common.
Concrete tiles, terracotta, slate and steel do not contain asbestos themselves, but houses with those roofs may still have asbestos eaves linings, flues or old flashings underneath. Brick veneer homes from the 1960s to the 1980s across the eastern and western suburbs are a common example.
Step one: testing
If you suspect asbestos, get it tested before planning any work. A licensed asbestos assessor or other competent person can take a sample safely, sealing the spot afterwards, and send it to an accredited laboratory.
You may also want an asbestos register or survey for the whole property if a bigger renovation is coming. That document lists where asbestos-containing materials are located, which makes it far easier for every trade on site to avoid them.
Step two: understand the legal thresholds
WorkSafe Victoria regulates asbestos removal. Under WorkSafe Victoria's rules:
- More than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos must be removed by a licensed asbestos removalist.
- Friable asbestos (crumbly material that can be broken by hand pressure) requires a removalist holding the higher class of licence, regardless of quantity.
- Licensed removalists must follow notification, work method and safety requirements set by the regulator.
Most roofs are well over the threshold, so in practice a roof removal means a licensed removalist. Even under the threshold, the safety rules on handling, wetting and containment still apply, and the safest advice for homeowners is not to do it themselves.
Step three: removal done properly
A competent removal job usually follows a predictable sequence. This list is general, and your removalist will follow their own work plan:
- Notify the regulator where required and inform neighbours.
- Set up exclusion zones, signage and protection for gardens, windows and neighbouring properties.
- Lightly wet the sheets with low-pressure spray to suppress dust.
- Remove fixings carefully and lift sheets whole wherever possible, rather than breaking them.
- Wrap sheets in heavy-duty plastic and label them as asbestos waste.
- Clean gutters, roof space access points and the surrounding area of debris.
- Arrange independent clearance before the area is reoccupied or the next trade starts.
Things that should never happen
Some practices are banned or simply dangerous. If you see or are offered any of these, stop and seek advice:
- Water blasting or high-pressure cleaning of asbestos roofing, which can spray fibres across your property and the neighbours'.
- Power tools such as angle grinders, sanders or high-speed drills on asbestos sheets.
- Breaking sheets to make them easier to carry.
- Dumping asbestos in skips, general waste or bushland.
- Clean-and-coat offers aimed at a quick sale, which push the problem onto the next owner and often involve aggressive surface preparation.
Step four: transport and disposal
EPA Victoria regulates how asbestos waste is transported and where it ends up. It must go to a facility licensed to accept it, and the waste is tracked. Your removalist should handle this and be able to show you the records.
Step five: clearance and the new roof
Once the sheeting is off and cleaned up, an independent assessor or competent person inspects the area and issues a clearance certificate. Only then should the roofing contractor begin repairs and installation.
What goes on next depends on the house. Colorbond steel is the most common replacement on homes that previously had corrugated sheeting, because it is light and the existing frame was designed for a lightweight roof. Moving to tiles is possible but adds load, which may need engineering and a building permit. Our council approval guide explains how to check.
| Stage | Who usually does it | What you should receive |
|---|---|---|
| Sampling and lab testing | Asbestos assessor or competent person | Lab report |
| Removal of more than 10 square metres | WorkSafe-licensed removalist | Work plan, notification details |
| Transport and disposal | Removalist, via an EPA-licensed facility | Disposal records |
| Clearance inspection | Independent assessor or competent person | Clearance certificate |
| New roof and roof plumbing | Roofing contractor, registered roof plumber | Compliance certificate for qualifying plumbing work |
What affects the overall price
We do not publish removal prices on this page, because the figures move a lot from job to job. The main drivers are roof area, height and access, the condition of the sheeting, whether eaves linings or other materials are involved, disposal arrangements and the type of replacement roof. The roof replacement cost guide walks through how these factors add up.
Garages, sheds, carports and eaves
The main roof is not the only place asbestos turns up. On many suburban blocks the house roof was replaced with tiles or steel decades ago, while the old garage, the backyard shed or a lean-to carport still wears its original grey sheeting. Those smaller structures are often in worse condition because nobody has maintained them, and they are more likely to be knocked about by ladders, falling branches or kids climbing on them.
Eaves linings are another common source. Flat fibre cement soffits were standard on many brick veneer homes, and they are easy to damage when a contractor replaces fascia boards or gutters. If your re-roof includes new fascia, tell every trade involved that the eaves may contain asbestos so they can plan around it. A quick test before work starts costs far less than cleaning up after an accidental disturbance.
For smaller outbuildings, the 10 square metre threshold can sometimes come into play. Even then, removal still has to follow the safety rules, and engaging a licensed removalist remains the simplest and safest choice.
Asbestos and storm damage
Summer thunderstorms and hail can crack old fibre cement sheets, leaving broken pieces on the ground and in gutters. If that happens:
- keep children and pets away from debris,
- do not sweep, mow over or hose the fragments,
- cover small pieces with damp sheeting if you can do so without handling them,
- call your insurer, since storm damage is often covered while gradual deterioration usually is not, so check your policy,
- arrange a licensed removalist to clean up.
Our storm damage roof replacement page has more on the insurance side.
Arranging removal and replacement
Roof Repair Melbourne VIC arranges free on-site quotes from independent local contractors for asbestos roof removal and replacement. We do not do the removal ourselves. The contractors we work with are expected to hold the licences, registrations and insurance their part of the job requires, and we encourage you to ask to see each document before anyone climbs a ladder.