The short answer
Fortified Roofing Group, a northside Brisbane roofer, publishes $14,000 to $30,000 for removing an asbestos roof and putting a new one on “for many residential properties”, or $90 to $110 per m². For removal on its own, whatsthedamage.com.au’s Brisbane figures are $50 to $130 per m² (typical $85, GST included). Removal over 10 m² must be done under a class A or B asbestos removal licence, which is a large part of the cost.
Asbestos roof replacement cost: removal and new roof together
One price for the whole job, the asbestos sheets off and a new metal roof on, is the easiest to compare. Two South East Queensland roofers publish one.
Asbestos roof removal and new roof: published prices
| Job | Published price | Who publishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Full asbestos roof replacement (removal and new roof), “for many residential properties” | $14,000 – $30,000 | Fortified Roofing Group |
| Full asbestos roof replacement, per m² | $90 – $110 per m² | Fortified Roofing Group |
| Asbestos roof removal and a Colorbond re-roof, combined (“removal, disposal, new roofing materials, installation, scaffolding, edge protection and clearance documentation”) | $18,000 – $32,000 | A.M.J Metal Roofing (Capalaba) |
Checked 22 October 2026. Fortified Roofing Group is a northside Brisbane contractor (Geebung); its post was updated 3 July 2026; GST not stated. A.M.J Metal Roofing is a Redland City contractor (Capalaba), not a Brisbane City business; its post was published 9 July 2026; GST not stated. By our arithmetic, AMJ’s own separate figures (removal $7,500 to $17,000, plus a new roof $12,000 to $25,000) add up to $19,500 to $42,000, more than its combined band, so read the combined figure with care.
Asbestos cement to Colorbond: national figures
| Job | Published price | Who publishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos cement sheet to Colorbond, per m² (national) | $140 – $250 | Yakka Labour |
| Asbestos cement sheet to Colorbond, typical 200 m² home (national) | $28,000 – $50,000 | Yakka Labour |
Checked 22 October 2026. From Yakka Labour’s national roof replacement table (published 1 October 2026, GST included). These are national figures, not Brisbane rows; the same table gives “Old metal to Colorbond” at $85 to $140 per m².
Asbestos roof removal cost on its own
Removal is sometimes quoted separately, when a licensed asbestos removalist works alongside the roofer. AMJ prices Queenslanders and two-storey houses with steep roofs well above cottages.
Asbestos roof removal prices for Brisbane
| Removal | Published price | Who publishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos-cement roof removal, licensed, per m², not including the new roof (Brisbane metro) | $50 low · $85 typical · $130 high | whatsthedamage.com.au |
| Asbestos roof removal as an add-on to a re-roof (Brisbane metro) | $5,000 low · $10,000 typical · $16,000 high | whatsthedamage.com.au |
| Removal only, uncomplicated Brisbane job with good access, per m² | $70 – $85 | A.M.J Metal Roofing (Capalaba) |
| Removal only, three-bedroom house (150 to 200 m²) | $7,500 – $17,000 | A.M.J Metal Roofing (Capalaba) |
| Removal only, cottages | $4,000 – $6,000 | A.M.J Metal Roofing (Capalaba) |
| Removal only, “Queenslanders and two-story houses with steep roofs” | upwards of $15,000 – $20,000 | A.M.J Metal Roofing (Capalaba) |
Checked 22 October 2026. whatsthedamage.com.au: Brisbane metro, updated 8 October 2026, “Prices include GST”. A.M.J Metal Roofing (Capalaba, Redland City): published 9 July 2026, GST not stated; the per-m² row is its “more realistic range” for “an uncomplicated job in Brisbane (with good accessibility conditions)”.
Asbestos roof removal: national figures
| Removal | Published price | Who publishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Corrugated asbestos cement roof removal, per m², plus scaffold or edge protection | $35 – $70 | Yakka Labour |
| Removing the roof from an average single-storey house of 150 to 200 m², including scaffold or edge protection and disposal | $7,000 – $15,000 | Yakka Labour |
National figures from Yakka Labour’s asbestos removal guide (published 1 October 2026, GST included), checked 22 October 2026. Yakka says this is “before the new roof goes on”.
Disposal, clearance and scaffold costs
Check whether each of these is inside the quote or added on.
Asbestos roof extras: disposal, clearance, scaffold and minimum charges
| Extra | Published price | Who publishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos disposal, per tonne | around $300 – $500 | A.M.J Metal Roofing (Capalaba) |
| Clearance inspection and certificate | $300 – $700 | A.M.J Metal Roofing (Capalaba) |
| Scaffold on a two-storey house (any re-roof) | $3,000 – $8,000 | Yakka Labour |
| Minimum charge many asbestos removalists set (national) | $2,000 | hipages |
Checked 22 October 2026. AMJ (Capalaba): published 9 July 2026, GST not stated; it says “Budget $300 to $700” for clearance. Yakka Labour: national roof replacement guide, 1 October 2026, GST included. hipages: national article, last updated 27 November 2025, which says “Many asbestos removers have a minimum removal cost of $2,000”; GST not stated.
