Asbestos removal

Well, I’ve got someone coming in Monday to give me a quote for removing and either replacing the garage door or replacing it. Then the asbestos removal company will be coming out to do a site check on Wednesday. I’ll then get a couple of other quotes. I’m quite resigned to the fact that it needs to be done but still in shock as to how much it’s going to cost, especially as it isn’t something that I’d costed for when I saved up to do some work on the house.

We had asbestos ceilings right throughout our bungalow. I didn’t particularly want the mess of having them all pulled down as we would of had to have moved out whilst it was being done, so we had the whole lot overboarded with plaster board and them skimmed over that with plaster. It was all passed by the building inspector as we had a big new extension built at the same time.

If the asbestos has become damp - it has been 'disturbed' and more prone to flaking. I'd bite the bullet and get rid of it, despite the cost. The value of your home should increase with it's removal anyway.

I'd certainly be put off buying a place with any asbestos. Don't do as my neighbour did. They got some cowboys to replace the garage roof and the old sheets of asbestos were left in the access road. I was left to report it!

The problem with the flat roof is that it has no guttering. All of the water has to channel into a drain on the roof that then goes down into a soak away. So instead of the water being channelled to the outside of the roof it channels inwards towards the drain. It’s a complete mess design wise. On top of that I’m surrounded by pine trees and any gutters are completely clogged with pine needles. If I had my time again I wouldn’t buy a house next to trees, or a house with huge windows. And I’d be more careful about the builders I use!

We had a pitched roof put over our leaking flat roof. Cured the problem didn’t have to have the asbestos removed and made the whole house look much better. Sure it only cost what you have been quoted.

MayBee70

They phoned me back today. Said I’d have to arrange to have any electricity removed. I said there was (obviously) a light on the ceiling. They also said they’d have to come out and measure the garage: I’d assumed they had measured up when they took the sample. There are a lot of alarm bells going off with me concerning this company!

They probably aren’t insured to touch the electricity, you’ll need an electrician to isolate it.

MayBee70

They phoned me back today. Said I’d have to arrange to have any electricity removed. I said there was (obviously) a light on the ceiling. They also said they’d have to come out and measure the garage: I’d assumed they had measured up when they took the sample. There are a lot of alarm bells going off with me concerning this company!

Search their name on your local FB.
Are you signed up to Next Door. You can ask on there, everyone is anonymous.

They phoned me back today. Said I’d have to arrange to have any electricity removed. I said there was (obviously) a light on the ceiling. They also said they’d have to come out and measure the garage: I’d assumed they had measured up when they took the sample. There are a lot of alarm bells going off with me concerning this company!

MayBee you have my sympathies. I had to organise the repairs as I care for my DH. Our roof was leaking comprehensively. The team of men were v good and managed to do the work with clutter remaining inside(the weather was kind). It was a year later that I organised a skip to clear.
We didn't have to take off the garage doors.

blossom14

I had our garage roof done in 2021 with the asbestos sheets dealt with in the proper manner. New wood with proper flat roof replaced. It did come to around £5000.00 I managed to get them to include painting whole of the outside as one wall was on a difficult boundary fence. It was a local business but took a time to find them.

I’d quite happily pay that if the price included a new roof. As it is the company would just remove the asbestos and leave me with a leaking felt roof and porch. Plus the fact that I have to arrange to have the garage door removed and put back. I am suspicious of the company I’ve used as well, even though they were recommended. Either way, the first thing I need to do is clear the garage which still has a lot of my ex’s stuff even though he left over twenty years ago! I wish that, at the time instead of having a utility room built and then a small bedroom built over it we’d built over the whole lot. Hindsight and all that.

MayBee70
That makes sense.
Not all flat roofs are a nightmare.
We used this company. Absolutely superb.

www.hightechmembraneroofing.co.uk/domestic-flat-roofs/?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwvilBhCFARIsADvYi7IB4UmPmJINEkbvNFnu38Q6Jn4FKjz7tyr834FWls5aobrqA3GNR2MaAqMeEALw_wcB

I agree with Monica. Asbestos undisturbed and maybe painted over is probably less of a threat.

