Asbestos Fence Removal in Bendigo
A fibro fence that has stood for fifty years is brittle, weathered and often leaning. Before your new Colorbond or timber fence goes up, the old panels are removed whole by a licensed removalist and wrapped for licensed disposal, so nothing is smashed into your yard.
Identifying an asbestos fence
Asbestos cement fencing was standard in Victorian suburbs from the 1950s to the 1980s. It usually looks like:
- Flat fibro sheets in a timber or steel frame, grey or painted
- Corrugated "super six" panels with deep, regular ribs
- Capping and posts that look like moulded cement
Modern fibre-cement fencing looks similar, so age is the best guide. A fence installed before 1990 should be treated as asbestos until tested.
What not to do
Old fibro fences should never be:
- Water blasted. It strips the surface and sprays fibres across yards.
- Cut or broken up to make panels easier to carry.
- Drilled to fix brackets or plant supports.
- Dug out with machinery that smashes the panels.
The Bendigo Asbestos Removal process for asbestos fence removal
Assessment
The fence is inspected, measured and tested if needed. Your neighbour should be told before work starts.
Notification
WorkSafe Victoria is notified at least five days ahead for more than 10 m², or 24 hours ahead for a smaller licensed job.
Removal
Panels are wetted, then unbolted or levered out of the ground as whole as possible.
Wrapping
Each panel is wrapped in heavy plastic, stacked and sealed.
Ground clean-up
Fragments along the fence line are collected and the soil surface checked.
Clearance
For licensed removal over 10 m², an independent clearance inspection follows.
Disposal
A full fence usually exceeds the 10 m² Eaglehawk Landfill accepts from householders, so the waste goes with the removalist to a licensed facility.
What to expect from asbestos fence removal
- A quote priced by the metre, with posts, footings and soil clean-up listed separately.
- Removal quoted separately from the new fence, so costs can be shared clearly with your neighbour.
- A cleared fence line your fencer can start on straight away.
- Faster work with clear side access. Carrying panels through a house takes longer.
Tired fibro fence? Arrange removal before the fencer arrives.
Sharing the cost with your neighbour
A dividing fence in Victoria is normally a shared responsibility under the Fences Act 1968. If the old fence is asbestos, raise it early and agree on the work before anything is booked. If you can't agree, the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria can help.
Fibro fences in Bendigo
Asbestos fences are most common in the post-war streets of Kangaroo Flat, Golden Square and Eaglehawk, and along older back lanes in Long Gully and California Gully. Central Victorian summers, frosts and storm winds take a toll on fifty-year-old panels, which is why so many are cracked or leaning.
Fence removal across Bendigo and district
Licensed fence removal is available in Bendigo, Kangaroo Flat, Strathfieldsaye, Eaglehawk, Golden Square, Castlemaine and Heathcote.
Asbestos fence removal: common questions
Can I remove a short section myself?
Victorian rules allow up to 10 m² of bonded asbestos to be removed without a licence, with the work taking under an hour in any seven days. That's only a few panels, and it still requires proper protective gear, wet methods and wrapping.
Can I paint the old fence instead?
Brushing or rolling paint onto an intact fence is generally fine. Don't sand, wire-brush or water blast it first.
The fence was damaged in a storm. What now?
Keep children and pets away, leave the pieces where they are, and see emergency asbestos removal in Bendigo. Your insurer may want photos.
What drives the cost of asbestos fence removal?
Length and height, panel condition, access, posts set in concrete and any soil clean-up. Typical prices are in the Bendigo asbestos removal cost guide.