Renovation work in asbestos conditions

Your home may contain asbestos!

The owner had decided to undertake renovations at his house without knowing if there was any asbestos. Much of the walls and ceilings have been demolished.

The carpenter who was hired by the owner, knowing a little asbestos, wondered whether there would be asbestos in the internal structure of the house and he did well to ask himself this question. He appealed to us.

We therefore diagnose the presence of asbestos by making readings. and yes asbestos was present in all the materials.

If you plan to undertake work, and your house was built before 1980, then ask yourself the question ... is there asbestos or not?

Asbestos is infamous today for its health risks, as its inhalation can cause serious illness, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. Legally, however, it took time for provincial and federal authorities to get it into a regulatory framework. From the first restrictions in the 1980s to the complete ban on the material in 2018, more than 25 years passed before its use was finally banned entirely.

Most of our buildings, whether commercial or residential, can therefore contain asbestos. If these are buildings built before 1990, the chances are greatly increased. As the owner, you are therefore going to have to face the problem. What are your obligations regarding asbestos?

The employer will be responsible for this inspection on all premises over which he has authority. As the owner, however, you have an obligation to have all parts of your property inspected that are not under the control of the employer-tenant (common areas, siding, etc.). It is also quite possible that your tenant requires a clause in the rental agreement that all work to comply with asbestos regulations is your responsibility.

As we have seen, the rules relating to asbestos in a building are not very restrictive for its owner, for the moment anyway.

Having your property inspected by one of our professionals is however strongly recommended, especially if your building is over 25 years old. There is a good chance that asbestos will be found there. In view of the dangerous nature of the material, sooner or later you will have to have it removed. The sooner you know the exact extent of the contamination, the better able you will be to prepare for asbestos removal, at lower cost. You will thus protect yourself from any disappointment with a possible tenant, contractor, or even buyer.