Flooring questions (asbesots content within!)

[mikes96GTI]

No worries, dust can't go through the internets. So I bought a house built in 1968. Carpet is trashed. We want to do laminate throughout and porcelain tile in the bathrooms. 1600sqft. So when pulling back the carpet to take a look, we found linoleum tiles stuck down. Some of the carpet, IS GLUED DIRECTLY TO IT..... and its crumbling in places. I haven't had it tested, but I would bet 99.9% it has asbestos which EPA has so many regulations on it for abatement its insane. I don't want to do abatement, as thats a huge cost, and I know as long as you aren't grinding/cutting/breaking it, its fine to have.

First company wants to put in a complete 3/8" subfloor down to seal in the linoleum, then float, then pad and laminate. which were talking about $4 a sqft just to do the plywood subfloor!!!!!! Problem with this, my toe kicks are now going to be shorter, doors and closet doors all need to be trimmed. Even more money.

A major flooring company (empire today flooring) says the can install a floating laminate floor over the linoleum with a barrier pad. They won't touch the linoleum, so bad I would have to rip up the carpet and tack strips myself. All the reviews I can find on Empire Today Flooring seem mostly bad, but then again, we never congratulate on the internet, only complain when stuff goes wrong.

Anybody deal with this **** before? Am I nuts for thinking of getting a heat gun, respirator and DIY removal of these nasty tiles? I know its like radiation exposure, amount and length of time is what gets you. So pulling it out once in my life, vs installing or taking it out every day for 15 years makes a difference. I'm only in my early 30's so a 30 year cancer clock at this point doesn't bode well for me as it I was in my late 50's......

[spockcat]

They say that keeping it wet when removing asbestos is the key so there is no flying dust. I would definitely NOT use a heat gun.

PS: Empire Today advertises on TV in CT. They must be a franchise chain. Maybe you should continue to call around and get someone to look at the job. Since you don't know for sure whether the flooring is asbestos, why not let a professional make that determination?

[Tornado2dr]

Have you contacted an asbestos abatement firm? It may be cheaper than you expect. I demo houses all the time and I am surprised at the quotes I get to remove friable asbestos.

Look to see who is local and licensed in your state and give a ring--that way you don't have to worry about it.

[CarolHawks]

Can you share some pics?

[mikes96GTI]

I didn't take any pics. I decided to have it done professionally rather then risk monkeying with it myself. Not cheap, but in the end I didn't want to deal with exposure, disposal issues.

[Jettavr666]

Have you contacted an asbestos abatement firm? It may be cheaper than you expect. I demo houses all the time and I am surprised at the quotes I get to remove friable asbestos.

Look to see who is local and licensed in your state and give a ring--that way you don't have to worry about it.

Demo is different when you are demoing the entire place. Thats much easier for asbestos abatement places, when you are just doing some places its usually much more expensive.

Personally if you are handy you can easily take out the linoleum safely yourself. As others have said, keep it wet, and use a good respirator, and you will be fine.