Asbestos Removal in Corio
Corio is one of Geelong's most heavily fibro suburbs. Much of its housing stock went up in the post-war decades to house Ford and Shell workers, and asbestos-cement sheeting was the cheap, standard building material of that era. That means asbestos in eaves and soffits, in wall sheet and wet areas, in old boundary fences, and under vinyl flooring is the norm rather than the exception on Corio homes, not a rare surprise. As those houses are renovated, extended or knocked down, that material has to be identified and removed lawfully before any other work starts. We remove bonded and friable asbestos across Corio to WorkSafe Victoria requirements, dispose of it at an EPA-licensed landfill, and give you a written, priced quote up front rather than a vague estimate.
Why Corio homes so often contain asbestos
Corio grew quickly through the 1950s, 60s and 70s as industry drew workers to Geelong's north. The fastest, cheapest way to build at the time was asbestos-cement sheet — 'fibro' — and it went into eaves, external wall cladding, bathroom and laundry linings, fences and roofing right across the suburb. If your Corio home dates from that period, you should assume asbestos is present somewhere until testing proves otherwise. This is not cause for alarm; it is routine, and managed removal is straightforward work when it is done by a licensed removalist.
Where it turns up
On a typical Corio house the usual locations are eaves and soffit linings, the sheeting behind and around bathrooms and laundries, the backing of old vinyl and lino floors, boundary fence sheets shared with neighbours, and sometimes the roof itself in corrugated asbestos-cement or 'super-six'. Sheds and garages are frequently worse than the house, because cheap sheeting was the default for outbuildings.
Bonded versus friable
Most of what we remove in Corio is bonded (non-friable) asbestos — fibres locked into solid cement sheet, stable while intact. In Victoria, removing more than 10 m² of non-friable asbestos must be done by a licensed removalist; Class B covers this work. Friable asbestos, which can be crumbled by hand, occasionally appears around old heaters, flues or fire-damaged material and is higher-risk Class A work requiring air monitoring and an independent clearance inspection. We establish which you have before any price is set.
What removal looks like
The order is simple and non-negotiable: inspect and identify, remove under the correct controls, dispose lawfully, then clearance. Sheets are kept whole where possible, wetted down to suppress dust, wrapped in heavy plastic and taken to an EPA-licensed landfill with the correct waste documentation. You should always confirm current requirements with WorkSafe Victoria, EPA Victoria and the City of Greater Geelong, and we are happy to walk you through what applies to your address.
Priced and transparent
As a guide, a fence or shed is a small job, a full asbestos-cement roof removal with a new Colorbond roof commonly runs into the thousands to low tens of thousands depending on size, and a full-house strip-out of eaves, wall sheet and underlay is often $12,000–$30,000. These figures are indicative and inspection-dependent — the material, its condition and access all move the number — but we publish them up front and confirm the real price in a written quote you can read online.
Common Questions
Is asbestos common in Corio houses?
Yes. Much of Corio's post-war fibro housing stock used asbestos-cement sheeting in eaves, wall sheet, wet areas, fences and roofing. On a pre-1990 Corio home you should assume asbestos is present until testing confirms otherwise — it is routine, and managed removal is straightforward.
Do I need a licensed removalist for my Corio home?
If you are removing more than 10 m² of non-friable asbestos, yes — Victorian law requires a licensed asbestos removalist. Class B covers bonded material; friable asbestos is Class A work with air monitoring and clearance. Confirm current rules with WorkSafe Victoria.
What happens to the asbestos waste?
It is wrapped, transported under correct waste documentation and disposed of at an EPA-licensed landfill permitted to receive asbestos — never a skip or general rubbish. We provide the disposal paperwork and, where required, a clearance so you have written proof.
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