Asbestos Found! One Couple's Tale Through a Trying Time


Dun dunnnnnn. It was super likely that in a house as old as ours, with as many hotch-potch additions as ours does, that we would have asbestos* hidden somewhere, and sure enough... we suspected, we got it checked, we found it and we got it removed.

First, we got an asbestos checker in to have a look at the building and got them to test out different areas of the house and identify which walls are harbouring asbestos. Asbestos isn't a problem unless you disturb it and since we will be moving walls and yanking the house all over the place we needed to get it removed.

We then got quotes from 3 companies to have it removed, along with the kitchen and bathroom fit out while they were at it. Finally we booked a date for the removal. Before the removal you need to prep your site to make it easy for your asbestos angels to get in and out easily and with least damage to your property. Their main job is to remove the asbestos cement sheeting from the walls and ceilings (and where ever else it is) and to take it safely from the site, leaving your home lungs-friendly for you to breathe in at your leisure.

Things you will likely need to do to prep your site:
  • Mark out the places (x) where asbestos is sneakily hiding and make sure the demo guys are clear on this.
  • Remove all plumbing penetrations through the wall so that the wall can be easily removed without cutting or cracking and they won't get in the way. This includes things like taking off tap handles and removing the toilet.
 
  • Seal your water pipes. You can do this by removing the taps and replacing them with brass caps. Put some thread sealing tape on first so when the water is turned back on it does not leak.
     

  • Remove electrical points and tape over each wire.
  • Lift and remove carpet if you can. *Zooper Dooper not required.
  • Remove any other things that might get in the way, such as gas fittings or kitchen cupboards. If you're not sure if it might disturb the asbestos (e.g. trying to pull a benchtop away from the wall) don't do it and let the experts work it out.
     
  • Empty the rooms the asbestos angels will be working in. Or don't. But if you leave your couch in the lounge while they work and your cat wanders in for a nap on it, it won't be my fault when Snuggles goes all Zoolander-working-in-the-mines on you.
  • Wear a breathing mask while you work. 

The asbestos angels came in on Friday so had a good incentive to work quickly for an early knock off. We were not allowed back on site until the health inspector had cleared the site that afternoon.

This is what we were left with after the asbestos angels left.






Make sure you are prepared (or have booked in someone who is prepared) to work on your building soon after if you are worried about not being at lock-up stage or getting water damage from rain, or even if you just don't like troublesome youths/homeless people/pushy relatives squatting in your home while you leave it wide open and wall-less for said persons.

*If you don't know what asbestos is or how it can affect you, read this to find out more.

Cost: $3500 for asbestos removal
Time taken: 2 days for our prep, 1 day for the demolition
Tools: spanners, hammer, chisel, screw drivers to remove fittings 

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