Taking the sheets off an old garage roof is only half the job. The other half is getting rid of them, and that is where homeowners in Hampshire most often run into trouble. Asbestos cement is classed as hazardous waste. It cannot go in the general rubbish, a builder's skip, a household recycling bin or the boot of a car heading for the tip. It has to be packed in a particular way, moved by someone entitled to carry it and delivered to a site that is permitted to take it. This guide explains that chain in plain terms, what it means for a typical single or double garage, and how to sort out the local arrangements without breaking the rules.
Why asbestos cement is hazardous waste
Asbestos cement is a mix of cement and asbestos fibres that was used for corrugated garage roofs, wall cladding, gutters and water tanks, most commonly in buildings from the mid twentieth century. While the sheets are intact and undisturbed, the fibres stay locked in the cement. The hazard comes when the material is broken, drilled, scrubbed or crushed, which releases fibres that can be breathed in. Because the harm is caused by dust, the rules for disposal are about keeping the material whole, damp, wrapped and out of contact with other waste.
That is also why you should not take sheets to a skip company and tell them it is old roofing. A skip is tipped, compacted and sorted, and any of those steps can break sheets and release fibres into a place where people are working. If you are not sure whether your garage roof is asbestos cement at all, our guide on how to tell if your garage roof contains asbestos explains the clues and when a sample is worth taking.
How the sheets must be packed
The general principle, set out in HSE guidance on asbestos cement, is that sheets should be removed whole where possible, wetted lightly to suppress dust and wrapped without being broken up. In practice that means:
- Sheets are lowered by hand from the roof, never dropped or thrown to the ground.
- They are stacked flat on pallets or a firm base, and wrapped in heavy-duty polythene sheeting, sealed with tape.
- Smaller pieces, fragments and any dust or debris are placed in strong, clearly marked asbestos waste bags, which are sealed and kept separate.
- The packages are labelled to show they contain asbestos, so anyone who handles them later knows.
- Cleaning tools, disposable overalls and used masks are bagged as asbestos waste too.
The HSE page on non-licensed asbestos work sets out where careful removal of asbestos cement sits, and what changes if the material is going to be broken up. Whoever does the work is expected to carry out a risk assessment, use controls and have trained workers, which applies whether the roof belongs to a house or a business.
Who can carry it, and where it goes
Hazardous waste has to travel with the right paperwork and be moved by a carrier entitled to transport it. The destination must be a landfill cell or facility that holds a permit to accept asbestos. Ordinary builders' merchants, skip yards and household waste sites do not generally take it, and those that do usually have strict rules about booking, packaging and quantity. The Environment Agency regulates the system in England, and its guidance is published on gov.uk.
The legal burden follows the waste. If the sheets turn up fly-tipped on a lane near Basingstoke and can be traced back to your address, you can face the consequences even if you paid someone to take them. That is why a cheap offer from an unnamed van on a social media post is not a bargain. Ask any contractor who will take the waste exactly where it is going and ask for the paperwork afterwards.
The local tip: what to expect in Hampshire
Household waste recycling centres across Hampshire and the neighbouring counties are run by the county council or a contractor, and policies differ about asbestos. Some do not accept it at all. Some accept small quantities of DIY asbestos cement from householders under conditions, such as pre-booking, double-bagging and strict size limits. Those conditions change, so check the current position with the council before you do anything. For homes in Basingstoke and Deane the relevant authority for waste advice is the borough council, basingstoke.gov.uk, and the county council covers the tips themselves.
Even where a council tip takes small amounts, a garage roof is rarely a small amount. A single garage can be a dozen or more full-length sheets, and a double garage is more. They are awkward to wrap, heavy to lift and difficult to move without cracking. That is a practical reason most homeowners hand the whole job, sheets and disposal, to a roofer who has the equipment and the arrangements.
Why not do it yourself
Householders are not forbidden from working on their own garage, and HSE guidance for asbestos cement acknowledges that careful removal is not licensed work. The trouble is the combination of risks. You are working at height on a brittle, often weathered roof. The sheets are fragile, and old fixings may have to be unscrewed or cut. Dust control, protective equipment, washing and the correct packaging all matter. Our answer on whether you can remove an asbestos garage roof yourself covers what the job involves and why most people pass it on.
