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RE: More concrete floor

To: shop-talk@autox.team.net
Subject: RE: More concrete floor
From: Robert Munn <Robert.Munn@peregrine.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 09:38:59 -0700
> The tile may be asbestos-bearing, or the adhesive, or both.

This is the situation I had- asbestos tile and adhesive throughout my home.

> We're in California, and I don't think I need tell you which 
> of the above 
> groups it falls into.
> 
> We had vintage-1965 vinyl-asbestos tile removed from the 
> slabs under our 
> living room and master bedroom for something like $900, and I 
> regard it as 
> money well spent.

It cost me about $4,000 to have abatement specialists remove the tile and do
a decent strip job on the adhesive and clean out all of the dust in an 1800
square foot house. A thin concrete layer is going in on top of the slab
today to seal the remaining adhesive. Total cost is going to be about $6K.
We'll put down cheap area rugs for now, then eventually wood flooring.

That is more than I was hoping to spend, but given the cost of housing in
San Diego and the health hazards involved in keeping this stuff around, I
would have spent even more if necessary to get it out of my house. Not to
mention the fact that once you know asbestos is there you have to disclose
it.  Given the litigation-happy society we have in CA, if we ever intend to
sell we would probably be forced to remove it anyway.

Getting back to the original point, if you want a decent work surface for a
basement or garage shop, my take is that you hire pros to strip the tile and
pour a sealing layer of concrete. Your health and your family's health are
just too important to skimp on it. 

As Larry indicated, a lot of people would recommend you cover the tile
rather than remove it. That's a less expensive option but I don't know what
you can cover it with that would give you a satisfactory surface, especially
if you have heavy equipment or tools. Laminate, wood flooring or carpet were
all options that were given to us just to cover the tile if we chose not to
remove it.

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