# Forum Home Renovation Asbestos  remove garage that contains asbestos

## torad

We have a garage (the original with the ex-gov house) that I'm assuming contains asbestos (house built in Canberra in the 60's) that we want removed.  
Have been reading a bit about asbestos removal in the ACT but just wondering what the best (cheapest but still safe) way to do it is. I think our options are: 
(1) pay a professional asbestos remover to come and take care of the whole job (garage panels, roof, frame and concrete slab) 
(2) dismantle the whole garage ourselves and pay someone to take just the asbestos away (and we get a skip for the rest) 
(3) dismantle the whole garage ourselves and break up the asbestos sheets and take them to the tip (wrapped up etc) (and probably get a skip for the rest) 
Anyone got any advice on the best course of action out of these ideas or have any other suggestions? 
Also, do we need to get planning approval for its removal?

----------


## rrobor

Do not break the sheets. You are allowed to take it down provided the area is not more than 200M sq. Best Idea is remove the screws and try to keep the sheets as one piece. Wear masks and keep the sheets wet and it will be fine. Pro doing that will be a three zero number. If you dont have a tow bar, Id hire a ute.

----------


## SilentButDeadly

Option 2 is your best bet.  Transporting larger quantities of asbestos sheeting requires a 'licence' (domestic disposal rules in Vic say you can't fill utee or trailer over the waterline of the sides) so best to get a skip company that can do this... 
Avoid breaking any sheets....I repeat........Avoid breaking any sheets. 
Make sure you and your workers have disposable coveralls and minimum P2 masks....toss both away after use.  If you wear normal clothes without coveralls then toss them away. 
If you wet down the garage & slab and can cover the work area in tarps while you dismantle then this would be a good thing. 
You will probably need planning approval but if you don't tell them then I won't let on.  But then I didn't say that either....

----------


## mattwilliams78

I'm in a similar predicament. This mob were offering a special in our local paper that I was interested in but haven't called them to find out more.  www.shedsandall.com.au 
For $6k they come and take away your old asbestos garage and then build you a 3.6x6m in its place. It didn't include the slab though (not sure how that bit works, I guess they come and knock the old one down then you sort out then slab, give them a bell and they come back to put up the new one. I wonder how long you can leave it?) 
Anyway, I reckon there's at least $1000-$1500 just in fibro dumping costs and the new garage would probably be worth about $3-3.5k so you're paying them $1-2k for the hassle factor. 
If you do do it yourself get one of those proper rubber respirators with the can filters though, much more comfortable than the disposable ones and you can use it for cutting mdf, sanding etc. too. Filters are only $20 and last about 6 months.

----------


## johnstonfencing

Get a professional company in to do it and make sure they are professional as there are alot of cowboys out the who will do it cheap but like anything you get what you pay for. As a fulltime firefighter and taught a lot about asbestos and it's risks I believe that doing yourself to save money now may cost you alot more in the future and not just in the money sense. 
In saying that if you go the DIY avenue please do plenty of research and use the right protective equipment. Goodluck.

----------


## rrobor

Sorry dont agree. If you know the issues with asbestos you wont make mistakes.  I was of an era when Asbestos was the new beaut stuff and Ive drilled holes through the stuff slid sheets up a roof and on walls etc, and there are thousands of pepople like me.  Issues with Asbestos are quite rare and are luck of the draw. for example last case I saw was a woman washing her husbands clothes, whilst her husband was Ok, she was not. I would spray it down, Id try a watered down solution of aquadere and remove it slowly sheet by sheet.

----------


## johnstonfencing

No need to apologise you're entitled to your own opinion.  While I agree if done right it wouldn't be a hassle but why, for the sake of saving a little money, would you want to expose yourself and your family to asbestos that in this era is now known to be dangerous and harmful.
That's just my opinion and at the end of the day it is up to torad as to what direction he will take. 
Cheers

----------


## cherub65

Check with your local skip company, but in Sydney if you double line the bin with builders plastic you can place asbestos straight in the bin, (get one long enough so as not to break sheets in half and only put asbestos in).
With roof sheets the screws tend not to come out to easily, so you can use a cold chisel and hammer to knock off the head off the screws and lift sheets straight off.
P.S try to pick a day when its not to hot, wearing all that safety gear you roast :2thumbsup:

----------