What a professional job looks like
When we remove an asbestos cement garage roof, the sequence is planned beforehand. We assess the roof, work out how the sheets are fixed and decide how they will come off whole. The area below is cleared and covered. The sheets are lightly wetted, unfixed rather than broken and lowered to a prepared stack. They are wrapped and labelled on site, and the waste leaves the property as hazardous waste. The new roof is then laid on the existing structure, which is checked for rot first. Our fuller guide to asbestos garage roof removal, the rules, process and cost covers the stages and the typical cost ranges.
The method depends on the roof. Where a sheet roof is sound, HSE task guidance for small structures notes that overlaying can sometimes be an alternative to removal, which avoids disposal altogether. It is not suitable if other asbestos materials are present, or if the structure cannot carry the extra layer. We tell you if it is an option for yours.
Questions to ask before you hire anyone
Ask where the waste will be taken and for the paperwork to show it arrived. Ask how the sheets will be removed, whether the roofer will wet them, wrap them and keep them whole. Ask what protective equipment will be used and whether the risk assessment is written down. Ask what happens if the job turns up other suspect materials, such as insulation board. Be wary of anyone who offers to remove sheets cheaply and says disposal is not their concern, or who suggests breaking them up to fit a skip.
Also check that every point is in the quote, including the price for waste handling. A fair quote lists removal, packing, transport and disposal separately from the new roof, so you can see what each part costs. The price ranges published by third-party cost guides for a single garage are wide. Your fixed quote follows the survey.
What happens to the waste afterwards
Asbestos cement that reaches a permitted site is placed in a dedicated area, kept apart from other waste, and covered promptly so that nothing is disturbed. The point of the careful wrapping at your garage is to keep the sheets intact right up to that moment. A sheet that arrives whole and sealed can be handled safely. One that has been broken in a skip, or dragged across a drive, creates exactly the dust the rules are written to prevent.
Other asbestos cement items on a garage
The roof sheets are not always the only asbestos cement on the building. Older garages can have corrugated wall cladding, a flat sheet fascia or barge board, a rainwater gutter and downpipe moulded from the same material, and a flue pipe if the garage held a boiler or heater. Each follows the same logic: leave it whole, do not drill, cut or scrub it, and have it wrapped and removed as hazardous waste. If a garage has been used for storing old insulation board, ceiling tiles or lagging, pause. Asbestos insulating board is a different material, treated by HSE as higher risk, and it is not covered by the simpler rules for cement sheets.
It is common to find a mix. A roof of sheets, a lean-to made of newer fibre-free profiled panels, and a gutter in old asbestos cement can all sit on one building, and the sampling and the disposal plan should cover each part. This is one more reason to have the whole building looked at rather than guessing from a single sheet.
Weather, timing and neighbours
Asbestos cement is best removed on a calm, dry or damp day, not in a gale. Wind lifts light dust and makes lowering sheets from a roof dangerous. A dry hot spell dries the surface faster, so wetting is more important then, whereas heavy rain makes a roof slippery and shortens the working window. We plan around the forecast, and we let neighbours know in advance when the work is happening, since a clear explanation prevents worry. Cars, washing and children are kept away from the working area until it is cleared and cleaned.
Selling, insurers and records
Keep the paperwork from a proper disposal. A record showing that asbestos cement sheets were removed and taken to a permitted site is useful when you sell, since a buyer's solicitor may ask about the garage roof, and it helps if a surveyor raises the question. Our answer on selling a house with an asbestos garage roof covers the other side of the process.
Starting with a survey
If you have an old garage roof in Basingstoke, Hook, Tadley, Alton, Andover or anywhere nearby, we can start with a free survey. We confirm what the roof is made of, photograph it, explain the options and give a fixed written quote that includes disposal. Our workmanship is guaranteed in writing for ten years. To book, use the number 01256 213956, or look at our garage roof replacement in Basingstoke page.
