Shed Demolition and Asbestos in SA: What Homeowners Need to Know

That rusty old shed down the back has had its day — but before it comes down, there’s one question that matters more than any other: does it contain asbestos? Here’s what homeowners in Adelaide’s north-east need to know before demolishing a shed, cubby, carport or lean-to.

Why asbestos matters with old sheds

Asbestos was widely used in Australian building products until the mid-1980s. In sheds and outbuildings it most often turns up as:

• Flat or corrugated fibro (asbestos cement) sheeting on walls and roofs
• Eaves and lining boards in sheds attached to older homes
• Fibro fencing next to or behind the shed
• Old water pipes, flues and vents

Much of the north-east was built from the 1950s to the 1980s — suburbs like Elizabeth, Ingle Farm, Para Hills, Ridgehaven and Redwood Park — so original sheds and outbuildings here deserve a careful look.

Asbestos cement in good condition, left undisturbed, is generally considered low risk. The danger comes when it’s broken, cut, drilled, sanded or water-blasted, releasing fibres that can be breathed in.

How to tell if your shed might contain asbestos

You can’t tell for sure by looking. Warning signs include:

• The shed was built before the mid-1980s
• Grey, flat or corrugated sheeting that looks like cement
• Old fibro-style fencing, eaves or lining nearby from the same era
• No paperwork showing what it was built from

The only way to know for certain is to have a sample tested. SA’s asbestos information site (asbestos.sa.gov.au) has a find-and-identify tool and a residential asbestos checklist. If in doubt, treat it as asbestos until proven otherwise.

Who can remove asbestos in SA?

Here’s what South Australian government guidance says:

• Homeowners aren’t legally required to hold a licence to remove asbestos-containing material from their own property — but it’s recommended you use a licensed asbestos removalist, who has the training and equipment to do it safely.
• Builders, tradies and other contractors can’t remove more than 10 square metres of non-friable (bonded) asbestos without an asbestos removal licence from SafeWork SA.
• Friable asbestos (crumbly material that can be reduced to powder by hand) must always be removed by a licensed asbestos removalist.

Once you engage a contractor, your property becomes a workplace while the work happens, and work health and safety laws apply to them.

Disposing of asbestos

Asbestos can’t go in your household bins, can’t go out in council hard waste collections, and isn’t accepted at NAWMA’s Resource Recovery Centres. It must be wrapped and sealed to strict standards and taken to an EPA-approved asbestos disposal facility. The EPA SA website lists approved facilities and the requirements, and licensed removalists handle this as part of their job.

Do you need approval to demolish a shed?

In South Australia, demolishing a building counts as “development” under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act, but some minor work is exempt. Removing a small, freestanding garden shed generally doesn’t need approval. Check with your council or PlanSA before you start if the structure:

• Is large, or attached to the house
• Is on a heritage-listed property or in a heritage area
• Shares a boundary wall with a neighbour
• Was part of a development approval (for example, a garage on the original plans)

Steps for an asbestos-free shed demolition

If the shed is clear of asbestos (or a licensed removalist has dealt with it), the rest is straightforward:

1. Empty it out. Sort what’s staying and what’s going. Paint, chemicals and gas bottles go to a free household chemical drop-off — see our paint and chemical disposal guide. A shed clean-out can take care of the junk.
2. Disconnect power. If the shed has power, have a licensed electrician disconnect it safely first.
3. Check what’s under and around it. Concrete slab, pavers or bare ground? Decide whether the slab is staying.
4. Dismantle and remove. Roof sheets, wall cladding, frame and fixings come down in order, and steel is separated for metal recycling.
5. Leave the site clear. Screws, nails and offcuts picked up so the area is safe for kids and pets.

What about the concrete slab?

Many sheds sit on a concrete slab. If you’re putting up a new shed of a similar size, the existing slab may be reusable — check it’s level and not badly cracked. If it’s coming out, breaking up and removing concrete is a heavier job, and council hard waste won’t take it. Let us know when you ask for a price so we can plan for it.

What we do

We dismantle and remove garden sheds, lean-tos, cubbies, carports, pergolas, timber fencing and old water tanks across the north-east — see our light demolition service. We don’t remove asbestos. If your shed has fibro-style sheeting, have it tested first; if it contains asbestos, a licensed removalist needs to deal with that part, and we can remove the rest of the structure and clean up afterwards.

Here’s what one customer said after we demolished their shed:

“We needed our shed demolished and removed. James did a great job, arrived on time as organised. Completed the task in a professional manner and didn’t waste any time. Left site very clean. Highly recommend this business, very reliable, professional and polite, i wouldn’t hesitate to use them again.” — Paul C., Google review

Ready to get rid of the old shed?

Send us a few photos of the shed — including a close-up of the wall and roof sheeting — and tell us roughly when it was built. We’ll let you know straight away if we think it needs testing first, and give you an upfront price for the demolition and removal. Check your suburb is covered on our areas we service page.