asbestos roofing

[willowman]

A friend is selling her house and the buyers report has highlighted the fact that her garage roof is asbestos/concrete. The buyer is thinking telephone numbers to remove this using licenced removers. Does anybody have any suggestions? Is it really that expensive to get rid of? The obvious answer is to get a quote, which she or the buyer will have to do, but I'd just like to reassure her in the meantime.
PS. The buyer is also worried because the surveyor has said that re wood in garage "there is a possibility that there may be woodworm in the wood". Duhh! Tried to point out that there is a possibility that there may be woodworm in any bit of wood, it's just the surveyor covering his @rse

[teag1rl]

Ha ha, I'm sorry I dont have an answer for you, never having had to get a quote for removing asbestos myself, but I do agree re. the wood worm thing-it's surveyor covering his ar5e!

[willowman]

PS. Been round to look for myself. The roof is the old corrugated asbestos type sheeting, like corrugated plastic sheets. And there is not one sign of woodworm anywhere - scare tactics for ammunition to bargain for a lower price I think.

[buildersmate]

This is typical of the scare stories surrounding asbestos, and surveyors covering their backsides. This is only a problem if/when the garage needs re-roofing. The stuff (asbestos bound into cement) is perfectly stable when left alone and a problem is created when it requires to be taken off, because it may break producing fine flakes or even dust. It is that expensive (without guessing what THAT has been quoted at) because the contractors have to be approved, the operators wear protective cloting and the sheets double-bagged for disposal to an (expensive) landfill site.
She may have to negotiate though, to sell the house.

[gasman]

We had a specalist asbestos company remove our garage roof at the begining of the year it cost us �160 & it only took them a couple of hrs. So maybe not as expensive as you think it is.

[CLIVES]

It's a reply from a Licensed Asbestos Contractor -- it's not expensive and to correct Buildersmate you do not need to use an approved contractor, Anyone can remove them as long as they comply with the guidelines laid down by the HSE ( safely and minimising any breakages i.e. in a controlled manner wearing a dust mask, disposable overalls and dampen down the sheets to prevent any releases from breakages, wrap the sheets in polythene and have them collected by a licensed waste carrier for disposal at a registered (for Asbestos cement) Landfill site ) if the roof sheets are in a good condition leave them as they are they pose no health issue left alone, removal cost�s may be around �20.00 per sheet and that would include for disposal as well.
Check the removal advice on the HSE�s web site

[willowman]

Thanks for your help. Have been able to put her mind at rest. Think the buyer had been hearing all the scare stories of the rip-off merchants.

[Hard@it]

Clive is right, the main thing is not to break or chip any sheets and definitely do not saw them to fit bags etc.
Keep the sheets whole and invest in polythene and quality tape. Generally these sheets are fixed with coach screws and should be easily removed, unless the heads have gone. Cheers Hard@it