Should I buy a house with asbestos siding?

[jpak]

[Major Nikon]

1. Depends on whether you ever want it removed

Asbestos is expensive to abate, but for things like siding it's not a hazard so long as you leave it alone. So you can paint it or whatever, but if you drill or cut the dust becomes a hazard.

[jpak]

2. That's what I thought - wanted a second opinion...

[JanMichael]

3. If you avoid sawing it and breathing in the dust you are fine.

It is only friction and dust that it truly harmful. Like Lead is bad in drip lines, friction points like windows, doors, and blinds which shoot out the Lead dust, it is when it is free that it harms. Or if a child under 6 chews on a intact piece of trim or furniture with Lead that can harm too.

[jpak]

4. Thanks!

[The Second Stone]

5. No, because it will hurt the value when you are selling

or your heirs are selling. Why invest in an expensive clean up job? And expensive repairs when the siding needs to be repaired.

[Chan790]

6. Because it's great fire-protection?

I mean there are a lot of downsides to asbestos siding...but there are good sides too; there are reasons it was used. It certainly wasn't cheaper.

[csziggy]

7. The other selling point was it didn't need to be painted - ever

The house I grew up in had asbestos siding. When it was moved to town in 1952 (from a mining company town that was being dismantled) my parents chose the asbestos siding because it was durable and never needed to be painted.

That house was finally demolished in 2011. The siding had never been painted and looked the same as it did when they put the stuff on it. Though it may have cost more than wood siding, my parents certainly saved the difference in paint and labor in the almost fifty years they owned it!

[NewJeffCT]

8. I would avoid it, if possible

unless you get it for a really low price to remediate the asbestos. Even if it's outside the home, just the word "asbestos" may scare off potential buyers in the future.

[Fla Dem]

10. Agree, either get the current owner to remove as a condition of signing the contract, or

have them reduce the selling price below their final price for the coat of the removal. In any case, I'd remove it. It will have to be address eventually if you ever decide to do remodeling, fix up the exterior or sell.

My 1st choice would be for the sellers to remove.

[Festivito]

9. Take off about $15,000 if shingle with fiberboard behind. 1.5 storey bungalow.

Could probably get it done for 8-12K$. Including 3rd party monitoring.

Much cheaper: $3,000-4,000 for transite (the harder cement-like siding).

Depends on size of course, heights, blockages, ..., and outside factors as well. Was it in the news? Yikes. Tough city? Strict city? ...