If you are buying a property it is natural to want to gather as much information as possible to ensure that you are making an informed decision. Almost all homebuyers will invest in a survey of the property to make sure that it is free from underlying issues and defects – and increasingly, buyers are interested in having an asbestos survey carried out.
Asbestos is a dangerous substance that can be problematic if found in your property. Having an asbestos survey carried out before you can establish whether the material is present. But why is this a good idea?
Asbestos may not be picked up by a standard survey
Some homebuyers believe that they can simply have a standard home survey before they buy and this will pick up on any key issues. However, it is vital to realise that asbestos is not a focus of these types of survey – typically normal surveys will only look at the surface level whereas asbestos can be effectively hidden in the fabric of a property.
Only through an actual asbestos survey can you feel confident that offending asbestos will be discovered and accounted for.
Any property could have asbestos
It is also a common misconception that asbestos is rarely found in properties. It is sometimes assumed that as asbestos has been banned from use for over 20 years, that there is unlikely to be any asbestos present in any property. However, before 2000, asbestos was commonly used – especially through the 1970s and 1980s.
If you are buying a property that was built before 2000, there is a chance it could contain asbestos, and this is something that you will want to know about.
The expenses of removing asbestos
Buying a property and then later finding it has asbestos is not just difficult from the perspective that asbestos could potentially be a health hazard – it can also be costly to remove it. If the presence of asbestos is discovered before the purchase is completed, it can put you in a position to re-negotiate the price.
If you would like to learn more about homebuyer asbestos surveys, please contact the experienced team at Crucial Environmental today.