Asbestos removal
Safe Work Australia's Model Work Health and Safety Regulations, as at 1 September 2024, are a national model. The document says they do not, by themselves, have any legal effect. Where a state or territory has adopted them, more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos needs a Class B or Class A removal licence, and friable asbestos needs Class A. This guide does not publish a price.
Hire a licensed removalist even where a small bonded job may not need a licence. Precautions still apply, and the local rule can be stricter. Do not sand, cut or pressure-wash material you suspect is asbestos. Ask for an inspection and a written scope before anyone prices the clean-up.
- Safe Work Australia — Model Work Health and Safety Regulations as at 1 September 2024 (opens in a new tab)
- ACT — How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice (approved 2022) (opens in a new tab)
- WorkSafe ACT — asbestos licensing (opens in a new tab)
- SafeWork NSW — unlicensed removal under 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos (opens in a new tab)
- How to check a trade licence
This guide does not publish a dollar figure. We only print a price when a government agency, industry body or manufacturer has published a rate we can link to. Use the factors and the questions when you compare quotes.
What changes the price
- What it is and how much. Under model regulation 487, a person must not remove more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos or asbestos-containing material at a workplace unless they, or the person the work is done for, hold a Class B or Class A licence. Up to 10 square metres of bonded, non-friable sheet can fall outside that trigger, with the precautions the regulations require. Model regulation 485 requires a Class A licence for friable asbestos, such as loose insulation. State and territory rules vary, so check the work health and safety regulator where the house is. SafeWork NSW, for example, says an employer or self-employed person may remove no more than 10 square metres of non-friable material without a licence, and that before doing so they must follow the removal code, warn workers about the health risk, give asbestos awareness training, and arrange health monitoring if the work is likely to be ongoing. SafeWork NSW still recommends a licensed removalist for any amount. In the ACT, the approved code says there is no unlicensed category: all asbestos removal must be done by a licensed removalist unless an exemption in section 419(3), (4) or (5) applies.
- Testing. A sample tested by a lab is more useful than a guess from a photo. Ask who takes the sample.
- Containment and disposal. The quote should say how the area is sealed, where the waste goes, and whether clearance is included.
- What is left behind. Removal is not the new lining, the new roof or the paint. Those are separate trades.
- Neighbours and access. A roof or fence job needs space for containment. Access can change the method.
Questions to ask
- What licence class do you hold here, and can I check it on the public register?
- What material are you removing, and what is excluded?
- Is testing, containment, disposal and a clearance inspection in the price?
- Who is responsible if more asbestos is found?
- What will the house look like when you leave, before the next trade starts?
- What should we do, and not do, before you arrive?
Common questions
Why is there no removal price?
The lawful scope depends on the material and the licence. A generic range would be a guess. Check the licence article for the register in your state, then compare written scopes.
Can any builder remove it?
No. Outside the ACT, the model regulations allow up to 10 square metres of bonded, non-friable asbestos to be removed without a licence if the precautions are followed. More than that needs a Class B licence, and a Class A licence holder may also do that work. Friable asbestos needs Class A. The ACT requires a licensed removalist for any amount, unless a narrow exemption applies. A state can be stricter than the model. A licensed removalist is the safer choice for any amount. Ask for the licence class and look it up on the regulator's register.