Asbestos When Buying, Selling or Renting an Older Sydney Home

Clear advice for buying, selling and renting older homes.

We'll be in touch within 30 minutes.

Get a fast quote

Brick bungalow exterior with its roof and front windows in view

If a home was built or renovated before 1990, it may contain asbestos.

Before you buy, an inspection with a report from around $250 tells you where and

roughly what removal would cost. Sellers and landlords have extra disclosure

rules for loose-fill insulation.

Guide only. We confirm your fixed price in writing after a free on-site quote.

Prices include GST.

Most asbestos in Sydney houses is bonded cement sheet that is stable when left

alone. The aim of a pre-purchase check is not to scare you off a house.

It is to know what you are buying and what any future renovation will involve.

Buying

Book an inspection before you commit
Ask for lab tests on anything you plan to renovate
Use the report's removal estimate when you plan your budget
Check the section 10.7 planning certificate in the contract

Loose-fill (Mr Fluffy) register

Loose-fill asbestos insulation is a different and more serious issue than fibro

sheeting. NSW keeps a register of affected homes.

If a home is on the register, it is disclosed on the section 10.7 planning

certificate in the sale contract. Contracts carry a loose-fill warning, agents

must tell buyers, and landlords must tell tenants.

Selling

A current inspection report can answer buyers' questions before they become a

negotiation. If something is damaged, fixing it before listing is usually

cheaper than a price drop.

Renting

The owner is responsible for managing asbestos in a rental.

Tenants should report suspected asbestos,

such as a cracked sheet or damaged eaves, to the owner or agent.

Landlords can book us to inspect and fix it.

Guide prices for this job

Inspection with written report

A visit, a look at the likely spots and a plain-English report.

From around $250Guide only. We confirm your fixed price in writing after a free on-site quote.

Lab testing

Each sample is sealed on site and tested by an accredited laboratory.

Around $110 a sampleGuide only. We confirm your fixed price in writing after a free on-site quote.

All prices are our own guide prices and include GST.

What changes the price

Every quote is fixed and written. These are the things that move it up or down.

01
Property size and number of buildings
02
Roof space and subfloor access
03
How many samples are worth testing
04
Turnaround needed for settlement or listing

How it works

Eight steps, one business. You always know which one you are on.

01Quick chat
Send a few details or photos. We call back within 30 minutes and tell you what
we think it is and what happens next.
02Testing if needed
If nobody knows what the material is, we take samples for a lab.
Only a lab test confirms asbestos.
03Fixed quote
A written price listing exactly what comes out, how, and what is not included.
Disposal is its own line.
04Neighbours given notice
We let the people next door know the dates and what to expect before licensed
work starts.
05SafeWork NSW notified
For licensed removal, SafeWork NSW is notified 5 calendar days before work
starts.
06Removal
Sheets are wetted, taken off whole where possible, double-wrapped and sealed.
The area is cleaned as we go.
07Independent clearance
Someone independent of our team inspects the area and issues the clearance
before it is used again.
08Licensed disposal
Waste goes to a licensed facility. You get the paperwork for every load.

The local rules that apply

Straight from SafeWork NSW, the NSW EPA and other official sources.

Follow the links to read them yourself.

If a home is on the NSW loose-fill register,
it shows on the section 10.7 planning certificate,
the contract carries a warning, agents must tell buyers and landlords must tell
tenants.
Source: NSW Government
The owner is responsible for managing asbestos in a rental.
Tenants should report suspected asbestos to the owner or agent.
Source: Asbestos Awareness NSW
Homes built or renovated before 1990 may contain asbestos.
Only a lab test confirms it.
Source: SafeWork NSW

Questions locals ask us

How much will it cost before I buy?

Book an inspection with a written report, from around $250,

before you commit to the property. If a sheet needs confirming, lab testing is

around $110 a sample. The report tells you where the suspect materials are and

what removal would roughly cost, so you can negotiate or plan with real numbers

instead of guesses.

Guide only. We confirm your fixed price in writing after a free on-site quote.

Prices include GST.

Does a strata report cover asbestos?

No. A strata report looks at the scheme's records, finances and known building

issues. It is not an asbestos inspection and it cannot confirm whether a

material contains asbestos. Ask the strata manager whether any asbestos records

exist for common property, and get the unit itself inspected.

My rental has a cracked fibro sheet. What should I do?

Keep clear of it, do not try to fix it yourself,

and report it to your landlord or agent in writing.

The owner is responsible for managing asbestos in a rental.

Is my home on the loose-fill register?

If it is, it will show on the section 10.7 planning certificate.

Buyers will see it in the sale contract and tenants must be told by the

landlord.

Does asbestos mean I should not buy?

Not necessarily. Bonded sheeting in good condition is common in older homes.

What matters is where it is, its condition and what you plan to change.

Get a fast quote

Tell us what you have found and where. A rough description is plenty.

We will call or text back with what happens next and a guide price.

No obligation, no pressure
Fixed written price before any work
Prefer to talk? Tap the phone.