We are purchasing a property and the homebuyers survey we did mentions the possibility of asbestos in the garage roof. :ermm:
Anyone know if theres there a way to double checking this and how much would that cost.
Also would you know how much the removal of the roof would be?
best bet is to instruct a specialist asbestos contractor to take a look. there’s all sorts of regulations regarding disposal etc so likely to be some cost involved.
depending on where and how its been used, leaving it well alone is totally possible.
(from my experience as a final year building surveying student)
Asbestos was extensively used as a building material in the UK from the 1950s through to the mid-1980s. It was used for a variety of purposes and was ideal for fireproofing and insulation. Any building built before 2000 (houses, factories, offices, schools, hospitals etc) can contain asbestos. Asbestos materials in good condition are safe unless asbestos fibres become airborne, which happens when materials are damaged.
Remember, as long as the asbestos is not damaged or located somewhere where it can be easily damaged it won’t be a risk to you.
Your local council will send someone around to see if it is asbestos if you are concerned.
You can remove it yourself with the correct precautions, but it has to be disposed of carefully.
Again your local authority will usually arrange to collect the waste.
Could well be Domestic Asbestos as well, which is not quite as bad as industrial, so would not cost too much to remove.
Only going to be a problem if you hack into it, if you have no near plans to move anything or convert the garage, then you can leave it alone. (in my opinion…
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We’ve got an asbestos roof on our garage. It’s very durable, not broken anywhere and not a problem, really.
I wouldn’t worry about it. But you can use it as a negotiating tool though: “ooh, not sure about this. Might need to replace it with something safer for the children/kittens/little birdies. Perhaps you should knock £500 off the house price?”
good advice ppl - keep it coming.
i called the council = left a voicemail :rolleyes: and contacted some professionals for quotes
Make sure you’re sitting down when they call you back!!
I had similar problems with my garage when we bought our place last year. The garage is built of the corrugated asbestos/concrete panels and I was planing on removing it.
When I looked into it, it turns out that the asbestos of this type is fairly harmless unless the sheets are starting to break and crack in which case it becomes a problem.
It’s pretty safe to remove the panels yourself so long as you wear proper protective gear, ie overalls gloves and dust mask. The sheets need to be double wrapped in plastic bags or sheets and they can usually be disposed of at your local council tip but you may need to contact them first. Ideally your protective gear should be disposed of along with the asbestos sheets when you’re finished with them.
It does sound like a load of hassle to get rid of the asbestos but it can save you a hell of a lot of money when you compare it with some of the quotes you’ll probably get to remove it professionally.
We also have an asbestos roof on the garage and it is in good condition and we have left it alone. The garage doors were made of asbestos panels and these were in poor condition and have long been safely disposed of (masked, bagged and taken to the tip and put in a special enclosed container they had for asbestos). I also removed a panel in a good condition I found in the house - someone had made the bath surround panels from asbestos!
no good asbestos I’m afraid, but if you take the correct precautions then its easy to dispose of safely and legally, if its undamaged then it is safe to leave as stated by others. if you get specialist contractors in they will charge a small fortune due to the costs involved with commercial handling of asbestos, either get the owner to replace the roof or go for a reduction in cost.
So long as its not broken and or crumbling dust it’ll be fine.
If its in good condition i’d leave it alone.
Most likely be chrysotile (white asbestos) if its the corrigated sheets, the sheets will contain around 8% asbestos.
You do not need a licenced contractor to deal with this provided the correct procedure is followed - correct PPE (check the grade of masks used, get at least a p3- the dust masks you get from B&Q wont do sh1t), dampen down, crop the bolts/fittings dont try and undo, remove as complete sheet, bag up and remove to licenced disposal site (your council will do this free).
You can get P3 masks and coveralls from Screwfix;
You can get the correct asbestos marked bags and sheeting from;
http://www.asbestosbags.co.uk/Asbestos%20Bags.html
http://www.asbestosbags.co.uk/Polythene%20Sheeting.html
Some more info for you;
You do not need a ‘licence’ to handle products containing asbestos cement.
Work which will disturb insulation board, lagging or sprayed asbestos must be carried out by licenced asbestos contractors.
Identification
Identification is not easy as you cannot tell if a particular material contains asbestos by looking at it with the naked eye. The colour of the material does not indicate the type of asbestos, which may be present. The ONLY way to be certain if a product does contain asbestos is for a reputable laboratory to analyse it. There are a number of private laboratories, which can provide this service.
If I find asbestos what should I do?
If asbestos is found in the home, look for signs of damage or dust being released by the material. If any asbestos found is in good condition and not worn or damaged, it can be left in place. Added protection can be given by painting with emulsion paint, but remember to use an alkali resistant primer or coating for asbestos cement products. If the asbestos is damaged or giving off dust it should be carefully removed. Large amounts should only be removed by a specialist contractor. Work on sprayed asbestos, lagging or insulation board should also be left to the specialists. Smaller amounts of asbestos cement can be removed safely by following the instructions below.
Removal of small amounts of asbestos cement
Removal of small amounts of asbestos cement can be carried out safely if these guidelines are followed:
Wear a dust mask approved for asbestos obtained from safety equipment suppliers.
Wear a disposable overall.
Keep other people away from the work area.
Spread a plastic sheet under the working area to collect dust.
Remember to keep the release of asbestos dust to a minimum by wetting the material (providing there is no contact with electricity).
Remove whole sheets or components; do not break them up. Clean up settled dust with a damp cloth and seal in a plastic bag whilst still damp.
Do not use a domestic vacuum cleaner, as fine asbestos dust will pass through the filter (industrial cleaners suitable for asbestos can be hired).
Wash well afterwards.
IMPORTANT
Do not saw, drill, break, scrape, brush or screw any asbestos sheeting.
How do I dispose of asbestos?
To dispose of small quantities of dusty or loose asbestos waste, dampen it to stop dust escaping and seal it in a strong plastic bag marked ASBESTOS. Oven gloves, simmering pads and similar small items should also be sealed in a suitable plastic bag as soon as they start to show signs of wear. Large asbestos cement sheets should not be broken up but should be wrapped in polythene sheeting and marked ASBESTOS. Do not under any circumstances put waste asbestos in your dustbin or refuse chute. Many local councils have provision for the disposal of small quantities of domestic asbestos waste. You should contact your local council waste division to enquire about the facilities available. If you live in England visit the directgov website to find your local council and closest disposal facility. The enforcing authority responsible for asbestos waste is the Environment Agency. They can be contacted on their help line number 0845 9333111 or at www.environment-agency.gov.uk
The new regulations for removal of asbestos in commercial properties are very onerous. Those particular regulations don’t currently apply to domestic properties but bear in mind they are that onerous for a reason.
