oc_dreamer
New member
I'd like to get your opinions about this situation. I bought a home in Irvine in January 2017. The home was built in 1977 and still has the original furnace/blower unit, which just died last month. I had several HVAC contractors come in to give me estimates to replace the furnace, and they all made the same observation: the ducting in the attic is asbestos and needs to be removed. It's going to cost me about $3k extra to remove and replace the all the asbestos ductwork in the attic.
During the purchase of the home I was not informed about any asbestos in the house. On the standard "Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement" that the seller and I signed, there are checkboxes to indicate if the seller is aware of any substances which may be an environmental hazard, such as asbestos. Neither the "yes" or "no" boxes are checked and nothing is written about asbestos in the explanation area. All the other items have either the "yes" or "no" box checked. The hazardous materials item is the only one left blank.
The seller and former owner of the house is a real estate agent. She handled both sides of the transaction and I did not have my own buyer's agent. I did have the house inspected by Elite Inspections (chosen by me) but they did not tell me about the asbestos ductwork. I believe that the seller knew about the asbestos because she had the AC components (condensor and evaporator) replaced. The HVAC contractors have all expressed surprise that the furnace was not replaced with the AC, and they believe an unlicensed person replaced the AC.
What do y'all think about this situation. Should I contact the seller and ask her to reimburse me for the cost of replacing the asbestos ductwork?
During the purchase of the home I was not informed about any asbestos in the house. On the standard "Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement" that the seller and I signed, there are checkboxes to indicate if the seller is aware of any substances which may be an environmental hazard, such as asbestos. Neither the "yes" or "no" boxes are checked and nothing is written about asbestos in the explanation area. All the other items have either the "yes" or "no" box checked. The hazardous materials item is the only one left blank.
The seller and former owner of the house is a real estate agent. She handled both sides of the transaction and I did not have my own buyer's agent. I did have the house inspected by Elite Inspections (chosen by me) but they did not tell me about the asbestos ductwork. I believe that the seller knew about the asbestos because she had the AC components (condensor and evaporator) replaced. The HVAC contractors have all expressed surprise that the furnace was not replaced with the AC, and they believe an unlicensed person replaced the AC.
What do y'all think about this situation. Should I contact the seller and ask her to reimburse me for the cost of replacing the asbestos ductwork?