Asbestos Roof Removal & Disposal in Cape Town

Asbestos Roof Removal and Disposal in Cape Town

Removing asbestos cement roof sheets, gutters and fascias is regulated work under the Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020. It is carried out by our sister company, Indi Maintenance Services, a Registered Asbestos Contractor (Type 2), under a plan of work, with disposal at a registered site and a clearance certificate at the end. Roof Direct manages the project.

Asbestos roof removal in Cape Town, step by step

Asbestos cement roof sheets were fitted on factories, warehouses, schools, apartment blocks and homes across Cape Town until asbestos was banned in 2008. Many are still in place, now weathered, brittle and cracked.

Asbestos roof removal is regulated work under the Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020. It is carried out by our sister company, Indi Maintenance Services, a Registered Asbestos Contractor (Type 2), certificate 2025RAC/CI-180, valid until 26 August 2028. Indi quotes the asbestos work. Roof Direct inspects the roof, coordinates the project and, where you need one, quotes and installs the new roof. You have one point of contact throughout, and the plan of work and asbestos documents carry Indi’s name.

How is an asbestos roof removed safely?

Every removal follows a written plan of work, which the approved inspection authority compiles with the registered contractor and which you co-sign as the client (regulations 13 and 15). It names everyone involved and sets out the asbestos, removal method, tools, protective equipment, air monitoring and disposal. The Department of Employment and Labour must be notified in writing at least seven days before the work starts (regulation 10).

On site, the regulations set the basic rules:

A regulated asbestos area. The work area is demarcated with the prescribed signs, and nobody enters it without correctly fitting respiratory protection and protective clothing (regulations 18 and 20).
Protective equipment. Everyone who may be exposed is given respiratory protection and protective clothing suited to the work (regulation 19).
Wet methods and careful handling. As far as is reasonably practicable, non-destructive wet methods are used, and the sheets are handled so that dust doesn’t become airborne (regulation 8).
No power tools. Angle grinders and other power tools may not be used to cut, grind or drill asbestos, and compressed air may not be used to blow off dust (regulation 24).
Air monitoring. The approved inspection authority monitors the air during the work (regulation 16).

An asbestos removal supervisor appointed by Indi is responsible for safe removal on site. Andre or our foreman, Randall, oversees the roofing side of the project.

Asbestos disposal

Asbestos waste can’t go into a skip or a municipal dump. Under regulation 21, it is placed in containers that prevent exposure during handling, labelled, and taken to a site specifically designated for asbestos disposal, which issues a disposal certificate. Vehicles and reusable containers are decontaminated after use.

Asbestos may never be sold, reused, reinstalled or recycled, and it may not be stored on site, uncovered or for longer than three months, before final disposal (regulation 24).

The clearance certificate

When the removal is finished, the approved inspection authority inspects the work area, takes air samples to check the result against the clearance indicator, and confirms that all asbestos waste has been removed. It then issues a written declaration for clearance certification (regulation 22). As the client, you are required to obtain this certificate (regulation 11).

Keep the plan of work, disposal certificate and clearance certificate together: they show the asbestos was removed legally, which matters to tenants, buyers and future contractors.

What can be removed

Indi’s Type 2 registration covers the removal of asbestos cement products and asbestos insulating board. On a roof, that includes:

corrugated and profiled asbestos cement roof sheets
ridge cappings and other asbestos cement roof fittings
asbestos cement gutters, downpipes and fascias
garage, carport, outbuilding and storeroom roofs, as well as main buildings

Pipe lagging, sprayed insulation and other loose asbestos materials need a different class of registration, which Indi doesn’t hold. If any are found, we’ll tell you and refer you to a contractor registered for that work.

What happens to the building while the roof is off?

The building is open for as little time as possible: on larger roofs, work is done in sections where practical, with the new roof following behind the removal. We schedule the open-roof stages around the weather forecast, which matters most during Cape Town’s winter rain, roughly May to August.

What can stay in use, and when, depends on the building, and it’s agreed with you before the plan of work is signed.

Removal, then a new roof

Most asbestos roof removals are followed by a new roof, which Roof Direct installs, so the whole job is planned as one project: asbestos roof replacement explains how. You can choose IBR or tile, corrugated or Klip-Lok sheeting, or standing seam; see roof replacement for the materials we install.

If you’re planning solar panels, the asbestos roof has to come off first; see solar on asbestos roofs. If the sheets are still sound and you’d rather keep the roof for now, asbestos encapsulation may be an option.

Your duties as the client

Before Type 2 work, the client provides an up-to-date inventory of the asbestos in place, makes sure a risk assessment is done, appoints an approved inspection authority in writing, and co-signs the plan of work (regulation 11). We guide you through each step. This is general information, not legal advice; for the official text, see the Department of Employment and Labour.

Only an accredited laboratory test can confirm that a material contains asbestos. Until you know, don’t cut, drill, sand or pressure-wash it.

Asbestos removal for every kind of building

Commercial and industrial. Large factory and warehouse roofs are planned around your operations, with a health and safety file for larger projects. See commercial and industrial roofing.
Body corporates. Trustees get itemised quotes they can table, and residents are told in advance where the regulated area will be and when. See body corporate roofing.
Homeowners. From a garage roof to the whole house, the same legal process and paperwork apply.

Get a free asbestos removal quote

Request your quote, call us, or send photos on WhatsApp; for all our asbestos services, see asbestos removal in Cape Town.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to stay at home or at work during asbestos roof removal?

Whether people can stay in the building depends on the site, so we discuss it with you before the plan of work is signed. The work area is demarcated as a regulated asbestos area, and nobody may enter it without the right respiratory protection. The plan sets out access routes, which parts of the building are affected and when, and air monitoring is done by the approved inspection authority.

Can I remove a few asbestos sheets myself?

The regulations class removal of less than 10 square metres of asbestos cement as Type 1 work, which doesn't need a registered contractor and can't be repeated on the same site within six months. Duties still apply. These include written notification seven days ahead, a risk assessment, a safe work procedure, a demarcated area, respiratory protection, no power tools and disposal at a designated site. We recommend a registered contractor. This is general information, not legal advice.

Where does removed asbestos go?

Removed asbestos goes to a disposal site specifically designated for asbestos waste. It is sealed in containers that prevent exposure, labelled, and transported in clearly marked vehicles. The disposal site issues a document for the waste it receives, which you keep on file. Asbestos sheets can never be sold, reused or recycled, and they may not be stored on site for longer than three months before disposal.

Can an asbestos garage roof be removed on its own?

Yes. A garage, carport or outbuilding roof can be removed as a job on its own, and the same rules apply as for a larger roof: notification, a demarcated area, protective equipment, disposal at a designated site and the paperwork. Many owners then put a new IBR or corrugated roof on the garage at the same time, which we install once the asbestos has been cleared.

What happens to asbestos gutters and downpipes?

Asbestos cement gutters, downpipes and fascias are removed in the same way as the roof sheets, by our registered sister company, and disposed of as asbestos waste. They can't be cut down with power tools or reused. We then fit new gutters and downpipes, either Brink or uPVC, so the building isn't left without drainage before the winter rain.

How long does asbestos roof removal take?

It depends on the size of the roof, access and height, the condition of the sheets, the number of gutters and other fittings, and the weather. The regulations also build in preparation time, because the plan of work and notification must be in place at least seven days before work starts. Your quote sets out a planned timeline for your building.