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August 22, 2007
Asbestos
What are the rules regarding asbestos abatement? I have some insulating my pipes in the basement. I want to get rid of it, and I also have an open buidling permit. But I'm trying to get the permit closed and a certificate of complettion. Do I need to remove the asbestos before I can close the permit? My architect is kind of insisting that I do that but I want to wait until next summer when we are out of the house on vacation for a couple of weeks. I have small children.
Thanks!
Comments
Not sure how much you need to have removed, but I recently had asbestos removed from pipes on our basement and it was a very quick/painless experience. It wasn't messy and it was completely safe for us to be in the house while it was going on. For us it took 1 day to remove it and another day to reinsulate the pipes with something different. We used Liam from Leinster Contracting...I recommended him on this board just yesterday.
Posted by: tiffysteff at August 22, 2007 1:38 PM
Tiffysteff, approx. how much did that removal cost? I am in the same situation (a few pipes in basement) and my husband wants to try to do this himself (of course, I'm totally against that idea)
Posted by: guest at August 22, 2007 4:23 PM
hi i'm john rodriguez and i do this kind of work and have brownstoner references.
just call me 347 996 6148
Posted by: jrodriguez at August 22, 2007 4:48 PM
4:23, we just had this done ourselves and it is super expensive if done by the book. there are two ways to do it. the first is available if you have less than 25 linear feet of asbestos to be removed. this does not require air testing or dob approval and costs around $1,000-$2,500 to do. if you have more than 25 linear feet, it's a more cumbersome process and can cost up to $6k (which is close to what we paid). apparently many people choose the less expensive option (which is just as safe as the more elaborate option) even if the amount of asbestos exceeds the threshold, and some contractors will accomodate this.
Posted by: z at August 22, 2007 11:19 PM
You cannot close an open building permit without legally abating the pipe insulation, which should cost between $2500-4000, when done by a licenced abatement contractor - IF you intend to do any work that will risk disturbing the asbestos material. If not, you may leave it as is, undisturbed. It is illegal to have anyone other than a licensed asbestos professional remove asbestos, not to mention potentially hazardous to you and your family. Fines are steep - in the tens of thousands of dollars. If you are doing reno in that space, you will need to hire an independent air quality controller - about another $750, as well. This is required by law. Pipe insulation is quite friable (the most dangerous forms of asbestos are friable - they can break down into a powder easily and release harmful particles into the air), and it is worth having removal done properly (not to mention knowing for a fact your air is clean afterwards), especially if you have young children. Poor removal can release dangerous asbestos particles into the air.
I am not in the hazmat industry, just someone who's been through it - twice.
Posted by: guest at August 23, 2007 8:16 AM
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