When I asked if the sheets needed to be bagged, they said not, as they were grade 2 so only 5% asbestos content and they didn’t make much dust.

I’m fairly sure it should have been double bagged – I think that’s the minimum.
Still waiting for ours to be done (somewhat bigger at 20m x 12m) and have been quoted £12k for removal, disposal in proper asbestos skips and fitting of new PVC coated box section steel panels.
Insurance are paying £11.5k towards it so I’m fairly happy!

Well, interestingly, the house across the road with a very similar garage had there’s done a few months ago, by a firm that quoted me and did state they took all the precautions, bagged waste, sealed skip etc.
When they did the work, only one of them was wearing the PPE and the owner didn’t need to clear the garage out at all, rammed with clutter.
So either it wasn’t a risk and the PPE is just for show, to ramp up the price and make the work look prohibitively dangerous, or they have left her with her garage contents contaminated with asbestos fibres. I can’t see how it can be so dangerous as to warrant PPE yet no effort made whatsoever to decontaminate the site and contents.

When I had my garage roof re-done, the contractor removed and bagged the old roof, which he said I should take to the tip to save costs.

It weighed a tonne. We struggled it into a mate’s estate car, repeatedly tearing the wrapping.

We drove to the tip.

We struggled each sheet out of the car (more tearing), and hoisted it into a giant bin marked “ASBESTOS DEATH PERIL HORROR”.

As each raggedly-wrapped sheet crashed down into the ASBESTOS DEATH PERIL HORROR bin, a huge cloud of dust rose into the air.

We did that about 8 times.

Then we dusted ourselves down, went home and made wills.

🙂

So either it wasn’t a risk and the PPE is just for show, to ramp up the price and make the work look prohibitively dangerous,

Or the guys that did it are pillocks.

Not pillocks…..indeed, when the boss of said firm quoted me and I suggested it was more than his competitors, he specifically suggested that they knew what they were doing, with 40+ years experience between them. Unlike his competitors, who would send, and I quote, ” a 22 year old with a baseball cap and tattoos on the hands and neck”.

Guy who came round to quote for removal said garage would need to be fully cleared and then they would do air sampling when complete to confirm that there was no asbestos in the air.

That sounds to me like the right way to go about it.

Don’t say that…I need to put my bikes back in. 😥

Employ a “specialist” and they will use the paranoia about asbestos to screw you. It’s only asbestos cement sheet.

We did ours and our single Mum neighbour’s 1940s garage roofs. You have to get the special plastic sheeting from the local dump and sign it out. Buy a couple of rolls of sticky tape. Then wearing a mask, soak everything with a hose and cut the heads off the nails with an angle grinder, removing the sheets whole, well wetted, and wrapping them in the sheet. Take them back to the dump and put them in the special container, from where they will be taken and dumped in a landfill then crushed by a big tractor with knobbly metal wheels. Ha ha.

A consistent requirement seems to be bagging it up but this wasn’t done.
Mmmmm.

Our LA will provide the bags and arrange collection of the sheets for £120.

This is what we will be doing with ours come spring using suitable masks and common sense.

Mmmmm indeed,

I suspect your sheeting is currently adornig a field gateway somewhere not million miles from your abode.

I wouldn’t even risk taking it off myself.

Then theres the what happens after it leaves my ownership.

Personally I’d get it professionally removed. I’m sure your council would fine you heavily if they found out otherwise???

Don’t confuse the roofing sheets and internal linings.

Our garage has an internal lining. I had my own sample lab tested independent of any removal contractor and it was amosite insulation board (the bad stuff). I also believe it sheds tons of fibres if broken (and the stuff is nailed on so it isn’t going to be clean removal).

14 day HSE notification before it can be touched

Fine as it is (painted) but after living with it for 17 years it is finally coming out next week as just can’t do any building work around it.

