If your Sydney home was built before 1990, there is a real chance it contains asbestos. Asbestos is not dangerous when it is left undisturbed, but renovation work that cuts, sands, drills, or demolishes materials containing asbestos can release fibres into the air – and that is the point at which it becomes a serious health and legal concern. At Dura Group Building & Renovations, we deal with asbestos-containing materials on a regular basis across the Sutherland Shire, Georges River, and Inner West. This guide explains what renovators in Sydney need to know before they start any work.
Why is asbestos such a common issue in Sydney homes?
Asbestos was used extensively in Australian building materials from the 1940s through to 1987, when it was phased out, and was fully banned in 2003. Any home built or renovated before 1990 should be treated as potentially containing asbestos-based products until proven otherwise. Sydney’s housing stock is old. Suburbs across the Sutherland Shire, Georges River, and Inner West have large concentrations of fibro (fibrous cement sheet) cottages and brick veneer homes built during the postwar boom years.
Suburbs with high concentrations of pre-1990 fibro homes include Jannali, Gymea, and Engadine in the Sutherland Shire; Peakhurst, Carlton, and Mortdale in the Georges River area; and Marrickville and Dulwich Hill in the Inner West. If your property sits in any of these areas, the probability that asbestos is present somewhere in the structure is high.
Our team at Dura Group has completed renovations across all of these suburbs. The first question we ask on any pre-1990 home is: has an asbestos assessment been done?
What is the difference between bonded and friable asbestos?
Bonded asbestos (also called non-friable asbestos) is the most common type found in residential homes, and it is asbestos fibres that are locked into a solid matrix such as cement or vinyl. Fibro wall cladding, eaves sheets, floor tiles, and roofing products are typical examples. As long as bonded asbestos is in good condition and is not being cut or disturbed, the risk is low.
Friable asbestos is different. Friable asbestos can be crumbled or reduced to powder by hand pressure, which means fibres can be released far more easily. It was commonly used in older spray-on insulation, pipe lagging, and some roof coatings. Friable asbestos carries a significantly higher risk profile and its removal must be carried out by a licensed Class A asbestos removalist under SafeWork NSW regulations. Bonded asbestos in quantities greater than 10 square metres must also be removed by a licensed Class B removalist.
Where is asbestos most commonly found in Sydney homes?
The most common locations for asbestos-containing materials in a typical pre-1990 Sydney home are eaves and soffit linings, external wall cladding (fibro sheeting), bathroom and laundry wall linings, floor tiles and the adhesive beneath them, and fencing panels. These are the areas most likely to be disturbed during a renovation.
Specific places to check:
- Eaves and fascia boards – fibro cement sheets were standard in postwar construction
- External fibro cladding – particularly common in Jannali, Gymea, Peakhurst, and Marrickville homes from the 1950s and 1960s
- Bathroom and laundry walls – flat sheet lining behind tiles is frequently an asbestos-based product
- Floor tiles – nine-inch vinyl floor tiles from this era are well known for containing asbestos, as is the black mastic adhesive used to fix them
- Fencing – fibro cement fencing panels were widely used through to the 1980s
- Internal wall sheeting – in some fibro homes, internal wall linings are also asbestos-based
On bathroom and laundry renovations in particular, we almost always encounter at least one of these materials. Our team works closely with licensed asbestos assessors to identify any affected areas before demolition begins.
Why is disturbance the real risk, not the presence of asbestos?
Asbestos fibres cause harm when they are inhaled, and fibres are only released when the material containing them is disturbed through cutting, drilling, sanding, breaking, or demolition. An intact fibro fence panel or a bathroom wall sheet that has not been touched in 40 years is not an active hazard. The risk starts the moment someone picks up an angle grinder or a demolition hammer near it.
This is why renovation work is the trigger point. A homeowner repainting the exterior of a fibro home is doing something very different from a contractor who is removing fibro cladding to replace it with weatherboard. One of those activities disturbs the material; the other does not. Under SafeWork NSW regulations, workers must not carry out work likely to disturb asbestos without following specific procedures, using appropriate PPE, and engaging licensed removalists where required.
As part of the home building process at Dura Group, we include an asbestos identification step for any pre-1990 property before work begins. This is not a legal formality – it is practical risk management that protects our clients, our team, and the neighbours.
Do you need a licensed asbestos assessor before renovating?
For any home that may contain asbestos, an asbestos assessment by a licensed asbestos assessor is the safest starting point before any demolition or structural work begins. A licensed assessor will carry out a visual inspection and take material samples for laboratory analysis. They produce an asbestos register or asbestos management plan, which documents what materials are present, where they are located, and what condition they are in.
SafeWork NSW requires that certain buildings have an asbestos management plan in place before renovation work proceeds. For residential properties, the obligation falls on whoever is directing the work. In practice, having an independent assessment done early removes uncertainty and allows the renovation budget to be planned accurately.
