Leaking asbestos garage roof

Hi all,

Looking for some advice please.

I picked up the keys to my new house on Monday (yay!) and have had a chance to have a closer look at my garage roof. I knew that there were some issues with it prior to purchase and made my offer accordingly, but I'm now looking at what options I have.

The garage is in an 'M' shaped brickwork with my garage on the right and next doors' joined to it on the left. The drainage for the roof runs down the middle to the back of the garage and the roof itself is a very shallow 'V' shape sloping towards the central drainage.

From going inside and having a look around, the roof on my side is made up of several large sheets of asbestos running towards the centre from the outside wall, with some smaller pieces making up the gap between the end of these sheets and the central drainage.

The smaller sheets seem to have started to slope the wrong way so that the water runs down the larger sheets, and then runs back into the garage along the smaller sheets (which is not helpful!).

I've asked around family etc and have had some suggestions made:
- replace the roof (estimate came back at £3k so not an option right now)
- drill(!!!) into the smaller sheets and put 'asbestos plugs' in to hold the smaller sheets to the larger sheets at the correct angle
- try siliconing along the edge of the smaller sheets and 'stick' them to the bigger sheets at the correct angle
- wedge some wood between the edge of the smaller sheets and the floor of the garage to get them at the correct angle (total bodge job)

Anyone had any similar experiences with anything like this? The 'asbestos plugs' sounds like the most cost effective and long-ish term solution from the list but I'm more than aware of the hazards of messing with asbestos, let alone drilling holes in it.

Thanks in advance for your help :)
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Comments

  • phill99
    phill99 Posts: 9,094
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    You need to get images to show what you are on about.
    Eat vegetables and fear no creditors, rather than eat duck and hide.
  • glasgowdan
    glasgowdan Posts: 2,967
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    You should get a much cheaper quote than that. It's not quite the same, but I'm getting a single garage asbestos roof removed and replaced with ply and felt/lead for £1500. I'm sure I could have got it done a bit cheaper again if I really tried.
  • tonyh66
    tonyh66 Posts: 1,736
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    drilling into asbestos sheet is definitely not recommended.
    As a bodge try Gripfill or Sticks like s**t to stick the small sheets to the large sheets.
  • Jox
    Jox Posts: 1,651
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    Did you have a survey? I'm purchasing a house and the survey has just informed me that the garage has an asbestos roof.

    Here's a thread on mumsnet I found that might be useful:

    http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/2252287-Asbestos-in-garage-roof-Is-this-a-worry
  • arbrighton
    arbrighton Posts: 2,011
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    how do you know it is actually asbestos?
  • phil24_7
    phil24_7 Posts: 1,535
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    Why nor remove all of the asbestos roofing. Double bag it and take it to the council. Replacing with modern versions.
  • Just a quick update - had roofer chap our yesterday to have a look. He's confirmed it is asbestos and has offered a 'fix' that should last 3yrs + for around £300 (bargain!). Essentially, the roof itself should have had rafters (or similar) in place to hold the sheets up - there is currently only one rafter across the centre of the garage (laterally). He's going to fit brackets to either side of the rafter and affix a treated timber baton across the smaller sheets to hold them at the correct angle. Less than a days work and he'll guarantee it until 2019 for us.

    Additional bonus, finally met the neighbours on Saturday afternoon and they have the same issue with their roof. They approached the previous owner of our house in 2008/9 and asked about replacing the roof but he wasn't' interested. New plan is to get the roofer chap to quote to replace both roofs with more modern materials and for us to share the costs.

    Happy days! :)
  • phil24_7
    phil24_7 Posts: 1,535
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    There is no way he can say it is asbestos just by looking at it. He can suspect it, but not confirm it. The only way to know for sure is to send a sample to a company for testing. It doesn't cost much so may be worthwhile. If it comes back as clear then it will make any works to it much cheaper, if it comes back as asbestos, at least you are properly informed.

    I would seriously consider removing it yourself (if it is asbestos) before getting the roofer to renew it.
  • tonyh66
    tonyh66 Posts: 1,736
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    I would want something more permanent: "offered a 'fix' that should last 3yrs +"
    Beware of cowboy traders.......
  • Annie1960
    Annie1960 Posts: 2,998
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    phil24_7 wrote: »
    Why nor remove all of the asbestos roofing. Double bag it and take it to the council. Replacing with modern versions.

    Depends where you live. My council will not take this at local recycling centre. You need to book them and pay for it, but I found it cheaper to go to a private local contractor.

    I got a number of quotes, and the prices varied enormously, more so than any other work I've had done.
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