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Vinyl asbestos tile - remove subfloor?

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kalats

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Just picked up an interior reno of three bedroom house. One problem we discovered is the bedrooms contain vinyl asbestos tiles below the carpet. Do we:

A-rip of the vat as per guidelines (wet down, suits, bags etc)
Or
B-cut out the entire subfloor with the vat on it.

Somehow b looks better...or am I totally off my rocker.
Thoughts?

Thanks
K
 
#2 ·
kalats said:
Just picked up an interior reno of three bedroom house. One problem we discovered is the bedrooms contain vinyl asbestos tiles below the carpet. Do we:

A-rip of the vat as per guidelines (wet down, suits, bags etc)
Or
B-cut out the entire subfloor with the vat on it.

Somehow b looks better...or am I totally off my rocker.
Thoughts?

Thanks
K
Click to expand...
what type of foundation. ?
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Open below is a full basement built on rubble stone foundation. Circa 1902..from what I can see the VAT is over a planked 3/4 t&g subfloor. Not sure how many layers of tile are there...hoping only one
 
#5 ·
kalats said:
Open below is a full basement built on rubble stone foundation. Circa 1902..from what I can see the VAT is over a planked 3/4 t&g subfloor. Not sure how many layers of tile are there...hoping only one
Click to expand...
So you think making it friable by cutting it and busting it up from underneath is a better solution? Where did you get your license? Cracker Jacks :laughing:
 
#7 ·
kalats said:
Real funny there sky. No I was actually going to pull up the tiles along the sides. Cut it, then using crowbars, etc to push everything up.
Click to expand...
It wouldn't be funny if what he didn't state specifically but clearly implied was you get fined and lose your license to work in construction. Really depends on your state and if you care about the law-------criminal penalties............but mostly we're talking about LIABILITY.

You don't REALLY have to hurt anyone in this case as far as anyone showing actual damages like asbestosis or mesothelioma. A home owner who misunderstands the abatement process and dangers could agree to anything and then after the fact FREAK OUT over the risks you've exposed them to by not following the law. So then they'll throw you under the bus, hire the $$$$million$$$$ guys with space suits, tents and hepafilters and backcharge your ass back to the stone age. Good luck fighting that in court.

My advice is RESEARCH your state and local ordinances before you proceed. I'll bet everyone here knows how to safely handle these tiles. But that's really irrelevant in this day and age. You're NUTZ to risk so much for so little. This isn't your problem til you disturb the asbestos.
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Olzo: state is NJ. I know the liability scares me as well as the safety of my crew. New flooring will be 3/4" read oak flooring. Only problem is owner doesn't want to pay for such a small room. I thought if we cut out the floor, the chances are it will be less friable since my hope is we can take it out in large sheets. Total vat area is about 300 square...
 
#11 ·
kalats said:
Olzo: state is NJ. I know the liability scares me as well as the safety of my crew. New flooring will be 3/4" read oak flooring. Only problem is owner doesn't want to pay for such a small room. I thought if we cut out the floor, the chances are it will be less friable since my hope is we can take it out in large sheets. Total vat area is about 300 square...
Click to expand...
Tell him to remove it or demand abatement!
 
#15 ·
olzo55 said:
Tell owner to remove it. Most asbestos laws don't apply to homeowners. But tell them how to do it safely .
Click to expand...
Not sure if I posted this a couple weeks ago, but here goes. I recently had a measly 25 s.f bathroom floor with vat. They wanted new tile floor. Half the vat was already removed by the plumber for a drain repair. I mentioned to the owner what they had and how to remove it (they did not know it was vat). Next thing I know I'm getting cc'd on emails by a real estate agent/family member who was absolutely freaking out to them about asbestos, needing abatement companies, saying they have to move out while work was being done, etc. This was for about 12 sf. of tile remaining, mind you, but it was disturbed.

I did not do that job. Ran like hell. There's a lesson there. Once they hear the magic word, don't touch it.
 
#17 ·
MarkJames said:
Not sure if I posted this a couple weeks ago, but here goes. I recently had a measly 25 s.f bathroom floor with vat. They wanted new tile floor. Half the vat was already removed by the plumber for a drain repair. I mentioned to the owner what they had and how to remove it (they did not know it was vat). Next thing I know I'm getting cc'd on emails by a real estate agent/family member who was absolutely freaking out to them about asbestos, needing abatement companies, saying they have to move out while work was being done, etc. This was for about 12 sf. of tile remaining, mind you, but it was disturbed.

I did not do that job. Ran like hell. There's a lesson there. Once they hear the magic word, don't touch it.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't want to be the plumber.
 
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skyhook
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