Would you buy a home with asbestos?

[Dodafandango]

We’re looking at buying our first home and it appears that buying an old Victorian style house will get us the most living space for our money. I’m really worried about asbestos in them though after all the recent news coverage about it, I don’t really understand whether it’s dangerous or not if it’s in so many buildings.

Would you buy a home that likely has asbestos? Is it likely to be flagged up during the buying process, and do councils or the government do anything if it’s found?

No I wouldn't. I would get a survey done and if it had asbestos I wouldn't touch with a barge pole. We had a leak, they found asbestos in the ceiling we had to live in a hotel room for nearly a month while the insurance sorted out getting it removed as our only access to the bathroom in our house was through the room with the asbestos.

No.

Asbestos is dangerous. It can do great harm to your lungs, including as a cause of lung cancer.

It's in so many buildings because before it was known to be so dangerous, it was mainly known as being a good insulator and used for that.

A lot of homes have asbestos. It can be sealed and treated and you must never remove it unless by a certified person. It must never be disturbed. If the seal cracks it must be looked at by a certified person.

its quite difficult not to buy a house with it in if it’s old, it could be in sheds or garage roofs. So yes I’d buy one.

I wouldn't. But I watched my dad die a slow painful death caused by asbestos.

I’m so sorry to hear that, especially if it could have been prevented with more awareness💐

Asbestos wasn't banned from construction work in houses until 1999. So any house built before that date is likely to contain some.

No, I definitely wouldn't. I've seen relatives die with lung disease, not worth the risk.

Thanks all, I think I may just go for a boxy newbuild instead. I’m quite confused as to why there isn’t more awareness/more of a consensus to avoid older houses if possible or a scheme going to rid all homes of asbestos, in the same way the government offers things like free insulation and boiler grants.

Because you get a management survey done and follow the advice. Living in a house with it, isn't the issue. Drilling into walls etc is an issue.

Yes, I would - and budget for the safe removal.

Honestly, it’s a thing you deal with by getting in professionals and paying them. Do that and it will be fine.

Because the disposal of it is horrendous, will put people at risk and generally, undisturbed, it’s fine. I don’t know about the posters above (sorry for your losses) but a lot of deaths from asbestos are from the industry, not from homes. It was in warehouses so older relatives will have been exposed a lot more than the public. Builders who have unwittingly knocked down an extension or garage etc.

for jo bloggs who has a little around his boiler pipe that is sealed and maintained correctly, behind a box, in a cupboard… little risk.

There is a public campaign too, as workers exposed in factories or the industry can claim compensation from their employers.

It was also in talcum powder in minuscule amounts as they are mined close together. The stuff is an old garage roof is the thin end of the wedge.

Sorry to go on but it’s on the London Underground too, FOI has revealed it. It was used for brakes. It’s very difficult to avoid so no, it would not stop me buying a house 🙂

As someone else said, it was used up until the 90s even in artexing so it’s highly probable that any older house might have some.

As others have said unless you drill into it directly it should be fine. It is people that worked with it directly that are affected in the main.

You might want to look into radon gas too.

That’s actually made me a little nervous as I thought it was more of a long term exposure thing.
My first rented house had really bad damp so the landlord had somebody come knock the whole wall down and re-plaster it. I remember being caked in dust from head to toe every time I went downstairs that week! Would that one incident have put me at risk?

I think you’re worrying too much. Buy a new build!

If the asbestos is recorded then when removing, the approving company will provide a certificate. As far as I’m aware.

its generally not in internal walls, it’s an insulator. Building materials are hazardous in general so maybe a new build is for you, but they do take time to “settle” and have their own dust.

I work in the asbestos industry and I I would by a house with asbestos in it, based on a few factors. Not all asbestos materials are the same. Artex ceilings are very low risk. Yes, if there is a water I eak it will be inconvenient, but it does not cause fibre release like the horror stories of sprayed asbestos in the ship building yards. Same for floor tiles and cement products. All low risk and non- licensed. You can remove cement yourself and take it to the tip. Your council website will give info on that.

Licensed materials (boards etc) are more costly but less likely to be present. My house was built in 1910 and has no asbestos at all. By far and large it is 60’ and 70’s build houses that contain the bulk of asbestos in homes. There is no government policy requiring the removal of asbestos from privately owned homes, unless that home is rented and in that case it’s duty to manage, not remove. Council/ HA stock is the same, by law it has to be surveyed and managed, but not blindly removed, that is actually more dangerous!

If you like the house, get a survey done. Don’t let it put you off at the first hurdle!

@Dodafandango you think the contractor is going to put themselves at risk?

Not sure why you think Victorian houses have asbestos? Many / most don't. I wouldn't rule out a whole category of houses because they might have asbestos.

If I found out a specific house I wanted to buy had asbestos, then I would make a decision based on that specific scenario.
For example, if it was the garage and I budgeted to have it professionally removed, I would proceed. If it was in the house and I couldn't afford to remove it or would have to avoid doing something I might want to do to the house - that's when I would avoid the house.

Looking at the data out there the most at risk houses are those built between 1950 and the 1970s. Some Victorian or older homes might have some if they were converted in the 70s but of course they won't have been originally constructed with it. I think you're overly worrying since many Victorian houses have not been majorly altered.

We’ve gutted and done up several houses dating from 1850 to 1970 and it was only the 60s and 70s houses that had any asbestos. All of it was removed by specialists. They use lockable skips and special vacuums to remove the dust.

I would.

Asbestos is in a huge number of houses. It was used in waste pipes, fascias, roofs, ceiling tiles, floor tiles etc etc etc.

My uncle had asbestosis however he was a builder ripping it all out without protection before they knew it was bad. Undisturbed and carefully extracted I think it would be ok.

I wouldn’t.

I wouldn't.