Vendor refurbished but hadn't checked for asbestos!

Slinky

AnotherJoe wrote: »

Look up.
Are they flat? If so, the answers almost certainly "yes".
If no, but its swirly or dimpled, then it hasnt been skimmed.

The ceilings could be flat because they've always been flat, with paint onto plaster, or they could be flat because at some point they were artexed, possibly with asbestos, and have been skimmed over the artex at a later date.


OP I suggest you stop looking at American sites. You only have to look at some of the US renovation programmes on TV to see their house building techniques are very different to ours. A lot of their houses are timber framed, your 1930s house will be of very different construction.

ciderboy2009

OP - I'm assuming that you're either a first time buyer or have only ever bought brand new properties before.

Step back and think for a minute about all of the people you know who own/ live in older properties and have an asbestos related illness.

The odds are that you don't know anybody - that gives an indication of how tiny a risk asbestos in the home actually is.

Waahmbulance

OP - I'm assuming that you're either a first time buyer or have only ever bought brand new properties before.

First time buyer. I think mesothelioma and similar can take 60+ years to develop, but I take your point. I'm mostly concerned for my children, really.

Slithery

Waahmbulance wrote: »

I think mesothelioma and similar can take 60+ years to develop.

Yes, but only for people who used to work in factories making the stuff.

You have more chance of your children killing themselves falling off the toilet than from living in a property with undisturbed historical asbestos.

babyblade41

My Mum died of Mesothilioma 4 years ago.. We traced it back from my late father who was a lorry mechanic years ago and brake pads were made from Asbestos then.

Pure bad luck sadly but OP you need to stop worrying

Waahmbulance

undisturbed historical asbestos

Does it count as 'undisturbed' if you've drilled holes in it to attach things? (Genuine question...)

Waahmbulance

My Mum died of Mesothilioma 4 years ago.. We traced it back from my late father who was a lorry mechanic years ago and brake pads were made from Asbestos then.

My condolences, I'm sorry to hear that.

davidmcn

Waahmbulance wrote: »

Does it count as 'undisturbed' if you've drilled holes in it to attach things? (Genuine question...)

"Minimally disturbed", then. If we're talking about Artex then it would only have had a couple of percent asbestos in it, if any. You're not releasing much dust by drilling holes through it, and you're unlikely to be inhaling any significant amount. Stick a mask on if you're concerned.

Slithery

Waahmbulance wrote: »

Does it count as 'undisturbed' if you've drilled holes in it to attach things? (Genuine question...)

Unless you were making a a concerted effort to inhale all of the dust during drilling then you'll be fine, the rest will be inside your hoover.

Waahmbulance

I've just had results back from a sample I sent off for analysis! It's negative. So at least one of the walls we drilled is asbestos-free. Maybe I'll just test the other wall we've drilled into and leave it there.