Asbestos roof advice sought.

[powertools]

I am in the process of drawing up plans that include major alterations to a former industrial building that has a cement/asbestos sheet roof fitted that will need to be removed.
Has anybody had any experience of this type of project and can advise me on the likely costs and problems that may be encountered in having the roof removed.
The number of sheets is about 48 and they are in good condition, the building is single story and has good access all round.
Thanks in advance.

 

[blackrodd]

A very involved and much discussed subject.
There are peeps here that have shown some experiance on this Asbestos on previous threads.
like the buses, One will be along soon, Rodders

 

[carlb40]

Speak to your local council as i'm not sure how things stand now. I was working for a guy some years ago and was surprised we were allowed to remove the sheets ourselves and bag them up. :shock:

He was then given a ticket to take the bagged asbestos to a correct facility for disposal.

 

[MMUK]

The first step is to have a sample analysed to make sure it is asbestos. This will cost around £80-£100. If the test comes back negative you can remove it yourself but you will need a copy of the test result in order to dispose of it. If the test is positive then you will need to employ a certified contractor to remove it. This can cost up to £1500.

 

[Vic Perrin]

I am sure that you can assume that the sheets are asbestos cement products that will save you the cost of having them analysed. Some Local Authorities allow a small amount of Domestic Asbestos Cement products to be taken to the Disposal Point and indicate that it should be double bagged and labeled as containing Asbestos. This however in our area amounts to a maximum of 6 Sheets.

The amount that you need to dispose of will unfortunately mean that it will be have to be disposed of by an approved disposal contractor.

If you have a look at the HSE web site they give some sound advice on dealing with asbestos cement products.

Cheers


Vic

 

[t8hants]

Have you noticed that the more hazardous the material the harder it is to dispose of thereby guaranteeing that it will be dumped in an inappropriate manner.
It should be made as easy as possible, possibly with a small cash reward, then this material will not be fly dumped, shot over the side of small boats and dug into holes as it is at the moment.

 

[kmp]

I had a similar Asbestos problem to deal with a couple of years back when a builder I had asked for a quote refused to do the work as he believed that a ceiling in an attached double garage was asbestos. I also have previous experience in an industrial setting where removal cost many millions of pounds. I am however, no expert on the subject and my comments purely reflect my own understanding and experience.

One needs to keep a balanced view of the risks from Asbestos as they range from almost zero to considerable depending on type and handling. Many builders still ignore the risks as "I used it all the time and I'm OK, bit like smoking really if you are unlucky you are really UNLUCKY. Anyone who has seen the result of exposure to Asbestos will not take a risk with it or risk anyone they care about.

It is also very difficult to identify without a proper analysis as while the Cement types of products (Chrysotyle) are generally thought to provide less risk this is not always the case as they can also include the more dangerous (Amosite); the most dangerous (Crocidolite) unfortunately can also be present in some cement based products and was widely used in some spray on coatings as well as insulation for pipes boilers etc. You can remove Chrysotyle without any special approval and most councils will accept "domestic" amounts as long as it is double bagged and clearly marked. Personally I wouldn't even touch this type if it was damaged, flaking or broken up during removal. Anything containing the two other types will need to be removed and disposed of by appropriately licensed contractors.

I had mine properly analized at a cost of £120 and despite being told many times it was harmless it contained Amosite so needed appropriate handling. I was told that as it was in good condition it could stay in place and be treated as long as it was clearly marked, my wifes' response to that suggestion was unprintable. This is where more trouble is waiting as many companies use the "Asbestos" factor to ramp up prices. The quotes I obtained ranged from £2.5K to well over £6K for the job. On personal recommendation I chose a local company at £2.8K and they provided a superb service including dealing with all the paperwork and local council etc.

So, down to you really if it is actually Chrysotyle and is removed correctly then it might be a very low risk removal and should not incur too much expense but I wouldn't touch it without a proper analysis.

Keith

 

[Vic Perrin]

I had a similar Asbestos problem to deal with a couple of years back when a builder I had asked for a quote refused to do the work as he believed that a ceiling in an attached double garage was asbestos. I also have previous experience in an industrial setting where removal cost many millions of pounds. I am however, no expert on the subject and my comments purely reflect my own understanding and experience.

One needs to keep a balanced view of the risks from Asbestos as they range from almost zero to considerable depending on type and handling. Many builders still ignore the risks as "I used it all the time and I'm OK, bit like smoking really if you are unlucky you are really UNLUCKY. Anyone who has seen the result of exposure to Asbestos will not take a risk with it or risk anyone they care about.

It is also very difficult to identify without a proper analysis as while the Cement types of products (Chrysotyle) are generally thought to provide less risk this is not always the case as they can also include the more dangerous (Amosite); the most dangerous (Crocidolite) unfortunately can also be present in some cement based products and was widely used in some spray on coatings as well as insulation for pipes boilers etc. You can remove Chrysotyle without any special approval and most councils will accept "domestic" amounts as long as it is double bagged and clearly marked. Personally I wouldn't even touch this type if it was damaged, flaking or broken up during removal. Anything containing the two other types will need to be removed and disposed of by appropriately licensed contractors.

I had mine properly analized at a cost of £120 and despite being told many times it was harmless it contained Amosite so needed appropriate handling. I was told that as it was in good condition it could stay in place and be treated as long as it was clearly marked, my wifes' response to that suggestion was unprintable. This is where more trouble is waiting as many companies use the "Asbestos" factor to ramp up prices. The quotes I obtained ranged from £2.5K to well over £6K for the job. On personal recommendation I chose a local company at £2.8K and they provided a superb service including dealing with all the paperwork and local council etc.

So, down to you really if it is actually Chrysotyle and is removed correctly then it might be a very low risk removal and should not incur too much expense but I wouldn't touch it without a proper analysis.

Keith

An Excellent response Keith =D>

Vic

 

[powertools]

Thanks for the replies.
This is not a job I would tackle myself in view of the size of the roof but I think the way forward is to get local quotes and see what happens but as said above I have a feeling that this could prove to be a costly problem.

 

[beech1948]

I agree with much that has been said but in the end it all depends on your local authority.

I removed 8 sheets about 8x2 ft of what I assumed to be asbestos cement. I bagged it x2 and had agreed with the local authority that the asbestos was fully encapsulated by the cement. I disposed of all 8 sheets at the same time.

Fully encapsulated means that there is no free asbestos blowing about. So don't break any. Weat gloves, mask and all over disposable body suit. My real issues were removing slowly and with care so as not to break any....it can be difficult.

Al

 

[ChrisR]

Have you noticed that the more hazardous the material the harder it is to dispose of thereby guaranteeing that it will be dumped in an inappropriate manner.
It should be made as easy as possible, possibly with a small cash reward, then this material will not be fly dumped, shot over the side of small boats and dug into holes as it is at the moment.

How right you are.

Take care.

Chris R.

 

[finneyb]

And once you have got the asbestos issue sorted don't forget its a fragile roof best to work from below and crop the bolts and remove the sheets from there - then you can't fall through.

Brian