Asbestos is extremely common in houses built between the 50's and the middle 80's, in such materials as -* Flooring* Insulation* Drywall* Drywall compound* Air duct tape and mastic* Window glazing* SidingYou should also be aware that most old houses with original wiring are serious fire hazards and you should consider rewiring prior to renting out to a tenant who might do something radical like plug in a computer or TV.

Talk to them about your situation.If the asbestos is "under the carpet" it is probably vinyl tile underneath the carpet contains asbestos or the mastic used to stick the vinyl tile down has asbestos. 

I usually don't even bother finishing the surface before I start adhering the tileBy and large, what you're going to be using on your new backsplash is mastic adhesive.

Investment Info:

Single-family residence buy & hold investment.

Purchase price: $290,000

Cash invested: $55,000

Single Family

What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?...

…that’s just to start with ..down the road comes mold test …lead based paint test if you plan to pull down walls and much more fun, asbestos in popcorn or tile mastic and much more funThe more facts you gather about the property the more educated you will come across as a wholesaler to an investor.

I have the 9x9 tiles with the black mastic and was thinking that just covering the tiles with epoxy is the best way to go.

When the house settles the tiles crack and the moisture used in the mastic (sp?)

We’re renovating a bathroom and the tenant wanted a surround but whoever installed the shower didn’t use mastic just put the tiles in and pushed them into the wall so gravity has been holding them up for 20 years.

I do the following: plastic sheeting over studs; 30lb felt over that; cement board over that (bottom doesn't touch shower pan or tub by about 1/4" or so); thinset or mastic depending on the tile; caulk all seams.

It's a mostly Section 8 market, but Shirley/Mastic marks the point where the taxes decrease by about 50% from even one town over, making B&H more palatable.