Will I never sell this house now I’ve found this out?

[Housesall]

I bought a house in 2022 and decided to sell this year. The agent came round today to do photos and in doing so, commented that the roof had asbestos throughout. He used to work in asbestos and said it looked like it would need to be replaced in around 3 years but it was typical of this sort of gone and nearly all homes from this time period will have it. However I have been googling tonight and it seems most people either won’t buy it at all or will want a price reduction for replacing the roof. Posting here for traffic really as I’m totally alone and I’m already having to move due to some awful circumstances. Thanks.

Was it a level 2 RICS survey?

I wouldn’t stress over it. Use a different agent to sell, and leave it to the buyers as to whether they want to pass or not depending on the outcome of their survey. It might show up, it might not, depends on the survey they get. If it shows up and someone likes the house enough it probable wont put them off but they may try to negotiate the cost with you

FYI this is undercloak, the thin board

Did you read the details of what the survey looked for? As would be pretty clear it's just a quick look.

We learned the hard way about surveys...would pay more next time...if ever there is a next time...kids will probably inherit our spray insulation and meteorite proof tiles!

Bought a 4 bed house with asbestos recently - we paid to get an extra survey on it (actually getting samples taken to be sent to the lab) and then worked out what it would cost based on that and adjusted our offer. Spent £1.5k removing bits in the house (mainly because of renovations we planned that would disturb it) and £8k on sorting the undercloaking/roofing

Around 15k for a new roof for a 4-bed I should think.

The middle survey is the most common, don’t feel bad for not getting a full structural survey on a perfectly normal looking house.

Please don't use an estate agent for advice like this. He is not qualified to make that decision and until the survey confirms it (at which point they usually suggest how much it would be to fix) it doesn't exist. I had someone saying this about a family ceiling and it actually wasn't at all - a lot of stress for my elderly relatives.

My local tip has a big sign re asbestos not being accepted.

Please get specialists to remove if you replace, I’m a bit surprised to see someone tell you just to put on a mask and diy! My godmother died as a result of asbestosis.

Definitely go with a different agent. He shouldn't spout this stuff if he's not a surveyor. Let the buyers survey pick it up or not

Agree with this. You weren’t made aware when you bought, and whoever buys from you will also be unaware, unless they have the higher value survey done. You’re doing nothing wrong in not highlighting it to buyers.

My friends recenty bought a house with asbestos in it and got it removed as part of the updating works they were doing to it. I don't think it was more than a slight annoyance to them (like replacing a roof would be anyway I expect!), I wouldn't think it is anyway unsaleable.

If it wasn’t mentioned in a mid range survey then chances are next person won’t know either . Lost if people don’t do the premium ones

How did he know for sure it was asbestos? Does he mean it’s likely or that’s it’s possible?

We’re selling at the moment and our buyers’ survey said possible asbestos. But he was wrong, it’s been removed. The surveyor was just assuming based on look, and age of the house.

So it might be fine.

When we sold our house the buyers asked for asbestos testing - although that was for old insulation in the roof rather than tiles. Turned out not to be asbestos, and the test wasn't too expensive through the company they picked to do it. So you might be in the clear.

If it is asbestos - definitely get a specialist though as the particles (when it is disturbed and not controlled) can linger in the air.

Even a surveyor couldn't tell just by looking - they might state in a report that there is a possibility of asbestos and recommend specialist testing, but they wouldn't confirm it.
You absolutely will be able to sell your house.

We have that here under the end cloaking tiles plus have artex ceiling. Our survey flagged it so we had an asbestos survey done but absolutely didn’t stop us buying. Only an issue if it is disturbed

Do not tackle removing asbestos yourself! It is a hazardous material that can only be removed by specialists.

Loads of houses have asbestos roofs. Ours does. It wasn’t even something we thought about when buying. Roof will need replacing in the next few years and we’ll deal with it then. That said, I personally wouldn’t trust some random estate agents estimation of your roof. I bet he has a mate who is a property developer who’d take it off your hands too.

We got the most expensive survey and all it really says is ‘suspected’ asbestos and then we paid a specialist to come and drill the ceilings to confirm. Initially we thought a few rooms were affected but luckily it was only the smallest room. Paid to have the whole lot ripped out and re-boarded and plastered. A cheaper option would have been to board over it. It was only a very low percentage of asbestos and they say don’t disturb it etc but I could just picture someone kicking a ball up their or something. (kids room) DH just we are going to have to have it out or knowing what I’m like I’d just lay awake at night worrying about it! I think most people would just leave it or do the cheaper fix tbf.

It didn’t put us off buying the house and it’s only people getting to the survey stage who are going to find out by which time they might have their heart set on it.

I am pretty sure if you are familiar with buiding structures and houses you can tell with descent probability.

Please do not try and remove it yourself!! No random on the internet can tell you what it is or how dangerous it is - you need specialist advice.

3 out of our 4 local tips take it if wrapped. Perfectly fine removing it in entire sheets from a roof whilst wearing correct PPE.

Roofing sheets are much easier to remove than asbestos based ceilings which do require professionals if they need removing.

Builder here

Your estate agent is talking from his bottom, or trying to rip you off. Asbestos was banned from use in new builds in 1999, prior to that its quite common, particularly for soffit boards, which I suspect is what it is in your house.

Asbestos is actually a mineral, and is pretty much indestructible, it can't rot and doesn't burn, the asbestos soffits on my 1996 house will see me out, the only issue is re-painting which is a pain and where plastic wins.

Unless a house has been stripped of its asbestos anything constructed between the 1930s and 1999 is guaranteed to have some in it.

In Canada it was only banned in 2018 and was in common use before that, it is still used in much of the world, including China, that produced 22 million tonnes of asbestos products last year.

To be clear, it can be dangerous if disturbed, but is not an issue left alone, and should not impact the sale of a house.