Drive through almost any Kent town with a run of interwar or post-war housing and the garages tell the same story. Row after row of corrugated cement roofs, most of them laid down between the 1950s and 1980s, a significant proportion of which contain asbestos. It is one of the most common asbestos jobs we handle across the county, and one of the most frequently misunderstood.
This guide covers how to identify an asbestos cement garage roof, why it needs to be removed correctly, and what the asbestos garage roof removal process actually involves.
How Do I Know If My Garage Roof Contains Asbestos?
The most common asbestos-containing garage roofing material in Kent is corrugated fibre cement sheeting, manufactured extensively from the 1950s through to the late 1980s. Visually, it typically appears as:
- Corrugated grey or weathered sheeting
- A heavier profile than modern fibre cement products
- Sheets that have developed moss, algae or visible weathering at the edges and joints
- Cracking or fragmentation along the edges or around fixing points
Visual appearance alone cannot confirm whether a roof contains asbestos. The only reliable confirmation is laboratory analysis of a sample. However, as a general rule any corrugated cement roof installed before 2000 should be treated as a suspect material until tested.
If you are not sure, do not attempt to test, handle or disturb the material yourself. Send us a photograph and your postcode and we can usually give you a strong same-day assessment.
Is an Asbestos Garage Roof Dangerous?
An intact asbestos cement roof that is left completely undisturbed produces very little fibre release. The risk increases significantly when the material is:
- Cracking, crumbling or breaking apart due to weathering and age
- Being drilled, broken or cut without proper controls
- Handled during removal without trained operatives and the correct equipment
The condition of most garage roofs in Kent is well past their intended design life. Decades of exposure to rain, frost and moss have left vast numbers of them brittle and beyond the point where they can be left in place with confidence.
Why DIY Garage Roof Removal Is Illegal
Attempting to remove an asbestos-containing garage roof without proper training is a direct breach of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. Beyond the legal position, DIY removal creates three practical problems:
Exposure risk. Breaking or dropping cement sheets releases fibres that can remain airborne in the working area for extended periods.
Disposal problem. Asbestos cement is classified as hazardous waste under the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005. Household recycling centres will not accept it. General skips cannot take it. If you have been searching for asbestos disposal near me, the answer is that it must be collected by a registered carrier and delivered to a licensed disposal facility. That is the only legal route.
No consignment note. Without a consignment note confirming that the waste reached a licensed facility, you have no legal proof of correct disposal. This matters significantly when you come to sell the property, as solicitors routinely ask for it.
How Garage Asbestos Roof Removal Works
Garage asbestos roof removal carried out correctly follows a specific sequence that limits fibre release at every stage.
Survey and Scope
A surveyor visits the property, assesses the sheets and fixings, checks the timber structure underneath and confirms the applicable work category. Most corrugated cement garage roofs fall into the non-licensed or notifiable non-licensed categories. The survey is free of charge and carried out within the week.
Fixed Written Quotation
The fixed price covers removal, waste disposal, transport to the licensed facility and all documentation including the consignment note. The figure is confirmed in writing within 48 hours of the survey and does not change on the day of the job.
Intact Sheet Removal
This is where correct technique matters most. Sheets are never dropped, slid off the edge or broken during removal. Fixings are extracted first, then each sheet is lifted intact and brought down carefully to ground level. No cutting, no power tools, no dry-breaking.
Debris in the gutters and any fragments already on the ground are collected and treated as licensed waste, not swept to one side.
Licensed Disposal and Paperwork
Everything leaves the site double-bagged with a registered carrier. The consignment note is issued on completion and confirms the full legal chain from your property to the licensed disposal facility.
What Happens to the Roof Structure?
Once the sheets are off, the timber purlins and rafters underneath are inspected and photographed. Any rot or failed timbers are flagged before you commit to a replacement, so the re-roof starts with a complete picture of what needs addressing.
If you want the old roof removed and a new roof installed under a single contract, our Re-Roofs Kent service covers exactly this. The building is left weathertight, typically the same day, with both the consignment note for the old roof and the guarantee for the new one issued together.
How Long Does Garage Roof Removal Take?
A standard single garage is almost always completed in a morning. Larger double garages, units with asbestos cladding on the walls, or properties with multiple outbuildings will take longer, and the expected duration is confirmed in the quotation before you commit to anything.
Asbestos Garage Roof Removal Across Kent
We carry out asbestos removal across Kent including garage roof work in every town and district, from Dartford and Gravesend in the north to Folkestone and Dover on the coast, Maidstone and Canterbury in the centre, and Margate and Ramsgate on the Thanet coast.
Same-week survey slots are available throughout the county. Send us a photograph of the roof and your postcode and we will be back to you the same day.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put my old garage roof sheets in a skip?
No. Asbestos cement is hazardous waste and cannot go in a general skip or be taken to a household tip. It must be collected by a registered carrier and taken to a licensed facility. The consignment note that follows is the legal proof that this happened.
My garage roof is mossy but not broken. Does it need to come off?
A heavily mossed roof is often more fragile than it appears. Moss growth retains moisture and accelerates deterioration at the joints and fixing points. If the sheets are cracking, if fragments are falling or if you are planning any work that might disturb the roof, removal is the safest course of action. We will give you an honest assessment at the survey.
Can you remove the roof and fit a replacement in one visit?
On a standard single garage, yes in most cases. The old roof comes off in the morning and the new system goes on in the afternoon. Both the consignment note and the new roof guarantee are issued together in the completion pack.
What if my neighbour’s garage shares a wall with mine?
Party walls and shared structures are assessed and planned at survey stage. Working methods that protect adjoining structures are standard practice on terraced and back-to-back garage block jobs across Kent.
