Do they all lie?

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

We bought our first home last July, with the intention of making a few changes to it, renting it out, and building our permanent home behind it. I've been getting some quotes for work to the back of the house, which appears to be older than the rest, despite actually being newer as it was an addition by the previous owner.

The only thing is, we've now been told its all asbestos And now no-one will touch it - and I can't blame them. We knew the shed was asbestos, and its being pulled down. DH specifically asked the realtor if there was asbestos in the house, and we were told definitely not, only in the shed. What a pain in the bum!

Is there any way I can get some compensation from the realtor? I definitely wouldn't have paid as much as we did, considering we can't make the changes we wanted. What's the point in lying to sell a house?

[~clover~]

I don't know about that, but there are specialised asbestos removers.
Hope it works out

[AngelPunks]

wouldn't the asbestos have been identified during the pest & building inspection?

[Arimeh]

wouldn't the asbestos have been identified during the pest & building inspection?

:yeahthat:

And you can get a normal builder to remove it - we have asbestos in this house and never had it even mentioned. Its not totally terrible stuff to handle, its just the dust, so if they wear dust masks they should be ok. I'm surprised that you are having trouble getting people in!!

And no - you can't get any money back unfortunately. Once its gone through, its gone through (sorry). You settled on those terms, if you had brought it up as a concern after the pest and building report was submitted, you *might* have been able to do something.

Sorry babe!

[Phteven]

I'm afarid that's the kind of thing that the building inspection is meant to pick up.
Did you get one? A building inspection is a good chance to discuss your ideas with someone who can tell you how feasible they are.
Realtors know lots about the external matters of houses but when it comes to the nitty-gritty of materials etc they are often pretty ignorant - it may have been an honest mistake not a blatent lie.

Maybe look into the cost of asbestos removal.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

AngelPunks - took me a while to figure out who you were!! Yes, we did get an inspection and no, it was not picked up. I'm guessing thats because they didn't go inside, they only checked the outside, dern it

Arimeh - the main problem is putting an exhaust fan in (which i didn't realise would blow any loose asbestos dust into the toilet, so thats a big no!) and making a new doorway. They seem fine to do all the electrical work, but nobody wants to cut in to it more than that. Although, I haven't got lots of quotes, I'm just using personal contacts so I can feel that I trust them, KWIM?

Brontide - Fair call, I guess its pretty cynical to assume he knew I just want someone to blame, hahaha

[Lulu]

what kind of building inspector only looks from the outside?

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Lulu - DH now tells me we got a termite building inspection Methinks I shoulda been more involved in the buying process!! Not that it makes a difference, we would've bought anyway - I'm just frustrated to be finding out now.

[Megan]

I have found most agents don't know a lot about the nitty gritty of a property. He probably wouldn't have known about the asbestos and it would be difficult to prove anyone at fault.
We were in a rental last year that was on the market. We knew the agent because he had recently sold our house, and he asked DH if we would be considering buying the rental we were in. When DH started telling him all the reasons (things wrong with the house) we wouldn't buy it, he just said "don't tell me, I don't want to know because then it makes it harder for me to sell". In other words ignorance is bliss and they get a quicker sale!

[Arimeh]

In other words ignorance is bliss and they get a quicker sale!

Thats very true. We looked a house and we loved it, was the right price, and the agent was saying that it was such a good buy etc etc. we got a building inspection done - was going to cost over $50 grand for a new roof section - because the whole of the upper of the house was destroyed by termites.

We told the agent that was why we pulled out of the contract and she still tried to talk us into it saying it wasn't THAT bad.. uh.. beg to differ?

And with regards to the fan - can they just pull off the asbestos sheeting and then replace it? Assuming its just the sheeting like ours is!

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Yeah, I think thats what we're gonna hafta do. We can't just leave it - I hafta nude up AND leave the door open to go the toilet when it's hot, coz we don't have insulation either

I deeply apologise for any mental imagery, and humbly offer a brain scrubber