Should you buy a house with an asbestos roof?

Article summary

• Asbestos roofs have been proven to be harmful to health.
• Regulations require property owners to investigate their asbestos roofs and determine whether they need to be replaced.
• Property owners should replace them either way as buyers may refuse to purchase properties with asbestos roofs.

When you purchase a home you need to take the details into account, and that includes the material the roof is made from.

It may not seem like a big issue upfront, but with some materials suspected of being environmentally unfriendly and even harmful to health, it’s something you need to pay extra special attention to.

Asbestos roofs: Harmful to health

We start off with the most important point homebuyers need to know: It’s been revealed that asbestos roofs deteriorate quickly and in the process release materials into the atmosphere that can cause lung damage.

What can I do about it?

Hire a qualified contractor to replace the roof. Labourers will have to perform this while protected in environmental suits.

There are not yet any laws that require homeowners to do this but for your own personal peace of mind, it should be done sooner rather than later.

What it means for homeowners

Certain articles have claimed that new government regulations require homeowners to replace asbestos roofs within 14 months.

However, this information is not correct.

Regulations published in May 2022 only require that property owners with asbestos roofs determine whether they pose a health risk. Furthermore, the regulations as yet only apply to owners of commercial properties ie. workplaces.

The regulations only come into effect 18 months after they were published.

However, regardless of regulations, it’s common sense for property owners to have asbestos roofs replaced as their presence will make it extremely difficult to sell a property.

Replacing asbestos

Environmentally friendly roof materials include:

• Wood
• Metal
• Clay tile
• Terracotta
• Slate

Other improvements that make your home eco-friendly

Environmentally friendly features help boost your home’s value. Options include:

• Solar or gas-powered geyser. The geyser consumes the most electrically and utilising alternative power sources can cut your electricity bill in half.
• Solar power panels: You can hire a consultant to determine how suitable your property is for solar power installment. The type of roof and its level of exposure to sunlight will play a role.
• Rainwater tank: The go-to sustainable water system, mostly used for gardening as leaves can get caught in it, unless you get a filter system that cleans the water as it’s transferred to a second tank.
• Environmentally-friendly flooring: Popular new materials include bamboo, which regenerates and costs less to maintain.

Other options include wood, tiles, and cork.

Investing in a new home

So pay attention to eco-friendliness when purchasing a home, and remember that you can improve your chances of getting a favorable home loan package by applying with ooba Home Loans.

We submit your application to multiple banks so you can compare deals and choose the best one.

We also offer a range of tools that can make the homebuying process easier.  Start with our Bond Calculator, then use our Bond Indicator to determine what you can afford. Finally, when you’re ready, you can apply for a home loan.