What Our Inspection Does About Asbestos
Asbestos was used in Australian housing for decades and was not fully banned until 31 December 2003. If you are buying an older Perth home, some of it is a realistic possibility, and you want it on the record before you commit.
On every building inspection we walk the accessible areas and note anything that looks like an asbestos-containing material: what it is, where it is, and what condition it is in. That goes into your report alongside everything else we find, at no extra charge. It is a judgement call made from experience on the tools, not a laboratory result, and we write it that way so you know exactly what you are holding.
What We Do Not Do
Being straight about the edges of the service matters more here than anywhere else on this site.
- We do not take samples. Confirming a material contains asbestos means sending a physical sample to a NATA-accredited laboratory.
- We do not issue clearance certificates or carry out air monitoring.
- We do not remove asbestos. That is work for a licensed asbestos removalist.
- We do not sell a standalone asbestos survey. If you need a full asbestos register for a property, that is a specialist assessor's job, not ours.
If your report flags something and you need it confirmed or removed, call us anyway. We will tell you who to ring.
Where It Usually Turns Up in an Older Perth House
These are the places we pay attention to on an older property.
- Exterior - fibro wall cladding, eave linings, fencing, Super Six roof sheeting, guttering
- Interior - wall and ceiling linings, textured coatings, vinyl floor tiles and their backing, wet area linings
- Sub floor - pipe lagging, duct insulation, underfloor sheeting
- Roof void - insulation, sarking, electrical backing boards
- Outbuildings - sheds, garages, carports, retaining walls
All of it depends on access. A visual inspection reports on what is visible and reachable on the day, and we say so plainly rather than implying we can see inside a sealed wall.
What To Do If the Report Flags Something
- Leave it alone. Material in good condition and undisturbed is generally the lower risk situation. Breaking it up is what creates the problem.
- Get it sampled before you renovate. A NATA-accredited lab gives you a definitive answer for a modest fee.
- Use a licensed removalist if it is coming out. In WA there are licensing rules on how much can be removed and by whom.
- Factor it into the offer. Knowing before settlement is the entire point of finding out at inspection stage.
