- Asbestos is most dangerous when disturbed and an old roof that is repaired will still need regular maintenance to keep it in working order. Drilling holes or hammering nails releases tiny asbestos fibres into the air. If breathed in these fibres are extremely dangerous to health.
- Long term a garage roof that is clad may still leak and you will still have the problem of repairing a roof with asbestos panels underneath.
- An asbestos garage roof will show up on a home report and may put buyers off when you come to sell your house.
The issue with 'Cladding Over'
In particular, I come across many people who have actually been advised to clad over their existing garage roof. This is very bad advise in my opinion. It is usually suggested by dodgy roofers who don't want to have to worry about the safe removal and disposal of asbestos sheets. Cladding over is a short term fix that only creates an even bigger problem to solve further down the line. It usually leads to the removal and replacement of a double roof which is something I have had to do many times and which costs a lot more money.
We believe that it is much better, in the long run, to do the job properly and remove the roof completely. Although asbestos is very hazardous, the roof can easily be removed if the correct safety precautions are taken. It is best to choose a company that specialises in asbestos removal. They will have the correct equipment to carry out the job safely and will be licensed by SEPA to dispose of it at a special disposal facility. An asbestos garage roof can usually be removed and replaced within one day. So in a very short space of time, you will be rid of the problem forever.
Unfortunately, the extra safety precautions and the extra cost of disposal do make asbestos garage roofs slightly more expensive to remove. This means the total cost of removing your old garage roof and replacing it with a brand new one will be slightly higher. However, it is still probably not as expensive as you might think. My advice to customers is, if the quote is more expensive than you had originally budgeted for then simply don’t do anything until you are in a position to have the job done properly.
If you do decide to go ahead, it is worth shopping around and finding a garage roofing company that you feel you can trust. Check out how long they have been in business and look at their website and their customer reviews and testimonials.
If you are thinking about replacing your asbestos garage roof we would love to hear from you. Please give Garage Roof Scotland a call on 07932637646 or get in touch for a free no-obligation quote.