On Sun, 14 May 2006 18:38:18 -0500, "goldilox2677"
wrote:

I am looking into buying a 1927 home with an exterior of asbestos/wood.
Since I do not know what I might be getting myself into, I decided to post
some questions on this site

1. Does the seller have to pay for a home inspection to disclose any
information about the asbestos shingles? If not and I have the inspection
done myself, what should I be looking for?

2. Is it a dumb idea to invest in a home that could need asbestos shingle
removal? How costly is it for a home that is approximately 1,500 square
feet?

3. Some of you have said removal is no problem and it's easiest to just
remove the singles and put siding on and some of you have said it is not
dangerous to just put siding over the existing shingles. How would I know
if it is as a dangerous stage and may need replacing? A home inspection?

Any other information on this subject would be great!!!!!!!

Thanks a lot,
Tonya

I have three rental houses that still have asbestos siding.
It's not considered hazardous unless it's ground or sawn. The asbestos
in it is basically mixed with cement. It's not considered friable (the
white fluffy loose asbestos that's often used in pipe insulation).

Unless there is a cosmetic reason, why worry about it, side it over or
even remove it?

A paint job on asbestos siding seems to last a good 20 years. In many
respects it's great stuff and certainly not a hazard to your health,
unless, again, you grind it, saw it and breath the dust.

BTW, if some shingles are chipped, cracked or missing, they can be
easily replaced. GAF Building Products still sells the stuff, with the
asbestos content removed. It's available in the 12 x 24" sizes in
straight edge, wavy edge and shag edge.

Around 5 years ago, on the "This Old House" program, they did a home
addition, matching the asbestos siding on the rest of the house with
new fiber-cement shingles from GAF.

Doug