The short answer
If your shed has grey cement sheets on the roof or walls and was built before 2000, presume they may be asbestos until a test says otherwise. Dismantling a small asbestos cement structure carefully is normally non-licensed work, and HSE’s HSE task sheet A14 covers it. The key is to take sheets off whole, never smash them, and dispose of them properly.
What a typical asbestos shed looks like
- Corrugated or flat grey cement sheets on the roof, walls or both
- A timber or concrete frame, sometimes a concrete sectional shed with a cement roof
- Cement gutters or a downpipe
- Occasionally a board lining inside, which could be insulating board (a different, higher-risk material)
See asbestos cement sheets and what asbestos looks like.
Your options
- Leave it. If the sheets are sound and the shed is still useful, you can leave it and keep an eye on it.
- Test it. A sample analysed by a lab will tell you whether it contains asbestos. If it doesn’t, the shed can be dealt with as ordinary building waste.
- Remove just the asbestos. The cement sheets are taken off and disposed of as hazardous waste, and you or a builder deal with the frame.
- Remove the whole shed. The contractor takes off the asbestos sheets first, then dismantles the rest. Concrete bases are usually a separate job.
The safe approach
For trained workers, HSE’s HSE task sheet A14 sets out the method. The main principles:
- Avoid breaking the sheets. Remove fixings carefully after damping them.
- Lower sheets to the ground. Don’t throw or drop them.
- No power tools, angle grinders or sanding.
- Keep the area wet where debris is present, and pick up pieces by hand rather than sweeping dry.
- Wrap sheets in heavy-duty polythene, seal and label them.
- Don’t stand on the roof. HSE says cement roofs “are always fragile and cannot bear weight”.
If the sheets have been badly damaged, for example by fire or a fallen tree, and will break up during removal, the work is likely to be notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW), with notification before work starts.
Can I do it myself?
HSE’s advice to householders is not to remove asbestos yourself unless you have had training. If you’re weighing it up, read can I remove asbestos myself? and check first with your local council what it will accept and how it wants the waste wrapped. Many councils limit amounts or require booking.
Disposal
Asbestos waste must be double-wrapped, labelled and taken to a permitted site. A contractor taking waste from your home must use a registered waste carrier and complete a hazardous waste consignment note naming them as producer and your address. Ask for a copy. You can check a carrier on the public register of waste carriers. See asbestos waste disposal.
What to expect from a contractor
- A quote based on photos or a visit, saying what is included (sheets only, or the whole shed, gutters and frame).
- A short risk assessment and plan of work.
- Trained operatives in disposable overalls and RPE.
- Sheets lowered whole, wrapped and loaded into a vehicle.
- A consignment note for the waste.
- The area left clear of visible debris.
For price context, MyJobQuote’s roof removal cost guide put the average asbestos shed removal at around £475 and the job at 4–6 hours when we checked in October 2026. That’s another company’s figure. We quote each job individually.
Quick answers
Can a skip company take it?
Not with general waste. Asbestos must be separated, wrapped and taken to a permitted site.
Do you remove sheds?
Yes. See asbestos shed removal, or ask us for a quote.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For the law itself, see the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and HSE’s asbestos pages. Not sure what you’re dealing with? Ask us.