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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How long do we have left to remove all our asbestos roofing & cladding?

At first, the cut off date was 2020, but less than 15% of all industrial asbestos has been removed. An extension has now been granted with the official cut off date being Dec 2022.

The Department of Labour is currently going from factory to factory giving out these notices and having owners and managers sign for it.

Is removal of our asbestos roofing the only solution?

No. There is another option available. However, this option will cost more or less the same as a new roof and you will need a roof clearance certificate done every two years at your expense. If everything is not up to standard, this will also need repaired before a new certificate can be awarded. One of our reps will be able to explain further.

How dangerous is asbestos?

Quite dangerous. The risks occur when the asbestos becomes old, brittle and/or damaged. The asbestos fibers then become airborne. When these fibers are inhaled they do not decompose and remain in the lungs. This can cause serious, even fatal lung diseases.

Can my neighboring factory sue me for having asbestos on my side?

As unfortunate as this may seem, the answer is yes, however, you can not be sued plainly for having Asbestos on your side. Your Asbestos must be defective or compromised for them to do so. Just a lack of maintenance will most definitely compromise your roof.  There are a number of lawsuits, currently in progress regarding this matter.  Let’s use one example: Your factory sets alight. You have extensive asbestos roof damage.These asbestos fibers get blown from your premises to your neighbor, this neighbor will have the right to sue or even lay criminal charges. If need be, one of our representatives will explain further.

Shouldn’t I just sell my property before spending all this money?

Definitely NOT. All potential buyers and/or estate agents know South Africa has a total ban on asbestos. On a daily basis we get calls from clients and estate agents wanting to buy or sell premises with asbestos roofing. They then request a quote from us to replace the asbestos roof, then add a month or three rental by the quote, and then deduct this amount from their original  offer. By doing your roof first, you will most definitely get a maximum price for your property. In most cases, your property value will go up more than what you have spent.

Should I rather wait and see what happens to the whole asbestos ban?

That would most definitely be your own decision but here are our thoughts about it. We explained under the 1st question. With the current steel shortage and the final cut off date given for Asbestos, re-roofing will become a major rat race as the supply and demand increases. Steel prices have soared every month over the last 3 months by over 25% in total. Come Dec 2022, prices would have obviously increased drastically, if not doubled. Your best time to do this is RIGHT NOW.

We are wanting to go Solar or off the grid.  Can we do it on our asbestos roof?

Definitely not. There are many reasons for this answer, but I will mention only two.  A representative will be able to answer you further.

1.You may not drill, cut or damage asbestos in any form or way.

2.You would not want to spend such a large amount of money, and then have to take it all down again at a later stage to remove/encapsulate the asbestos.

Why not just replace it with Nutec fiber cement sheets?

Nutec is a very inferior product to asbestos. We at Asbes-Gone do not even allow our workers to go onto a Nutec roof at all. Nutec is a very weak product and not worth the lives of any of our staff and/or your staff.

If we decide to replace our asbestos roof, will our factory or warehouse ever be left open overnight?

Definitely not. We have two teams on site. One team will remove while the next team will come behind them and install your new roofing and/or cladding system. Due to unpredictable weather conditions we can not ever leave a site until your roof is one hundred percent waterproof and safe.

Can Asbes-Gone give us a quote on removal and replacement of a roof of this big scale?

We will be more than glad to do it. Our biggest job to date was for Shoprite Africa in Luanda Angola where we had to put up a 18000sqm roof for Shoprite. This 18000sqm excludes all side cladding and structural steel work that we had to do.

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU

We, at Asbes-Gone, together with highly qualified roofing and waterproofing teams, have over 40 years of experience in the roofing, waterproofing and construction industry. I am always proud to say that I qualified at the highly regarded Oliefantsfontein as a Construction Plumber in 1989.

Our knowledge is not just about roofing, waterproofing or plumbing. We have a vast knowledge of the entire construction industry and advice from us is always FREE and simply a call away.

Doing the job right, the first time, with the best products available, saves us time and saves you money.

Lionel Carstensen, Business Owner Operator