Asbestos Removal - but where under the floor is it found?

[CordlessJoe]

Hi im in the process of buying a 2 bed house which my surveyor mentioned had "suspected asbestos" in - i arranged for a asbestos surveyor to confirm if this was the case - as i had tiling to the hallway - he confirmed that these were asbestos but with a low amount of asbestos in them and another lot asbestos cement to a small cupboard. I will be putting flooring over the tiles so not too concerned. i have since found out from the seller there the might be asbestos under the flooring of the bedrooms above - hes not sure as he didnt do a survey at the time- basically his foot went through the ceiling and he did a poor job sorting it out - plasterboard with expanding foam which i found out is fine from the asbestos guidance website - but its kind of bulging as he didnt file it to make it smooth. I know once we complete thaht i will have to no doubt get another survey to see whats under the floorboards - as i intend on having the house rewired - is asbestos found along the sides of the walls or just all over the place - as i assume that i will see the wooden struts going across teh room but dont know whats normal for where the find asbestos.

also has anyone used the removal sercvices and if so how long does it take - im looking getting 2 rooms done 14x11 and 11x9'9 - so im trying to find out a schedule of works as i know nothing can really be done until its been removed.
any input would be appreciated

 

[Joe Malone]

Joe, the best document you can read for finding out where you are likely to find asbestos is HSG264 Asbestos Survey Guide. There is a whole appendix in the back explaining the different types of asbestos and where they are found. In terms of risk, the amount os asbestos present doesn't tell us a great deal. As part of the survey process a risk assessment is carried out which looks at the type of asbestos, the location and condition of the material. Is it a notifiable product, is it damaged or in a location where it is likely to be damaged. Quite often it is best just to leave it I disturbed where it is. Let me know if you need a copy of the guide and I'll email it to you.

 

[^woody^]

I can't think of why there would be asbestos under a floor