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How do you sell a building containing asbestos?

Flemish homes, business buildings and industrial sites still contain a large amount of asbestos. To reduce the health risks, the Flemish Government introduced the Asbestafbouw (asbestos phase-out) action plan. Flanders aims for the accelerated removal of asbestos-containing materials by 2040. But what if you want to sell a home or site that contains asbestos? And how does Hexagon deal with such sites? Julie Casier, Business Development Manager at Hexagon and asbestos expert, tells you all about it.

How often does Hexagon still come across buildings containing asbestos these days?

Julie Casier: “We find asbestos on just about every site that comes our way. The most common type is the well-known corrugated sheet. In addition, pipes, insulation materials, partitions, tiles and drainpipes in sites from the last century often contain asbestos.”

How can you sell a building containing asbestos?

“The only thing you need at the moment is the asbestos certificate. Since November 2022, this certificate must be presented when selling a property. So it applies not only to homes, but also to commercial premises and industrial buildings. To obtain the asbestos certificate, a non-destructive inspection is carried out. For buildings constructed before 2001, the visible materials are examined for the presence of asbestos.

An asbestos certificate informs the buyer about the presence of asbestos in a property. There is no obligation to remove the materials before the actual sale takes place. The cost of the asbestos certificate depends on the type and size of the building. For the inspection of an industrial building, a quote is often used.”

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Since the introduction of the asbestos certificate, as a developer we know about the presence of asbestos before the sale.

Julie Casier, Business Development Manager Hexagon

How does Hexagon proceed once it has bought a site containing asbestos?

“Before demolition, a demolition follow-up plan is drawn up, listing the asbestos materials present. During demolition, our contractors then make sure that the necessary safety measures are taken for the surroundings and that the asbestos is removed correctly. This includes preventing dust dispersal, shielding the skip, and so on. When renovating a building, too, we deal with the asbestos first before the works begin.”

How high can the costs of asbestos removal run?

“That depends on the type of asbestos material. In addition, the size of the site and the amount of asbestos also affect the cost of removal and disposal. A corrugated sheet is bonded because it contains cement, so the asbestos fibres are not easily released. Non-bonded pipe insulation releases fibres much more readily and will therefore require a more expensive removal procedure. Since the introduction of the asbestos certificate, as a developer we know about the presence of asbestos before the sale, whereas in the past this only became fully clear after the sale. This allows us to make a much more detailed calculation for the demolition works and remove the asbestos safely and efficiently.”