Very few words can elicit such instant feelings of fear or worry in the way ‘asbestos’ does. With a long, proven history of causing significant illness through exposure and now legally banned from use, this response is warranted. 

Many of us live in homes with asbestos and have learned to accept its presence as low-risk so long as it remains undisturbed. However, when it comes to selling a property, the mention of asbestos is enough to send prospective buyers running or asking for a serious price reduction.

In this guide, we’ll look at why removing asbestos before listing your home for sale should be top of your to-do list.

The Health & Safety Risks Of Asbestos

First off, you should remove asbestos before selling purely for health and safety reasons. Loose fibres from asbestos are easily inhaled and have been linked with lung cancers, asbestosis and other life-limiting respiratory concerns.  

While this may not be expressly necessary for non-friable asbestos such as roof tiles or wall sheeting, its counterpart, friable asbestos such as asbestos insulation, is incredibly dangerous. 

If you are aware of asbestos whether friable or non-friable that is easily accessible in your home or yard, this should be professionally removed for your safety and that of any future owners. 

We do not recommend ignoring the presence of asbestos on your property until such a time as you are selling. A detailed assessment of risk and arrangement of removal can be performed by our team at any time. 

Asbestos & The Home Selling Process

Every homeowner hopes to achieve a great sale price for their property. This often involves tidying gardens, making repairs or repainting and more to ensure the home has maximum appeal. 

However, all your best preparations can come undone if you ignore the presence of asbestos and fail to have it removed. 

If you leave asbestos on your property, not only are you legally required to disclose this to a buyer, you are likely to face a lower sale price. Buyers are within rights to request a lower sale price as this:

  1. Represents a real risk to their health and safety
  2. Makes them responsible for the costs of removal and disposal in future

Ensuring you have properly dealt with asbestos before the sale removes this complication from the equation, giving you the best chance at selling for the price you desire.

Asbestos Removal For Home Sellers

If you know you have asbestos requiring removal pre-selling, how do you go about doing so safely? The answer is through engaging a professional team of licensed asbestos removal contractors. 

In Queensland, as across most of Australia, it is illegal to manage the removal and disposal of asbestos without proper training and licensing. 

This licensing ensures that asbestos is removed with utmost care, reducing the risk of exposure or further contamination. It also enables the proper disposal of asbestos materials at an approved facility. 

Failure to dispose of asbestos in a legally permitted manner can see you facing significant fines or even jail time. This is why you should never attempt asbestos removal yourself or engage someone to assist that does not have adequate licensing or experience.

You do not have to disclose the former presence of asbestos when selling, so once it is removed, you can move ahead with selling free of this concern. 

How We Remove & Dispose of Asbestos Correctly

As a licensed, trained and insured asbestos removal specialist, Icon Asbestos follows strict removal and disposal protocols. 

Our professionally trained teams wear appropriate PPE (personal protection equipment) and take extensive measures to wrap and seal all asbestos plastic sheeting of an approved thickness. 

We seal off any areas of your home that are unaffected and use dedicated power tools to expedite removal while also minimising the release of asbestos dust or fibres.

All tools, materials and PPE used in removal are disposed of at the end of the job, alongside the asbestos itself. 

We transport all asbestos waste to an approved facility where it is buried, fully sealed in a dedicated area.

Choosing The Right Asbestos Removal Contractors

To ensure your home’s value remains intact and your asbestos removal meets all regulatory and legal requirements, you should only ever engage a licensed contractor. 

Doing due diligence concerning asbestos removalists is incredibly important. This protects you from any responsibility surrounding its removal and disposal while also promoting the utmost safety for your home and its occupants. 

Before confirming removal work, always ask to see proof of licensing and insurance and check for online reviews confirming the quality of the work they have completed. Should your chosen contact decline to provide this information, we suggest looking elsewhere for assistance. 

At Icon Asbestos, we highly value the safety of our team, your home and its occupants (both now and in future). We readily provide details regarding our training and licensing and regularly revisit this training as part of our commitment to quality and safety. 

Prepare Your Home For Sale With Icon Asbestos Removals

Get the best price for your home when selling with the help of Icon Asbestos Removals. We safely and efficiently remove dangerous asbestos from your home, ensuring it is ready to sell at your preferred price. 

Committed to removing and disposing of asbestos safely and in line with all relevant legislation, we’re the team you can trust to handle this high-risk task with ease. 

Contact Icon Asbestos today at 07 3053 3453 and get your home safe and ready to sell free of asbestos.