It feels amazing when you have found a house that you love in a good neighbourhood and all you have to do to secure it is sign the contract. However, before you get carried away in the emotions of this time, it is vital that you still think logically about this house and this situation. The last thing you want to do is buy a home that turns out to have a lot of underlying issues. One of the most important services you need to invest in is a pre-purchase asbestos building inspection. Here is how one can help you feel safe in your future home.

Asbestos Is Deadly

Asbestos is a very useful building material that is strong, durable, fire-resistant and long-lasting. The only problem is that it is extremely dangerous to the health of anyone who happens to be around it. Unfortunately, this was not realised until very late, and now thousands and thousands of homes and buildings across Australia have asbestos still in their construction from when they were made. While this asbestos is usually not that harmful because it is kept out of sight (usually in the walls or ceiling), all it takes is one hole or for you to check an area you shouldn't and you could get a lethal dose.

Asbestos Survey

'Asbestos survey' is a term used by asbestos removal experts which simply means that they will check your property for asbestos in all its forms, both friable and bonded. This is an in-depth process which covers all the likely areas, takes samples of items that could have asbestos in their construction (such as roofing sheets) and ensures your home is safe to move into. Once all these tests come back, they will let you know straight away whether asbestos is present in the building, where it is most concentrated and how much there is.

What Next?

After an asbestos survey is done, it is up to you to negotiate with the current owner to see how you want to proceed. Often the current owner will have no idea as well, and they will often be happy to either lower the price of the property or pay for the replacement of the asbestos with safer materials. In some cases, you may find that the owner acknowledges the presence of asbestos but isn't willing to budge on the price. In that instance, it is up to you to see whether it is worth the extra cost to pay for the replacements yourself, or if you want to keep looking.