Asbestos Roof Replacement Cape Town is removal and re-roofing as one project: the asbestos cement comes off and modern sheeting or tile goes on, ideally under one contractor and one programme so the building is not left open between trades.
This page is about the replacement decision — what to put back, what the structure will carry, insulation, and what the combined job costs per square metre.
Roof area, current profile and what you would like to replace it with.
Get Roof Replacement QuotesChoosing The New Roof
| Material | Supplied & installed | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Zincalume IBR or corrugated | R450 – R700/m² | Cheapest, fastest, noisier in rain |
| Colour-coated steel (Chromadek type) | R550 – R900/m² | Better coastal life, wider colour choice |
| Non-asbestos fibre cement sheet | R420 – R750/m² | Closest match to the original look |
| Concrete roof tile | R700 – R1,200/m² | Heavy — structure usually needs upgrading |
| Clay tile | R900 – R1,600/m² | Heaviest, best appearance, slowest |
| Aluminium standing seam | R950 – R1,800/m² | Best coastal corrosion performance |
If the property is within a few kilometres of the sea, corrosion class matters more than colour. Atlantic Seaboard, Blouberg, Milnerton and the False Bay coast eat standard coatings faster than Durbanville or Brackenfell does.
What The Structure Will Carry
Asbestos cement is light — roughly 16 to 18 kilograms per square metre. Concrete tile is closer to 50. Roofs framed for sheeting almost never carry tile without new purlins, closer truss spacing or in some cases an engineer's design. Steel sheeting is lighter than what came off, so it is the safe swap. If you want tile, budget for an engineer's assessment before you commit, not after the old roof is on the ground.
Doing The Insulation While The Roof Is Open
An open roof is the only time insulation is cheap to install. Foil-backed bubble membrane, glass wool blanket or rigid board all go in faster with no ceiling in the way, and the incremental cost is small against the re-roof. Ranges run roughly R90 to R220 per square metre for membranes and blankets, R220 to R450 for rigid board. Worth doing in one pass rather than retrofitting later.
Combined Replacement Cost
| Scope | Indicative total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single garage, strip and re-sheet | R16,000 – R34,000 | Around 20m² |
| House roof 120m², strip and IBR | R80,000 – R165,000 | Removal, disposal and new sheeting |
| House roof 120m², strip and tile | R135,000 – R260,000 | Includes structural upgrade allowance |
| Warehouse 1,000m², strip and re-sheet | R700,000 – R1,400,000 | Phased, building usually stays operating |
| Insulation added during the works | R90 – R450/m² | Membrane through to rigid board |
| Timber or purlin repairs | R350 – R900 per metre | Provisional until the roof is open |
| Gutters, fascia and downpipes renewed | R320 – R650 per metre | Seamless aluminium or steel |
Indicative ranges, not quotations. Ask for removal, disposal, structure, sheeting and rainwater goods as separate lines. A single lump sum is impossible to compare against another contractor's single lump sum.
Get removal and replacement priced as one project, with the lines broken out.
Compare Roof Replacement QuotesFrequently Asked Questions
Can the asbestos roof be replaced in one project?
Yes, and it is the better way to do it. One contractor carrying both trades means the building is open for hours rather than days, and there is no argument about who is responsible if it rains.
Can I put tiles on where asbestos sheets were?
Not without checking the structure. Tile weighs around three times what asbestos cement does, so purlins, battens and sometimes trusses need upgrading. Get that assessed before the old roof comes off.
Is a new roof cheaper than removal on its own?
No, but the combined job costs less than the two done separately. The access, scaffolding and site set-up are paid for once instead of twice.
How long is the house exposed?
On a small roof, hours. On a house roof, typically one to three days depending on how it is sectioned. Ask what temporary cover is provided and what the wet-weather plan is.
Should I add insulation at the same time?
Almost always. Retrofitting insulation later means working in the roof space around a ceiling, which costs considerably more than laying it while the roof is open.
Combined strip-and-re-roof quotes come through Asbestos Removal Cape Town from contractors carrying both trades.
Related Services
Asbestos Removal Cape Town is a free quote-matching service. The asbestos work is carried out by the independent registered contractors that quote you, and your contract is with the contractor you appoint. Ask each contractor for their registration and insurance details before appointing anyone.
Describe the job once and compare quotes from LEADERR APPROVED asbestos contractors covering your area.
Get 5 QuotesGet Asbestos Roof Replacement Cape Town Quotes
Send your roof area and preferred replacement material for combined removal and re-roof quotes.
Free to use, no obligation. Your request goes to LEADERR APPROVED asbestos contractors covering your area, who quote you directly.
