Building and renovation

Asbestos removal

Removing asbestos cement or insulation. Notifiable work carries statutory duties and must not be attempted by anybody else.

Post a task Asbestos removal by county

Whether this needs a licence in Ireland

Ireland

Licence required

Notification to the Health and Safety Authority

Notification to the Health and Safety Authority, issued or supervised by the Health and Safety Authority. Ask for the registration number before the work starts and check it on the public register. Check the register: www.hsa.ie

Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor

Health and Safety Authoritywww.hsa.ieChecked 11/10/2026

Asbestos removal: what the job involves

Identifying and safely removing asbestos-containing materials from a home before renovation or because they are damaged: asbestos-cement roofs, sheds and soffits, textured coatings, old floor tiles, pipe lagging and tank insulation. Done by specialist asbestos contractors under strict rules.

Also asked for as: asbestos survey · asbestos testing · asbestos roof removal · Artex ceiling asbestos · asbestos shed roof

How the job is usually done

A refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey by a competent surveyor, with samples tested by a laboratory.
Plan of work and risk assessment by the removal contractor; notification to the HSA at least 14 days before the work where required.
Set up: isolate the area, enclosures and negative-pressure units for higher-risk materials, decontamination facilities.
Remove the materials wet and whole where possible, double-bag or wrap them, and label them as asbestos waste.
Clean the area and, for higher-risk removals, an independent air test and visual inspection before reoccupation.
Transport the waste with a waste collection permit to an authorised facility, and give the homeowner the paperwork.

Asbestos removal: what is included

Usually included

Safe removal of the identified materials
Containment, protective equipment and decontamination
Packaging, transport and disposal of the asbestos waste
Cleaning the work area

Usually not included — agree it separately

The asbestos survey, unless the contractor offers one
Independent air testing, unless agreed
Replacing what was removed: a new roof, ceiling or floor
Accommodation if the household must move out during removal

Materials and who supplies them

Asbestos waste bags and wrapping, enclosures and negative-pressure units — the contractor’s
Protective equipment and respirators

How long it takes

Small removals like a shed roof take a day; enclosures for textured ceilings or lagging take several days, after the 14-day notification period.

When to book

Plan it early: the survey, quotes and a 14-day notification period come before any builder can start.

Asbestos removal: the rules in Ireland

What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.

Work that could expose workers to asbestos fibres above the exposure limit (0.01 fibres per cm³) must be notified to the HSA at least 14 days before it starts, with a plan of work and risk assessment, and done by a competent contractor with trained and protected workers.
Applies to: the asbestos contractor
Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006 to 2010, Regulation 11 — Health and Safety Authority · hsa.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
The regulations limit exposure and set duties for anybody removing asbestos at work, including a ban on new use of asbestos and requirements for training, health surveillance and records.
Applies to: employers and the self-employed
S.I. No. 386 of 2006, as amended by S.I. No. 589 of 2010 · irishstatutebook.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Anybody commissioning building work on a home should have asbestos-containing materials identified by a competent person before refurbishment or demolition; buildings built or refurbished before 2000 can contain them.
Applies to: the homeowner, as client
Health and Safety Authority — asbestos surveys guidance · hsa.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Asbestos waste is hazardous waste and must be carried by a collector with a waste collection permit covering asbestos to an authorised facility.
Applies to: the contractor and the homeowner
Environmental Protection Agency; National Waste Collection Permit Office · epa.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Where more than one contractor works on the job, there is a particular risk (deep excavation, heavy steel, asbestos, a fall from height), or the work lasts more than 30 days, the homeowner must appoint a Project Supervisor Design Process and a Project Supervisor Construction Stage in writing, and keep the safety file. Work lasting more than 30 days or 500 person-days must also be notified to the HSA.
Applies to: the homeowner, as client
Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 — HSA, Getting Construction Work Done Safely: Guide for Homeowners · hsa.ie · Checked 9 October 2026

What asbestos removal costs, and why

What jobs on Talqero came to

Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.

What affects the price

What the material is and how friable it is: cement sheets, textured coating, floor tiles or lagging
Quantity and where it is in the house
Enclosure, air testing and decontamination needed
Disposal of hazardous waste
Access and whether the household can stay
VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced 13.5% rate by a VAT-registered builder, unless materials are more than two-thirds of the price (Revenue’s two-thirds rule)
VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.

Paperwork to ask for at the end

The asbestos survey report with lab results
The HSA notification, plan of work and risk assessment, where required
Waste consignment documents showing where the asbestos went
A clearance certificate or air test results after higher-risk removals

Safety

Do not drill, sand, cut, break or power-wash anything you suspect is asbestos; leave it alone until it is tested.
Undamaged asbestos cement is low risk while left alone; damage and dust are what release fibres.
If asbestos has been disturbed, stop work, keep people out of the area, and do not vacuum the dust with a household vacuum.
Children and pets should be away from the house during higher-risk removals.

Asbestos removal: before you hire

Questions to ask a tradesperson

Will you notify the HSA, and can I see the plan of work?
Who carries the waste, and can I have the consignment notes?
Will there be an independent air test before we use the room again?
What training and insurance do your workers have for asbestos?
Is VAT included?

What you can do yourself

Do not remove asbestos yourself: leave it undisturbed and have it tested and removed by a specialist.

What to put in your task

What do you think contains asbestos?
Has it been tested?
Roughly how much is there?
Is it damaged or crumbling?
Is this ahead of renovation work?

Photos that help

The material, close up and from a distance, without touching or breaking it
Any damaged or broken edges
The room or building it is in, showing access

Building and renovation

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Questions about asbestos removal

Does asbestos removal need a licence in Ireland?

Yes. Notification to the Health and Safety Authority, supervised by the Health and Safety Authority. Source: www.hsa.ie. Ask for the registration number and check it on the public register. Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor.

Could my house have asbestos?

Any Irish house built or refurbished before 2000 can contain it, most commonly in garage and shed roofs, fibre-cement slates and soffits, textured ceilings, old floor tiles and lagging. Only a lab test of a sample confirms it.

Do I have to remove asbestos?

Not if it is in good condition and will not be disturbed; it can be left and monitored. It must be dealt with before renovation that would disturb it, or if it is damaged.

Can my builder remove it?

Only if they are competent and equipped for asbestos work and the job is done under the asbestos regulations, including HSA notification where required. Most general builders use a specialist asbestos contractor.

Often booked with asbestos removal

Builders