Frequently asked questions

# Asbestos, demolition & hazmat — answered

The most common questions we receive from Brisbane and Gold Coast homeowners, builders, property managers and commercial clients. If your question isn't here, call our licensed team for clear, honest guidance.

The only definitive way to confirm asbestos is laboratory analysis of a collected sample — visual identification is unreliable. As a general guide, any property built before 1990 has a realistic chance of containing asbestos-containing materials (ACM); before 1980 the probability is high. Common locations include fibro wall and eave cladding, corrugated cement roofing, vinyl floor tiles and backing, textured ceiling coatings, and pipe lagging. Book a professional inspection.

Yes. You require a development approval (demolition permit) from your local council before demolishing a structure, and you must notify Workplace Health and Safety Queensland at least five business days before demolition commences. Utilities must be disconnected first, and a pre-demolition hazardous-materials survey is required for any building built before 2003. We manage all of these on your behalf.

Cost depends on the type of asbestos (friable vs non-friable), quantity, accessibility, required air monitoring and clearance certification, and disposal weight. Small residential removals — a single outbuilding's fibro cladding or a garage roof — can start from a few hundred dollars. Larger whole-house or commercial removals may cost several thousand. We provide detailed, fixed-price quotes with no hidden fees.

Asbestos removal resulting from a sudden insured event — storm, fire, flood — is often covered under home and contents or commercial property policies. Removal for planned renovation or general maintenance is typically not covered. We provide complete documentation to support insurance claims for applicable events.

The active demolition of a typical Queensland home takes one to three days. The overall project timeline — pre-demolition survey, asbestos removal if required, permit processing (two to four weeks), WHSQ notification (five business days), utility disconnections and clean-up — typically runs four to six weeks from contract signing to cleared site. We provide a detailed schedule with every quote.

All waste is managed under Queensland environmental legislation. General demolition waste (concrete, metal, timber, masonry) goes to a licensed facility and is sorted for recycling where possible. Asbestos waste is double-wrapped, labelled, transported under a hazardous-waste manifest, and disposed of at an EPA-approved facility licensed to receive asbestos. You receive disposal documentation for all hazardous material removed.

For non-friable removal (fibro cladding, roof sheeting in good condition), temporary exclusion from the immediate work area is typically sufficient and you can remain in the property. For friable removal — ceiling cavities, pipe lagging, deteriorated roofing — we generally recommend temporarily vacating the affected part of the property. We advise specifically during quoting based on the type and location identified.

Yes. Our QBCC licence, Demolition Licence, A-Class Asbestos Removal Licence and insurance policies are current and maintained. Copies of our licence details are included in every quote, and certificates of currency are available on request. You can also verify our QBCC registration directly through the QBCC licence search tool.

A B-Class licence permits removal of non-friable (bonded) ACM only — for example intact, undeteriorated asbestos cement sheeting — in quantities over 10 square metres. An A-Class licence is required for all friable (loose, crumbled) asbestos in any quantity, and also covers non-friable work. Innovare Demolitions holds an A-Class licence, the highest tier, so we can legally manage all categories of asbestos removal.

Yes. Because we hold both an A-Class Asbestos Removal Licence and a Demolition Licence, we manage the entire project — hazardous-materials survey, licensed asbestos removal with clearance certification, structural demolition and site clearing — under a single contract with a single point of responsibility. This simplifies your project, reduces risk and eliminates the coordination challenges of managing multiple contractors.

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