I had our garage roof done in 2021 with the asbestos sheets dealt with in the proper manner. New wood with proper flat roof replaced. It did come to around £5000.00 I managed to get them to include painting whole of the outside as one wall was on a difficult boundary fence. It was a local business but took a time to find them.

MerylStreep

MayBee70
Who told you that it had to be removed? Or did you assume it had to be removed.

The asbestos in the roof extends to the porch which needs replacing. And the garage roof needs to be raised on one side. It’s a flat roof and holds water really badly: there’s no guttering and water goes down a hole into a pipe that takes it to a soak away. The felt needs replacing and the asbestos itself looks quite damp. It’s rained in ever since the felt was badly replaced years ago. It’s difficult to explain the layout but it’s all down to a mistake that was made when we had an extension built years ago. My ex says to rectify the problems caused back then we need to remove the asbestos. All I really wanted was a new porch because it rains in through the asbestos but it all got really complicated! I was just going to get it re felted but, if they remove the felt and find that the timber is at all rotten the asbestos will have to be removed before that can be done. Flat roves are just a nightmare!

MayBee70
Who told you that it had to be removed? Or did you assume it had to be removed.

Some years ago we had asbestos through a house that we bought. It was a common building material in the 60s as it was a fireproof material. The house was gutted by a specialist company who used a locked skip and special type of ‘hoover’ to remove all dust.
As far as costs, I’d shop around for another quote or two. Prices will have gone up since we had it removed We used a company from the nearest industrial area as there seemed to be more specialist firms there.

Why do you have to have the asbestos removed. In many cases as long as it is in situ and is not going to be disturbed it is best left like that.

We have asbestos on the ceiling of our garage. I put two thick coats of ceiling paint on it when we moved in 27 years ago and we haven't touched it since. We have not drilled any holes or disturbed it for any reason and it is not a danger.

Both of my parents died from Mesothelioma (which is asbestosis) it’s a terrible industrial disease and to watch them die was unbearable, my Dad was only 70 so it shortened his life considerably, Mum was 82, all of her sisters lived well into their late 90s, who knows what age she would have lived to.

Don’t mess with it, get the professionals in to remove it safely, but get 3 quotes.

Yes we had an asbestos roof on our previous house. The blokes removing it didn’t wear masks or anything, despite my engineer husband warning them of the danger. We cleared off for the day with all the kids . In those days it wasn’t that expensive but I believe it is now.

It has been tested and it’s Amosite and Chrysolite which isn’t the worst type but is still dangerous. Every house in my street has it in their garages and only two people have had it removed. I need to get more quotes etc.

Obviously, all needs licensed disposal and no, not just the "my mate" thing as Nanarose says!

Do you know it's asbestos?
If so do you know if it needs specialist removal?
My daughter discovered hers didn't need a specialist firm.

Some types of asbestos have to be removed by licensed contractors, and some - (such as the corrugated cement roof such as you used to find on the garage) - do not.

You could contact your local council for info.

Yes, we did. It was about 15 years ago, and only a small amount, but I would say you're in the ball park figure.
Always worth getting another quote, and see if your local council has a Trusted Trades list, to make sure that you are not being taken for a ride. Most councils will give advice on asbestos removal.
But please don't go for someone who will 'just take it away' for you.
The bulk of the money goes in ensuring the safety of you, the workers and the environment.
When we had ours done, I lost count of the number of people who stopped to tell me that their mate would have done it for a few quid. And worst of all, the man who stood looking at the safety unit, then said to me 'You must be made of money, to throw it away on this'. I replied 'One of my best friends died of mesothelioma last year, almost certainly because she did some DiY and was in contact with asbestos. I would pay this a hundred times to stop anyone else's family going through that'.
As I write this, another friend is dying from the same dreadful disease, probably for the same reason.
My father had asbestosis of the lungs, not as awful, but it did shorten his life.
I personally think that asbestos removal should be Government subsidised so people don't have to make the choices you are faced with MayBee70. I also know that not all asbestos is horrendously dangerous, but I understand that it is difficult to know.
Sorry, you may not have wanted to hear this, and please know that I speak only from personal experience.