roof slates containing asbestos cement

[cassie]

We are about to buy a semi-derelict  ancient property and the "asbestos" report states that  the remaining roof tiles are slate containing asbestos cement (ardoises ciment amiante). Ha anybody got ANY idea how much it costs for an approved contractor to take them from the roof and get rid of them (in eastern. Brittany) ?

thanks

dennis

[Nearly Retired (I am now)]

I can't help with a price but I can moan a bit about asbestos hysteria. If your solid mainly cement and a tiny bit of embedded asbestos tiles were in the UK you could simply take them off, double wrap them in polythene and take them down to the council dump. Note not all dumps take them but I think each LA has at least one for low grade asbestos. Easy - peasy.

I haven't a clue what (officially) happens in France, but would hope that sense would prevail and a similar system might be in use - after all we're all in the EU, have the same access to technical knowledge and can suffer illness in the same way too.

My guess is that most people would probably dig a hole and bury them.

[Jo]

Do they have to be removed? It is not a case of repair?

[Keni]

When we bought our place over five years ago, the report threw up that our roof tiles were made of amient (asbestos cement) and are called crysotile.

We have had no problems with them, we do need a new roof, mainly because of adjoining building problems, we have had a couple of quotes, which appear to pose no problem. Also a surveyor has said as they are 'stable' and in good condition there are no problems with them. There certainly does not seem to be any hysteria in our area regarding asbestos tiles, I presume as long as they are stable.

If you get a quote for a new roof, they will include the cost of removing the old ones.

good luck.

[Panda]

There is less hysteria here IMO than in the UK, I had a totally asbestos sheet roof (yes very attractive) which was no issue.  The local dechetterie took some of the early sheets that were removed and told me that as long as you make them aware of it and you don't just run up with a truck load most take them.  The remainder was removed by the roofing contractor as part of the job as is described above.  

In the UK I had a neighbour with an asbestos garage and the men in white suits had to take that down, it's all down to the asbsestos content and type I understand but I still think the UK would be a worse place to have asbestos to deal with.

So don't worry unduly about it, if you are having the roof done be sure to include it in the job.