Is the East End Really Worth the Expense? (asbestos, disposal)

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

For what it's worth I'm now shifting my focus and attention to another home in Millvale that has now caught my eye:

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...9_M49315-00439

The home is $44,900---just a tad higher than I was hoping to spend. With that being said the home looks like it needs very little, if any, updating, has a nice rear yard with a rear alley, and has great curb appeal.

I'm going to schedule an appointment to see this home now instead.

I was going to recommend Millvale. If not this house, definitely consider other properties in the area.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

Just make sure it's not near the Pine Creek. While they have made major improvements to control flooding after Ivan in 2004, if we would ever get a rain of that magnitude again, you may have problems.

The home is in Millvale, so it would be closer to Girty's Run, not Pine Creek which goes through Etna.

[BrianTH]

You can get flood zone maps for Millvale if necessary.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Only some types of Insulbrick have absestos (usually not the ones that look like that). And asbestos siding isn't a big deal. Removing it would be insane. There's no need. It's safe undisturbed.

Could you put new wood cladding, cementboard, or even vinyl siding up over the old insulbrick?

Even if it's safe undisturbed, it still kinda looks like butt - especially once it starts deteriorating and developing cracks.

[Hopes]

Look into Brighton Heights, West View and Bellevue too.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

The home is in Millvale, so it would be closer to Girty's Run, not Pine Creek which goes through Etna.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

You can get flood zone maps for Millvale if necessary.

OMG. It's not near the creek. It's on a hill. That's easy to see from the photos.

On another real estate website, I can see where it's located on a map and it's not in danger of flooding.

Originally Posted by eschaton

Could you put new wood cladding, cementboard, or even vinyl siding up over the old insulbrick?

Even if it's safe undisturbed, it still kinda looks like butt - especially once it starts deteriorating and developing cracks.

If it doesn't have asbestos, you can easily put new siding over it. It doesn't need to be removed. It helps insulate the building to leave it too.

If it does have asbestos, it's unwise to do so because that would mean putting nails through it.

But I do not believe that type of insulbrick has asbestos. The type of siding that tends to have asbestos looks like shingles.

[Hopes]

It's 227 Seigel Street. 227 seigel street millvale - Google Maps

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Could you put new wood cladding, cementboard, or even vinyl siding up over the old insulbrick?

Someone a couple blocks from us is putting vinyl siding over Insulbrick. It definitely looks better.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Hopes

OMG. It's not near the creek. It's on a hill. That's easy to see from the photos.

The "if necessary" covered the possibility that SCR, or someone else reading this thread, might consider other homes in Millvale.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

The "if necessary" covered the possibility that SCR, or someone else reading this thread, might consider other homes in Millvale.

I know. It's like the sky is falling around here sometimes. Your offer to view an elevation map is helpful. But few people seem to realize that topography makes a difference. A house can immediately next to a creek and not at risk of flooding (because it sits high next to the creek) and a house that isn't near a creek at all can be at risk of flooding because it's at a lower elevation in a floodplain. The reality is any house in Allegheny County is at risk of flooding via water runoff due to oversaturated ground. Everyone would be wise to buy flood insurance regardless of where their houses are located.