question for you contractors out there

[jserio]

i'm lookin at a house. the biggest problem the wife and i have with it is that the exterior is stated to be asbestos. i know, i know..... asbestos=bad.  i also realize that you can't just put siding over the top of it, that it must be removed with extreme caution. my question is how much more of a mark-up in the price of getting the siding done would there be since it would require the removal and disposal of the asbestos?

[Jughead]

Actually more than Likely you Probably can Put Siding over top.The only way it will be Dangerous is if it is Disturbed.More than Likely it won't be then since it is Encapsulated in a Concrete Substance if it's the Same Asbestos Siding I have Ran into.If you are Very Careful you will be Able to Exhume the Siding Very Carefully one Piece at the time.If you have it PROFESSIONALLY removed they will more than Likely Call in a Hazmat Team with Chemical Suits and it's going to cost an Arm,Leg and your First Born.New Siding will be Expensive Depending on What you get.Wood Siding will Probably Cost a Little less than Vinyl.Actually Vinyl Sucks bad.It looks good for a While until it gets 10-11 Years old.Wood can be cleaned with Bleach and Restained several Years and still look good.

I would Check with some local Contractors.Call them out for a Free Estimate.See what your Local Building Codes Call for For Removal or to see if it is Possible to go Over it with Furring Strips and New Siding.

I'm Not a Contractor I just Play one on TV. 

[beRto]

I'm no contractor, but it sounds like you'd be better off having a professional look at the home and give you an estimate. Even if you have to pay a fee for this work, it could save you a lot of money and hassle later on.

Good luck!

[ohgood]

the house in mississippi is uses that asbestos shingles. we considered having siding put on, but there were environmental issues, and gave up on it. we'll just slap on a coat of paint when needed and wait for the renters to burn it down.

(nothing ever ever ever sells in MS) friends have had house on the market for 3-4 years.

the shingles are very good stuff, provided they're not smacked with a baseball though.