Asbestos Roof Replacement Christchurch

Some older Christchurch roofs, garages and sheds are clad in corrugated fibre cement, often called Super Six. Sheets made before asbestos was phased out can contain it. Left alone and intact they are low risk, but once they crack, weather or need replacing, removal has to follow strict WorkSafe rules. This page explains how to tell if your roof might contain asbestos, what the law requires and how a replacement runs.

Decramastic tiles from the same era can also need testing; see our decramastic roof replacement page. For the roofing stage after removal, our re-roofing page covers each step, and the roof replacement cost guide explains what drives price.

Pricing: every roof gets a free on-site measure and an itemised written quote, with a fixed price agreed before any work starts.

Asbestos Roof Replacement by Cheeky's Roofers roofers in Christchurch

Could your roof contain asbestos?

You cannot tell by looking. The only way to know is to have a sample tested by an accredited laboratory, and until then the safe approach is to treat older fibre cement and bitumen-coated roofing as though it does contain asbestos.

Roofs worth testing include grey or white corrugated sheets that are hard and brittle, often on a house, garage or outbuilding built or re-roofed before 2000, and older decramastic tiles. Later fibre cement made without asbestos can look almost identical, which is another reason testing matters. If your house or garage was built before 2000, check before you plan any work on the roof.

Do not water blast, scrub or walk on the sheets
Do not drill, cut or screw into them
Do not pick up or break broken pieces yourself
Do get a test done before any roofing, ceiling or solar work

What WorkSafe requires

Asbestos removal in New Zealand is governed by the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016. WorkSafe issues two removal licences. A Class A licence covers any type and amount of asbestos, including friable asbestos. A Class B licence covers non-friable asbestos, which is what most intact roofing sheets are.

Removing up to and including 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos across a whole job does not need a licence, though it must still be done safely. A full roof is far larger than that, so a licensed removalist must do it, and the licence holder must notify WorkSafe in writing at least five days before work starts.

We arrange removal through WorkSafe-licensed removalists who handle testing, notification, removal, disposal and clearance, and we time it so the new roof goes on straight after.

How It Works

Roof inspection and sample taken for accredited testing

Itemised quote with removal and re-roofing as separate lines

Removalist notifies WorkSafe, then removal and clearance

Purlins checked, underlay laid and new steel roof installed

Flashings and spouting finished, documents handed over

How an asbestos re-roof runs

The job has two stages with a clear handover. The licensed removalist sets up the work area, wets the sheets at low pressure to keep fibres down, takes them off whole wherever possible, wraps them and takes them to an approved disposal site. Nothing is broken up or left loose on your section.

Once removal is done and the area is cleared, our roofing crew takes over. We check the purlins and rafters, lay new underlay and fix the new COLORSTEEL roof. Fibre cement and steel are fixed differently, so purlin spacing is often changed. We also time the work around Canterbury's weather. Wetting and wrapping sheets is easier in calm conditions than in a gusty nor'wester, and we will not leave a roof open with a southerly change on the way.

Cost factors

An asbestos re-roof costs more than a standard steel re-roof because removal, disposal and clearance are specialist work. The main factors are roof area, the state of the sheets, access, how much comes off in whole sheets, disposal and how much timber needs replacing underneath. Hill sites around Cashmere and the Port Hills can need more scaffold than a flat section in Hornby or Rolleston.

You get one itemised quote with removal and re-roofing as separate lines, so you can see what each part costs. If you also want new spouting, now is the time; see our spouting page.

Consent, councils and paperwork

Asbestos removal is controlled by WorkSafe, not building consent. The re-roof itself is assessed separately: a comparable roof in the same position is often exempt under Schedule 1 of the Building Act, but a change of material or structural work can mean consent is needed. In Christchurch the council also has heritage rules under Plan Change 13, and in Selwyn or Waimakariri the district council is the consent authority. We confirm what applies before quoting.

Keep every document from the job: the test result, the removalist's details, the clearance and our records of the new roof. Buyers, insurers and building inspectors may ask for them.

Why Choose Cheeky's Roofers for Asbestos Roof Replacement

Test first, always

We do not quote to remove a roof that might contain asbestos until it has been tested.

Licensed removal

Removal is done by WorkSafe-licensed removalists who notify WorkSafe and handle disposal.

One coordinated job

Removal and re-roofing are scheduled back to back, so your house is not left exposed.

Paperwork you keep

You get the test result, clearance and roof records in one place.

Asbestos Roof Replacement FAQs

Is my Super Six roof dangerous?

Intact, undisturbed sheets are low risk. The danger comes when they are broken, cut, drilled, water blasted or badly weathered, which can release fibres. Get it tested before any work.

Can I paint or overlay an asbestos roof instead?

Painting usually involves cleaning, and WorkSafe warns against high-pressure water on asbestos materials. Overlaying leaves the asbestos in place for someone to deal with later. Replacement is the long-term fix.

Can I remove the sheets myself?

Only up to 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos across the whole job, done safely. A roof is far bigger, so a licensed removalist must do it.

How long does an asbestos re-roof take?

Removal usually takes a short time once WorkSafe has been notified at least five days ahead. The re-roof then takes about as long as a standard re-roof of the same size.

Do I need to leave the house?

Usually not for a roof, because the removal is done from outside with controls in place. The removalist will tell you if any part of the house needs to be kept clear.

Does decramastic contain asbestos?

Some older decramastic does, in the bitumen layer. That is why we test before quoting a decramastic removal.

Asbestos Roof Replacement Across Christchurch

We cover every region: Central Christchurch, North Christchurch, East and Coastal Christchurch, South Christchurch and Port Hills, West Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri.

Related Roofing Services

See the roof replacement cost guide or every service we offer.

Sources and further reading