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altlasterhaft15 May 2019 17:45We are planning to buy a house built in 1956 with an extension added in 1975. Apart from the following issue, the house is perfect for us: several floors are suspected to contain asbestos. Two rooms have a screed floor with black adhesive, likely covered by FlexFloor panels, and fully glued carpet on top. The staircase is made of artificial stone, probably with black adhesive beneath, covered by carpet with a black backing. The hallway has screed with yellow adhesive and carpet on top. In total, this affects just under 60 square meters (645 square feet). We have already sent samples for testing but assume that most of these materials contain asbestos. We have obtained a quote from a remediation specialist for removal according to TRGS 519, with costs around 9,000 euros.
A friend who is an architect and frequently works on renovations suggests that we should first try to remove the carpets and FlexFloor panels ourselves (taking precautions like wetting the carpet, dust control, wearing protective masks and clothing), and then properly dispose of the asbestos-containing floors.
He advises NOT to sand down the adhesive but to either:
- Completely remove the screed
- Cover or seal it
His reasoning: sanding is ALWAYS problematic, as it causes contamination and dust will inevitably settle somewhere. It would also ruin the floor/screed. It is too expensive and costly only because a specialist company does it; privately, pulling it out is not an issue, and the adhesive can simply be covered.
Please share your assessment regarding these statements and the price estimate.
A friend who is an architect and frequently works on renovations suggests that we should first try to remove the carpets and FlexFloor panels ourselves (taking precautions like wetting the carpet, dust control, wearing protective masks and clothing), and then properly dispose of the asbestos-containing floors.
He advises NOT to sand down the adhesive but to either:
- Completely remove the screed
- Cover or seal it
His reasoning: sanding is ALWAYS problematic, as it causes contamination and dust will inevitably settle somewhere. It would also ruin the floor/screed. It is too expensive and costly only because a specialist company does it; privately, pulling it out is not an issue, and the adhesive can simply be covered.
Please share your assessment regarding these statements and the price estimate.
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altlasterhaft16 May 2019 09:38ypg schrieb:
How much should the house cost?Hello Yvonne, the price for the house and land is fine for us, so that's not the issue – rather, it's about how we solve the problem. There are other, bigger construction challenges that need to be addressed anyway – but the approach to those is clear and we can assess it ourselves.
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Mottenhausen16 May 2019 14:06Regarding asbestos: it is best to avoid touching it and leave it in place; I would support the architect’s second recommendation here. Without mechanical disturbance, it is not harmful.
The situation is different with adhesives, as it is unclear whether they emit any vapors or not. Therefore, if built over, the area would need to be airtight, which is certainly impossible at a staircase. On the other hand, for example, bricks are still glued today with adhesives whose long-term emissions over the next 20 years are unknown. This is why the "state of the art" is constantly evolving, as it is repeatedly discovered that what was previously considered completely normal may not be ideal after all.
The situation is different with adhesives, as it is unclear whether they emit any vapors or not. Therefore, if built over, the area would need to be airtight, which is certainly impossible at a staircase. On the other hand, for example, bricks are still glued today with adhesives whose long-term emissions over the next 20 years are unknown. This is why the "state of the art" is constantly evolving, as it is repeatedly discovered that what was previously considered completely normal may not be ideal after all.
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altlasterhaft16 May 2019 18:26ypg schrieb:
I'm asking about the proportionality of the costs... there are, of course, limits where you decide whether to do something yourself or hire it out. Yes, we wanted to do a lot ourselves – so having the floor, something you can typically do quite well on your own, not included is a bit of an adjustment. Especially since we then have to pay around 10,000 for it...
We’re not really paying that much for the house itself, or rather the billing is somewhat complicated. The location is great – also because the property is so huge. If you only calculate the land price, the house itself costs almost nothing – but since we’re buying the land as well and plan to leave it as is, the total price is quite high... That’s why we want to save wherever possible – but it’s not EXTREMELY tight financially.
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