We work with reputable licensed asbestos assessors and can connect our clients with trusted professionals who cover the Sutherland Shire, Georges River, and Inner West. For our clients in Dulwich Hill and Marrickville, we have specific contacts who understand the Inner West’s older housing stock well.
How does asbestos removal affect renovation costs?
Asbestos removal is a standard line item in renovation budgets for pre-1990 Sydney homes – it is not an unusual cost, and experienced builders factor it in from the start. The scope and cost of removal will depend on the type of asbestos, the quantity, and how accessible the material is. Friable asbestos removal costs more than bonded asbestos removal because of the additional safety requirements and disposal procedures involved.
What we consistently find is that homeowners who try to reduce costs by skipping the assessment phase end up spending more – either because unexpected asbestos is discovered mid-project, stopping work while licensed removalists are organised, or because work has already disturbed materials in a way that requires a full contamination response.
For a fuller picture of how site conditions like asbestos affect your overall project spend, our guide to how much a home renovation costs walks through the key cost drivers in detail. If you are also weighing up whether to renovate or start fresh, the comparison in whether it is cheaper to renovate or rebuild addresses how unexpected structural and material issues affect that decision.
Our pricing at Dura Group is lump sum, with no hidden costs. When asbestos is identified early, we include the removal and disposal in the project quote so there are no surprises during the build.
What are your legal obligations under SafeWork NSW?
Under SafeWork NSW regulations, it is illegal for unlicensed persons to remove more than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos, and any amount of friable asbestos must only be removed by a licensed Class A removalist. Penalties for breaching asbestos regulations can be substantial, and liability can extend to the homeowner if they directed work to proceed without appropriate precautions.
The relevant framework is the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW) and the Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in the Workplace. For residential renovations, SafeWork NSW also provides guidance specific to homeowners and licensed tradespersons. The key point is that licensed contractors carry the obligation to comply, but homeowners have a responsibility not to direct unlicensed workers to remove regulated materials.
Understanding your obligations early, before work begins, is one of the reasons it is worth working with a builder who has experience with pre-1990 homes. Our team has handled these requirements across dozens of renovation projects in the Sutherland Shire and Georges River area, and we manage the compliance process as part of the project.
What should you do before renovating a pre-1990 Sydney home?
Before any demolition or structural work on a pre-1990 Sydney home, the first step is to commission an asbestos assessment from a licensed asbestos assessor, review the results with your builder, and include any required removal in the project scope and budget before work starts. Do not start demolition before this step is complete.
A practical checklist for homeowners:
- Confirm the construction date of your property
- Engage a licensed asbestos assessor for a pre-renovation inspection
- Share the assessment results with your builder before signing a contract
- Ensure asbestos removal is included in the contract scope and handled by a licensed removalist
- Obtain a clearance certificate from the assessor once removal is complete
- Keep records of all assessments and clearance certificates with your property documents
If you are planning a renovation that involves bathroom or laundry work, additions, or cladding removal on a home built before 1990, we strongly encourage you to start with an assessment. Homes in Jannali, Peakhurst, Dulwich Hill, and similar suburbs almost always produce findings that need to be addressed. Planning for them in advance keeps the project on schedule and on budget.
How does Dura Group approach asbestos on renovation projects?
Mark and the team at Dura Group treat asbestos identification as a non-negotiable part of the pre-construction process for any pre-1990 property. We do not start demolition without knowing what is in the walls. When an asbestos assessment identifies materials that need to be removed, we coordinate with licensed removalists and schedule that work before our trades arrive on site.
We have completed renovations across Engadine, Gymea, Carlton, Mortdale, Marrickville, and many of the other suburbs across our region where fibro homes are common. Our experience with these properties means we can look at a project from the start and give clients an honest picture of what the asbestos management process will involve.
For renovation projects that involve both cosmetic and structural scope, understanding the full picture early matters. Our overview of structural versus cosmetic renovation explains how the scope of work affects everything from planning requirements to material handling obligations. Our local guides for renovating in the Sutherland Shire, building in the Georges River area, and renovating in the Inner West also cover the local context in more detail.
If you are looking at costs more broadly, our 2026 Sydney building costs guide includes current information on how asbestos removal fits into project budgets across different renovation types.
We also work with local builders in specific suburbs across our service area. If you are based in Jannali, our builders in Jannali page covers how we work in that area. For clients in Peakhurst, visit our Peakhurst building services page. And for Inner West building projects, our Dulwich Hill builder page has local detail relevant to that area’s housing stock.
For more about how we can help, visit our Sydney home renovations page.
Ready to plan your renovation with asbestos managed properly?
If you are planning a renovation on a pre-1990 home in the Sutherland Shire, Georges River, or Inner West, contact Dura Group to discuss your project. Mark will walk you through the process from assessment to completion, with clear pricing and no surprises along the way.
Mark Dura is the founder of Dura Group Building & Renovations, a licensed builder (Lic 381531C) with 27+ years of experience in residential renovations, home extensions, and knockdown rebuilds across Sydney. Mark oversees every project from design through to completion.
