When asbestos first became available it was highly regarded for its fire retardant qualities. Everything from exterior siding to flooring to plaster and pipe insulation were manufactured with asbestos in them. It wasn’t until about 1960 that health professionals became aware that inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers could cause serious illnesses and the Federal government wrote regulations to limit its use.

Remodeling your home requires a contractor to disturb finished surfaces. Before you allow the contractor to begin work, please test your home for hazards. Treating or removing hazardous materials before you begin work will keep both your family and your contractors safe.

RESEARCH

Contact the division of your state government that enforces household hazard regulations – usually the Dept. of Health and Human Services – and ask for the department that helps homeowners deal with such hazards. These folks ought to be able to provide you with information about your particular problem and with a list of professional consultants, labs and contractors who are licensed to test and treat that problem. They should also have brochures they can send you that will explain the remediation process in plain English.

FIND AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT

The state specialist will also be able to give you a list of certified consultants who can help you determine the extent of your problem and how to treat it.

SAMPLE

Your environmental consultant will sample materials, dust and soil, and send these samples to a laboratory that will return results to them within about a week. The consultant’s will translate that data into an easy-to-understand report that will tell you not only what is present, but how you should treat or remove it.

ASSESS THE RESULTS

Not all hazardous materials have to be entirely removed from you home in order to create a safe living environment. The consultant will want to understand how you use your property, and they’ll make recommendations about treatments that might be less expensive than complete removal, if they can.

TREAT OR REMOVE THE HAZARD

They’ll also be able to refer you to one or more contractors who are licensed by the state to do the hazard remediation work. Your consultant should supervise this contractor and inspect his work frequently.

SAMPLE AGAIN

When the contractor has completed his work, the consultant should take another series of materials, surface, soil and air samples and send them to the lab for analysis. If the lab reports that the treated area is free of hazardous dust and debris, you’re finished and it’s safe to allow your general contractor to begin work. This is called a "clearance report." If the lab report says that there is still toxic dust and debris on the premises, the hazard remediation contractor should return and complete his work at no additional charge to you. Work should continue until you can get clearance from the lab.

DO NOT DISTURB

If the hazard remediation contractor "encapsulated" or covered up dangerous materials or conditions (which is perfectly safe and legal under some circumstances) let your remodeling contractor know so he doesn’t disturb those areas while they’re doing repairs for you. Give him a copy of the scope of work from the remediation contract.

DOCUMENTATION

Save the consultant’s assessment report, the remediation contract, and the clearance report forever. Real estate laws now require that you disclose whatever you know about hazards in your home to anyone interested in buying it. A disclosure that says that you don’t know, or one that says that you have hazards but have not treated them, will mean that the buyer can negotiate the price downward. If you have a clearance report the buyer will know that you’ve already taken care of the problem and the house is perfectly safe.

INSURANCE

If you’re treating a rental property your liability insurance premiums may go down if you can prove to your agent that your tenants are not at risk because you’ve been careful to make the unit safe. Some insurance agents are actually refusing to re-insure rental units without the clearance report saying the unit is safe.

MORE INFORMATION

You’ll find lots more information about the home remodeling process in Managing a Renovation: Staying in Charge and Out of Trouble, our friendly and comprehensive homeowner’s guide to remodeling project management. Download the table of contents and a sample chapter, or go to the order form to purchase it.

We offer ready-to-use construction forms, including a complete remodeling contract, in our Bookstore, as well. Have a look.

And, you may want to look at our list of More Resources for some great design ideas.

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