Why licensed asbestos removal costs what it does
The Queensland Government says a business removing more than 10 m² of bonded asbestos “can only carry out this work under the authority of a class B or class A asbestos removal licence”. Licensed removal comes with steps that each take time and money. Among them, the Queensland Government lists:
- preparing an asbestos removal control plan
- “erecting signage and barricades” and “limiting access to the asbestos removal work area”
- “having decontamination facilities available”
- “disposing of asbestos waste properly”
- “notifying Workplace Health and Safety Queensland five days prior to work commencing”
After removal from a house, the licensed removalist must arrange a clearance inspection by an independent competent person, who issues a written clearance certificate only if the area is free from visible asbestos contamination. Before you accept a quote, check the removalist on WorkSafe Queensland’s list of licensed asbestos removalists and the roofer on the QBCC licensee register.
What an asbestos roof quote should list
- The roof area in m², and whether it’s the house, a garage, carport or patio
- Who holds the asbestos removal licence: the roofer’s business or a named subcontractor
- Removal, wrapping, transport and disposal fees
- The clearance inspection and certificate
- Scaffold and edge protection, especially on a highset or two-storey house
- The new roof: steel brand, profile, colour, sarking or blanket, flashings and ridge capping
- Batten replacement or tie-down upgrades, priced per metre or per item
- Gutters and downpipes, as a separate line
- Whether GST is included
Common questions
Is it cheaper to remove an asbestos roof myself?
Only with a certificate, for most roofs. Home renovators need a certificate approved by Queensland Health to remove more than 10 m² of bonded asbestos, and the whole job counts toward the 10 m². You also have to wrap and dispose of the waste properly. We’d rather you didn’t try it on a roof: working at height on brittle sheets is dangerous on its own.
Do I have to replace an asbestos roof?
No. The Queensland Government says “You don’t need to remove asbestos” that’s in good condition, and its roof fact sheet says well-maintained asbestos cement roofs “are not a risk to human health unless they are physically disturbed or being worked on”. The asbestos roofs guide covers when to leave, seal or replace one.
Can I seal or paint my asbestos roof instead?
Yes, as long as it isn’t water-blasted first. The fact sheet says: “Instead of cleaning an asbestos cement roof, apply a fungicide or sealant or consider replacing it.” Its safe work procedure for painting a corrugated asbestos cement roof says to apply primer “with a brush and paint roller, not a compressor”.
Why is an asbestos roof dearer to replace than a metal roof?
Because removal is a licensed job with its own controls, disposal and clearance before the new roof goes on. Yakka Labour’s national table puts old metal to Colorbond at $85 to $140 per m², against $140 to $250 per m² for asbestos cement sheet to Colorbond.
What does a small fibro garage or carport roof cost?
No Brisbane publisher prices one separately. Small jobs can hit a removalist’s minimum charge; hipages says many set “a minimum removal cost of $2,000” nationally. Ask for removal and the new roof priced together.
Is an asbestos test worth paying for before I get quotes?
The Queensland Government says untested materials should be assumed to contain asbestos, so a grey corrugated cement roof on a pre-1990 building is normally priced as asbestos. A laboratory test is more useful for materials you’re unsure of, such as flat sheeting or patched sections, where a negative result would change the job.
Where this information comes from
The prices, rules and advice on this page come from these published pages, checked on 22 October 2026.
- Fortified Roofing Group: asbestos roof removal cost Brisbane · Brisbane northside roofing contractor (Geebung), published 29 June 2026, updated 3 July 2026
- A.M.J Metal Roofing: how much does it cost to remove an asbestos roof · South East Queensland roofing contractor (Capalaba, Redland City), published 9 July 2026
- whatsthedamage.com.au: roofing cost Brisbane · National cost-guide website with Brisbane rows, published 15 January 2026, updated 8 October 2026
- Yakka Labour: roof replacement cost guide · Labour-hire company’s national cost guide, published 1 October 2026
- Yakka Labour: asbestos removal cost guide · Labour-hire company’s national cost guide, published 1 October 2026
- hipages: how much does asbestos removal cost · National trades directory article, last updated 27 November 2025
- Queensland Government: asbestos removal work · Queensland Government asbestos website (no page date shown)
- Queensland Government: clearance inspections · Queensland Government asbestos website (no page date shown)
- Queensland Government: asbestos questions for homeowners and the general public · Queensland Government asbestos website (no page date shown)
- Queensland Government: homeowner’s certificate to remove asbestos · Queensland Government asbestos website (no page date shown)
- Queensland Government: which businesses are licensed to remove asbestos in Queensland? · Queensland Government asbestos website, linking WorkSafe Queensland’s list of class A and B licence holders
- Queensland Government: common locations of asbestos in buildings · Queensland Government asbestos website (no page date shown)
- Queensland Government: preparing and painting a corrugated asbestos cement roof (safe work procedure) · Queensland Government asbestos website (no page date shown)
- Queensland Government: cleaning asbestos cement roofs (fact sheet) · Queensland Government, version 2, October 2020
- QBCC licensee register · Queensland Building and Construction Commission’s public register
