Asbestos and uralita roofs in Catalonia
Official data for Catalonia, regional rules, grants and prices for the asbestos certificate, removal and replacement of uralita (asbestos cement).
- Asbestos certificateFrom €217 incl. VAT
- Grant applicationsFrom €959 incl. VAT
- Asbestos (uralita) removalFrom €35/m² + VAT
Homes built before 1980 in Catalonia
1,760,996
59 % of main homes (2021 Census)
In short
In Catalonia, 59 % of main homes were built before 1980 and 81 % before 2001 (2021 Census); asbestos was banned in Spain in 2002. In Catalonia an asbestos certificate is required to sell or rent a building from before 2002 (Act 8/2026, art. 21). Removal is carried out by personnel registered in the RERA (Spain's register of companies at asbestos risk), with an approved work plan, under our technician's direction. Removal from €35/m² + VAT; new roof with removal included from €70/m² + VAT.
Data checked on 14 October 2026.
Catalonia in figures
- Population: 8,146,265 (municipal register, 1 January 2025, INE).
- Main homes: 2,989,357; 1,760,996 built up to 1980 (59 %) and 2,411,897 up to 2000 (81 %) (2021 Census).
- The housing stock is older than the Spanish average (49 % built before 1980).
- It ranks 2 of 19 communities and autonomous cities by share of homes built before 1980.
- Farms: 54,972 (2020 Agricultural Census): barns, stables and stores whose roofs may be fibre cement.
- Manufacturing companies: 29,211, plus 3,051 in warehousing (DIRCE 2025).
What we do in Catalonia
- Asbestos certificateRequired to sell or rent buildings from before 2002. Visit within 48 h* and certificate 4 h* later.From €217 incl. VAT
- Grant applicationsWe tell you which grants fit, prepare the paperwork and file the application. Free if we do the works.From €959 incl. VAT
- Asbestos (uralita) removalRoofs, downpipes, tanks and chimneys. Removal is carried out by personnel registered in the RERA (Spain's register of companies at asbestos risk), with an approved work plan, under our technician's direction.From €35/m² + VAT
- Asbestos (uralita) replacementNew sandwich-panel roof, gutters and, if you like, solar panels, in one project.From €70/m² + VAT, removal included
Rules and grants in Catalonia
What applies in Catalonia: national rules, the regional ones we could verify and the grants called, with source and review date.
In Catalonia the RERA (register of companies allowed to work with asbestos) is kept by the Catalan Department of Business and Labour.
- Catalan Act 8/2026 of 2 July on the eradication of asbestos (in force since October 2026): asbestos certificate to sell or rent buildings (art. 21), Catalan census of asbestos materials, a national plan reviewed every two years and a register of qualified companies and professionals. BOE · Llei 8/2026, de 2 de juliol, de l'erradicació de l'amiant (BOE-A-2026-17836)
- ICGC census (2024): 122,460 fibre-cement roofs, about 700,000 tonnes, in 945 of Catalonia's 947 municipalities. elDiario.es · El censo de Catalunya contabiliza 122.460 tejados de fibrocemento (ICGC, 2024)
- Royal Decree 396/2006: only companies registered in the RERA may work with asbestos, with a work plan approved by the labour authority before starting; whoever commissions works must first identify materials that may contain asbestos (art. 10). BOE · Real Decreto 396/2006 (texto consolidado)
- Waste Act 7/2022 (14th additional provision): town councils had one year (April 2023) to publish a census of installations and sites with asbestos and a removal schedule; higher-risk and public sites must be dealt with before 2028. BOE · Ley 7/2022, de residuos y suelos contaminados (DA 14.ª)
- Directive (EU) 2023/2668 lowers the occupational exposure limit to 0.01 fibres/cm³. As of 14-10-2026 the Spanish royal decree transposing it (replacing RD 396/2006) is still a draft (public consultation in 2026). Ministerio de Trabajo · Proyecto de Real Decreto sobre amianto (participación pública)
Grants called
ClosedCatalan Waste Agency (ARC) grants to remove asbestos, 2026 call
Per m² of roof removed, up to €30,000 per building, for individuals, communities and companies. Applications 18 June–2 July 2026; the next call is expected in 2027 (no date yet).
Diputació de Barcelona · Nova convocatòria d'ajuts per a la retirada d'amiant (maig 2026)
Provinces of Catalonia
| Area | Inhabitants | Homes built before 1980 |
|---|---|---|
| Girona | 832,026 | 44 % |
| Lleida | 456,106 | 50 % |
| Tarragona | 874,808 | 46 % |
| Barcelona | 5,983,325 | 64 % |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an asbestos certificate to sell in Catalonia?
Yes, for buildings from before 2002: Catalan Act 8/2026 (art. 21) requires it to sell or rent since 3 October 2026. Having it before signing is enough.
Who can remove uralita in Catalonia?
Only a company registered in the RERA, with a work plan approved by the labour authority. In Catalonia the RERA (register of companies allowed to work with asbestos) is kept by the Catalan Department of Business and Labour. Removal is carried out by personnel registered in the RERA (Spain's register of companies at asbestos risk), with an approved work plan, under our technician's direction.
Are there grants to remove asbestos in Catalonia?
The latest calls we checked: Catalan Waste Agency (ARC) grants to remove asbestos, 2026 call. We help you apply for the grant: we prepare the paperwork and file the application on your behalf. Whether it is awarded, and how much, depends on each call and its requirements.
How much does it cost to replace a uralita roof in Catalonia?
From €70/m² + VAT with removal included; removal alone from €35/m² + VAT. The final price depends on size, access and height: enter the address for an instant range, confirmed with 2-3 photos or after the visit.
Sources
- INE · Cifras oficiales de población de los municipios españoles (Padrón a 1 de enero de 2025)
- INE · Censo de Población y Viviendas 2021: viviendas por año de construcción del edificio, por comunidad y provincia
- INE · Censo Agrario 2020: explotaciones por comunidad, provincia y orientación técnico-económica
- INE · Directorio Central de Empresas (DIRCE): empresas por comunidad autónoma y actividad principal (CNAE 2009)
- BOE · Llei 8/2026, de 2 de juliol, de l'erradicació de l'amiant (BOE-A-2026-17836)
- elDiario.es · El censo de Catalunya contabiliza 122.460 tejados de fibrocemento (ICGC, 2024)
- Diputació de Barcelona · Nova convocatòria d'ajuts per a la retirada d'amiant (maig 2026)
Data checked on 14 October 2026.
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* Timeframes in working hours (Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays), subject to technician availability and access to the property; for building works, also to approval of the work plan (up to 45 days) and to our works schedule.
** Grant subject to the call for applications, available budget and eligibility requirements. Amount estimated from the brackets of the ARC 2026 call (Catalonia only).
*** Indicative range. The fixed price is given after seeing photos or visiting the property.