Selling a House With an Asbestos Garage Roof

How buyers and surveyors react

A grey corrugated garage roof on a house built before 2000 is something a surveyor will mention. A homebuyer report is likely to flag it as a possible asbestos cement roof and note its condition, usually with a recommendation to monitor it or plan for removal. A mortgage valuer is mostly concerned with the house itself, and a garage roof in sound order seldom changes lending on its own.

Buyers react in different ways. Some shrug, some ask for a discount, and some want to know the cost of replacing it. The same fear that makes the roof sound alarming also makes it a bargaining point. A roof that is mossy, cracked or holed makes that conversation harder, so condition is the key factor. To understand why, read whether an asbestos garage roof is dangerous, which explains why an intact roof carries a lower risk than a damaged one.

What you should tell the buyer

If you know or suspect that the garage roof contains asbestos, say so on the property information forms, and do not guess in the other direction. The forms ask for what you know, and a vague or incorrect answer can come back later as a dispute. Your conveyancer will guide you on wording, and for legal questions you should take their advice, as we do not give legal advice. If you have a test result or a removal quote, hand it over, since it shows you have dealt with the question openly.

If you are not sure the roof is asbestos, a sample test settles it. See testing a garage roof for asbestos. A negative result turns an unknown into a plain garage roof, which is the best outcome for a sale.

Remove it first, or sell as it is?

There are three realistic routes, and each suits a different situation:

• Sell as it is. This costs you nothing now, but buyers may take the price of removal off their offer, and a negotiation can drag.
• Overlay or make safe. In some cases a sound roof can be covered over. It is not always possible, and the sheets stay in place for the next owner.
• Remove and replace before listing. You pay up front, though a new roof is a clear point in the sale, and the question simply goes away.

For the third route, our page on asbestos garage roof removal covers how the work is done and the typical UK cost. A reported typical range for a single garage is £1,200 to £2,000. Your fixed quote follows the survey. That gives you a figure to compare with any discount a buyer asks for. Removal that is done well comes with a clear written record of what was taken off and where the waste went.

What a surveyor looks for on the roof

A surveyor cannot take samples on a standard visit, so the report usually describes the roof as likely asbestos cement because of its age and appearance. They look at the sheets for cracks and holes, at the amount of moss, at whether corners have chipped, and at whether the roof sags between its supports. They also note the fixings, the condition of any gutters fixed to the sheets and whether there is a lining or ceiling below, which can also contain asbestos.

A roof with uniform weathering and no breaks usually gets a gentle comment. A roof with broken sheets or fragments on the floor gets a stronger one. If you know that yours is in the second group, it is better to deal with it before a buyer finds it, since a listing photo that shows a broken roof invites questions you would sooner answer on your terms.

Timing and practical points

Allow time. A survey, a quote and a booking take a few weeks, and you do not want a roof half done on exchange day. If a buyer's survey has already raised the roof, ask for a quote straight away, since a firm figure usually ends the haggling. The garage may also be wanted as a conversion; if so, see garage conversion roof.

Our garage roof replacement service begins with a free survey, with pictures taken on the day, which show what a buyer's surveyor will see. We repair or leave a roof alone where that is sensible, and tell you if it has years left in it. If it has to come off, we give you a fixed written quote, clear the site and take the waste away.