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Class B Asbestos Cladding Removal from Garden Sheds in Auckland – What Homeowners Need to Know Before Demolition or Replacemen

Class B Asbestos Cladding Removal from Garden Sheds – The Hidden Risk in Auckland Backyards

Across Auckland, thousands of older garden sheds, workshops, and storage buildings were built with asbestos cement cladding.
They’re usually tucked away at the back of the section, forgotten about — until the day you decide to knock one down, renovate it, or replace it.

That’s when the problem starts.

What looks like harmless old cement sheeting is often Class B asbestos, and removing it the wrong way can contaminate your entire yard, your home, and even your neighbours’ properties.

This is why Class B asbestos cladding removal from garden sheds must be done by a licensed professional like Asbestos Removalist PropertyHelp Ltd.

What Is Class B Asbestos Cladding in Garden Sheds?

Under the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016, asbestos removal in New Zealand is split into:

  • Class A asbestos – friable, crumbly, very high risk

  • Class B asbestos – non-friable, bonded into solid materials

Most garden sheds built before the 1990s fall into Class B, because asbestos fibres were mixed into cement sheets used for:

  • Shed walls

  • External cladding

  • Old workshops

  • Lean-tos and storage rooms

While intact sheets are relatively stable, once they’re cracked, drilled, snapped, or smashed, asbestos fibres are released into the air.

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Why Garden Shed Asbestos Is Often Missed

Homeowners often underestimate sheds because they’re “outside” and not lived in.
But sheds are actually high-risk because:

  • Sheets are weathered and brittle

  • Many have already been damaged by DIY repairs

  • Soil around sheds often contains asbestos fragments

  • Kids and pets play nearby

  • Wind spreads fibres easily across lawns and gardens

Once fibres get into soil, they’re extremely difficult and expensive to remove.

How Asbestos Removalist PropertyHelp Ltd Removes Shed Cladding Safely

1️⃣ Testing and Identification

PropertyHelp Ltd starts with proper asbestos sampling.
A licensed asbestos assessor collects samples and sends them to an accredited lab. You cannot identify asbestos by sight alone.

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2️⃣ Asbestos Removal Control Plan (ARCP)

Once asbestos is confirmed, PropertyHelp Ltd prepares a Class B Asbestos Removal Control Plan, detailing:

  • Safe removal methods

  • Dust suppression controls

  • PPE requirements

  • Waste handling and disposal

  • Emergency procedures

This plan is required under WorkSafe NZ and protects both the homeowner and the contractor.

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3️⃣ Careful, Sheet-by-Sheet Removal

Garden shed cladding is removed whole, not smashed:

  • Sheets are lightly wetted

  • Fixings are removed by hand

  • No grinders, saws, or snapping

  • Sheets are lowered carefully

  • All cladding is double-wrapped in 200-micron plastic

This prevents fibres spreading into the air or soil.

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4️⃣ Clean-Up and Ground Inspection

After the cladding is removed:

  • The shed frame is HEPA-vacuumed

  • Surrounding soil is inspected

  • Loose debris is removed

  • Contaminated ground is addressed if required

This step is critical — most contamination happens after demolition, not during.

5️⃣ Transport and Legal Disposal

All asbestos waste is:

  • Transported in sealed vehicles

  • Logged using a waste manifest

  • Disposed of at an approved asbestos landfill

PropertyHelp Ltd handles all paperwork so homeowners stay fully compliant.

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Why You Should Never DIY Asbestos Shed Removal

Garden sheds look simple — that’s why people get caught out.

DIY shed removal often leads to:

❌ Broken sheets releasing fibres
❌ Asbestos fragments mixed into soil
❌ Contaminated tools, clothes, and wheelbarrows
❌ Fibres tracked into the house
❌ WorkSafe enforcement action
❌ Insurance refusing to cover contamination
❌ Clean-up costs far higher than professional removal

Licensed asbestos removalists like PropertyHelp Ltd are trained, insured, and audited to prevent exactly these outcomes.

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Signs Your Garden Shed Likely Contains Asbestos

You should assume asbestos until tested if:

  • The shed was built before 1990

  • Walls are flat grey cement sheets

  • Sheets are brittle or chalky

  • Broken edges look fibrous

  • The shed matches old garage or house cladding

  • The structure has never been upgraded

If you’re unsure — test first, always.

The Bottom Line for Auckland Homeowners

Asbestos cladding on garden sheds is extremely common in Auckland — and extremely risky if removed incorrectly.

By engaging Asbestos Removalist PropertyHelp Ltd, homeowners get:

✓ Safe, WorkSafe-compliant removal
✓ No contamination of gardens or soil
✓ Legal transport and disposal
✓ Full documentation
✓ Peace of mind

Before you demolish or replace that old shed, make sure asbestos is dealt with properly.
It’s a small job when done right — and a massive problem when it isn’t.

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