Nick's Notes

[Rick Lowe]

It's been a busy month now.

The house is likely to sell for less than expected as the buyers are saying it needs more expensive renovation work than we thought.

They all say that. Don't forget that you can say "Well, if you want to pull out after we accepted your offer..." and watch them squirm.

Is there independent verification of that? Or are they trying it on?

[Nick]

It's been a busy month now.

The house is likely to sell for less than expected as the buyers are saying it needs more expensive renovation work than we thought.

They all say that. Don't forget that you can say "Well, if you want to pull out after we accepted your offer..." and watch them squirm.

Is there independent verification of that? Or are they trying it on?

Next week we plan to get our own surveyors in so that we can compare notes. Should have done this at the start 
Another thing that has me concerned is the number of viewing appointments being made and then cancelled a few days later. Some are going ahead but it seems odd.

There is a definite issue with the garage. It's falling down and is entirely asbestos (had it tested today). Do we bite the bullet and pay to have it removed or do we rely on the sale price being adjusted to reflect its eventual removal?

[kerick]

I don't know your local regs and laws but it can be a real nightmare to do yourself. Hireing a professional company is the way to go. If you hire someone or if the buyer does it is up to you. Personally I'd let the buyer hire someone. Then if it's not up to their expectations it's their problem.

[Charlie_c67]

As with all asbestos, it's the dust that's the problem. The problem with removing it now is it might change a buyers mind about wanting it. Have they specified what it is the believe needs sorting?

I had one that wanted £10k knocked off the price as the gas meter was inside. Since I thankfully had all the planning permission etc to do with the conversion of the bedroom into a garage we were able to show that it was within regs from the time and the fact that the regs had changed 17 times in the intervening 20 years meant that they had to like it or lump it.

Some buyers will offer more then they should then try and beat you down with imagined "issues". Remember, if they make an offer and then decide to pull out, they could end up with financial implications as a result.

House buying and selling is one of the most frustrating and stressful things out there.

[zenrat]

Even if you could demolish the asbestos garage yourself safely while meeting the local regulations (which here require one to have a licence - don't know about in the UK but I would expect it to be the same) you still have to have it taken away.  This will probably (again, check your local regs) require someone licenced to do so - you can't just chuck it in a skip.
I would suggest getting a quote for complete demo and removal from a qualified contractor.  You can then ask a potential buyer if they want you do do it for them or deduct the cost from the asking price (they may think they can get it done cheaper).
What you can't do now you know it's asbestos is nothing.  You don't have deniability as you had it tested.

I got involved in asbestos removal in the early 2000's when my boss got caught out by the government business we were contracting for.  When he bid for the contract he had told them he had an asbestos removal licence.  He didn't have one (he'd done a course but never completed the licence requirements) but he felt safe doing this as the scope of the contract didn't include any removals.  However, once we got the job the scope changed and we were asked to remove some buried asbestos pipes.  Rather than lose face and have to pay someone else he got me to research the requirements and run the safety side of the job.  It's a complex business with stringent PPE requirements.  We did a good safe job but unfortunately I could never include it on my resume because we did it illegally.
Allegedly.

[DeeBob]

Tangential, but an acquaintance of mine has worked in a nuclear power station in the process of being decommissioned and said that they had a load of people with specialist training for carting stuff out but nobody quite knew what qualifications they needed to deal with a stash of radioactive asbestos they needed to get rid of...

[kitbasher]

There is a definite issue with the garage. It's falling down and is entirely asbestos (had it tested today). Do we bite the bullet and pay to have it removed or do we rely on the sale price being adjusted to reflect its eventual removal?

I'd get rid, Nick.  Buyers will attempt to knock the price down, which is OK as you'd probably be able to agree the price drop, but you're in control if you get it removed yourself.

[PR19_Kit]

........ but nobody quite knew what qualifications they needed to deal with a stash of radioactive asbestos they needed to get rid of...

And even if they did know them, they probably couldn't tell anyone else that they DID know them as it'd breach some aspect of the Official Secrets Act. 

[frank2056]

I worked in a lab (part time) washing glassware, shortly after I started college. They did radio chemistry on Moon rocks, Moon dust and meteorites. About a month in, I was made the "radiation safety officer".  I was 19 and knew next to nothing about radiation safety, but it was better than washing glassware. I read the radiation safety manual and made a pest out myself - I made sure all the rules were followed and that everyone went for their radiation scans every couple of months.

About asbestos - after we moved out of the apartment we were renting, I helped the owner (who lived out of state) with the sale of the place, mainly by checking up on the the contractors who were stripping the place down to the studs. They found asbestos deep in the walls of the bathroom and they had to call specialists, who did a thorough job of removing all the asbestos and debris. Definitely not a DIY job, or even one for regular contractors.

[Nick]

I've had a quote of £1700 for complete removal of this asbestos garage by a professional firm. We could have it done this week.

I need to get the house surveyed - I think I need to ask for a Level 3 survey which is the full study.

[Rick Lowe]

I've had a quote of £1700 for complete removal of this asbestos garage by a professional firm. We could have it done this week.

I need to get the house surveyed - I think I need to ask for a Level 3 survey which is the full study.

Full study is, IMHO, better than a half-baked job that any prospective buyer could quibble over.
You then have all the info to refute anything like that.

And if that's the price of professional removal and disposal, I think it's cheap at the price. 
They always recommend getting 3 quotes for any job, though - is that the average, or only the one?

[kitbasher]

Good moves, Nick.

[Steel Penguin]

Nick,  Thats a quote from a professional certified firm?     Take their hand off, and then make certain that a copy of all the paperwork goes in the selling pack for the house, and keep copy's for yourself,  That way if anything happens in the future you can provide that most valuable of things.  A different target for any legal problems.