There is one very professional local contractor that does all local council work at schools etc. 1 day on site is costing £1100 + VAT 🙁

That needs completely clear garage and door removed. They do the full airlock, negative pressure etc (to stop fibres going into our adjoining house) and an indepent inspector to test outgoing air for fibre content before they can remove the airlock. Sounds like the longest part of the job is cleanup (garage walls etc) once removed. HSE can and do spot check them that they do the job properly.

globalti has the right idea, wet is and sheet it with either bags or big poly sheets and tape. Don’t smash it up to get it in a bag. Its not a had job, just be careful and logical but do wear the correct mask and coveralls.

Did the chaps that took it away leave you any paperwork? That will tell you where they are taking it (part 4 of section A to be precise). If you didn’t get anything like that, you may find it in a local hedge bottom.

I’m busy verifying the removal of some asbestos impacted soils at the moment, and the above has made for some interesting reading to say the least! I’d recommend that if you’re worried at all speak to your local Environmental Health Officer who should be able to give you some advice, also the HSE website has some good articles and FAQs: linky

EDIT: Just a note on wetting things, ideally this should be with a ‘wetting agent’ – pure water doesn’t actually work as well, so you should add a small amount of washing liquid. Also, be aware that your footwear may also be contaminated, it’s not just a case of throwing away your suit at the end.

Same for me as mick_r (whereabouts are you based – your quote is a fair bit cheaper than the one I’ve had – £1.7k – single garage – ceiling and around the up and over door)

skiprat – Member
globalti has the right idea, wet is and sheet it with either bags or big poly sheets and tape. Don’t smash it up to get it in a bag. Its not a had job, just be careful and logical but do wear the correct mask and coveralls.

Did the chaps that took it away leave you any paperwork? That will tell you where they are taking it (part 4 of section A to be precise). If you didn’t get anything like that, you may find it in a local hedge bottom.

No…I think I might need to call EHO now tbh.
The other company did say they’d issue a disposal certificate.
It’s not as if the contractor was some random bloke, this was a bona fide company, or so I thought.

Rockhopper70 I would be worried where it ended up whats left behind that you cant see.

if it helps for a simple test i used scopes lab http://www.scopesaasl.co.uk – I took a diy(*) sample of suspect roofing and sent it double bagged with £25 cash and a covering letter – certified result was back in 3 days (negative in my case)

* involved a scuba mask and snorkel, i made sure my wife wasn’t in so she couldn’t take photos before you ask

I wonder, and this is just a wonder, if it was asbestos cement at all.
The quote refers to the sheets as asbestos cement sheets, but the invoice simply refers to roof sheets.
So, have the used a scare tactic to get the work, and then covered their arse with the EHO, by referring to at as roof sheets on the invoice? Suggesting something really quite inert.
How they know that I’m not sure as I am not aware that they tested a sample.

This is doing my head in now…and I’m reluctant to reinstate the clutter in the garage!

hora – Member
Rockhopper70 I would be worried where it ended up whats left behind that you cant see.

…not helping…….. 😕

For peace of mind you can hire HEPA vacuums for sucking up loose fibres, and then giving everything a coat of paint/liquid DPM should significantly reduce the risk of any stray fibres floating about the place.

I have a company that removes and replaces industrial roofing and cladding, including asbestos.
Depending on which type of asbestos, it may or may not be very harmful.
The problem you have is most companies get charged a minimum rate for dispossal so its easier to keep it on if posible.
The cheapest way is to oversheet by using a spacer bar and a new plastisol top sheet, if you want any more advise feel free to get i touch at info at elevationcladding.co.uk

Hope this helps,

Fraser

I spoke to the EHO on Friday. She couldnt do a great deal to enforce how this company worked but did suggest that I might not want to go into the garage and start sweeping up all the mess left.
They did suggest that I report the company to the HSE for being a little cavalier, shall we say, with the health and safety of their employees. That might be opening a can of worms for myself!
So, today, I’ll be making contact with specialist cleaners and see what it might cost to clean the garage.
The installer is yet to respond to my written questions about their method of working and disposal.