Update: That flooring guy I hired last month saved my basement project

I was dead set on ripping out the old vinyl tiles in my basement myself to save money. This guy Bob who does floors for a living told me to test them for asbestos first since my house is a 1970s build in Edmonton. I almost ignored him because I was impatient and wanted to get started. Turns out three of the tiles came back positive from the lab test he recommended. Spent $400 on proper removal gear and disposal instead of breathing in that stuff for a week. Has anyone else run into surprise asbestos in their older Edmonton homes?

2 comments

2 Comments

tyler61mo ago

Honestly, it's wild how much asbestos is still lurking in these older Edmonton homes. I remember reading a report from the city a few years back about how homes built before 1990 are basically a minefield for this stuff, especially in basements and around ductwork. And @claire_walker is totally right about the popcorn ceilings too, I saw a news piece where a guy in Garneau had to have his whole main floor sealed off because of that same issue. Sounds like Bob saved you a ton of hassle and cash compared to what some people end up paying for full remediation. You really lucked out that he pushed for that test, because that's the kind of mistake that can mess up your lungs for good. Tbh, $400 for peace of mind and not dealing with a hazmat crew seems like a bargain.

claire_walker1mo ago

Glad your Bob guy caught that before you started tearing into those tiles. Asbestos is no joke, especially in the older neighborhoods around here. My buddy lives in a 1960s split level in Mill Woods and found the same stuff in his popcorn ceiling when he tried scraping it off back in 2018. He ended up dropping over a thousand on a pro remediation crew and was sick from the dust for two weeks before they even started. You got off easy with just $400 and the right gear in my opinion. Those tests are a small price to pay for not having lung problems down the road.