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How to drill through Artech?

drill.jpeg

One that looks like this for drilling concrete.

E2a: although you say 'reinforced' which usually means there's steel rods running through it which could prove problematic if your masonary bit hits any of them i.e - it will heat and melt the drill bit.
 
pogofish said:
Remember that if you do drill, full-on anti asbestos precautions will be required..
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My flat was de-asbestoed a few years ago. This said, I've no idea what that means in practice, if they only got rid of part of it, because it was my room they did, and if there is still any of the stuff in other parts of the house.

Thanks for the tips re drill, I'll have to ask around to borrow somebody else's - not worth buying one for the very odd hole through the ceiling.
 
They can't have done a very good job then - If you have Artex of any kind of age, you have asbestos. Can you say when it was done with any certainty?
 
Well, it's a council flat and it must have been built in the early-mid 70's. Pogofish, you are scaring me now! :(
 
Well, they didn't take the asbestos out of Artex till the mid 80s, so unless you know when it was applied, you would be well advised to exercise great caution when working on it.

Oh and it is classified under the safety regs, so you will need to use a licensed contractor for any work that disrupts it.
 
I don't think it's legal to remove 'some' asbestos and leave some around. Do you rent your flat? There should be documentation as to what asbestos is in the building. But yeah, check before disturbing it with drilling.
 
It would be legal to leave Artex in place and paint/plaster over it - It is only when it needs "disturbing" that the regs come into play.
 
Thanks for that info guys, I will certainly probe my housing association about it. I don't trust them one bit :(
 
pogofish said:
It would be legal to leave Artex in place and paint/plaster over it - It is only when it needs "disturbing" that the regs come into play.
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Sorry, i worded it a bit back to front. I meant it wouldn't be legal to remove some asbestos and not document the existence of the remaining asbestos. Although my knowledge is centred around industrial regs i'm sure domestic must be similar?
 
Citizen66 said:
Sorry, i worded it a bit back to front. I meant it wouldn't be legal to remove some asbestos and not document the existence of the remaining asbestos. Although my knowledge is centred around industrial regs i'm sure domestic must be similar?
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C66, I'll certainly enquiry about it. It'd be daft not to let tenants know about these things, considering that everybody and their dog drill holes through their walls and ceilings? My flat belongs to Tower Hamlets council, if this is of any use (braces herself).
 
Well all you can do is ask. If, as you say, some asbestos has been removed then they have to have paperwork stating what has gone, what remains and where in the building it is. And they have to make that information available to you upon request. I'm not sure what the legalities are about not having informed you if asbestos is present but i imagine the prognosis isn't good for them if that is the case.
 
Citizen66 said:
Sorry, i worded it a bit back to front. I meant it wouldn't be legal to remove some asbestos and not document the existence of the remaining asbestos. Although my knowledge is centred around industrial regs i'm sure domestic must be similar?
Click to expand...

Absolutely but would the HA routinely copy that info to the OP?

I also have some memory that Artex didn't come under the legislation till quite recently - 2006/7 maybe? In which case it may not be documented on an older removal schedule?

They should ask though.
 
Surely leaving it on the ceiling it could get disturbed by moving furniture, changing light fittings, pinning xmas decorations (on plasterboard, obviously) etc. so if they knew it was there they'd get rid, no?
 
Itziko said:
C66, I'll certainly enquiry about it. It'd be daft not to let tenants know about these things, considering that everybody and their dog drill holes through their walls and ceilings? My flat belongs to Tower Hamlets council, if this is of any use (braces herself).
Click to expand...

I've never drilled a hole in my ceiling. I wouldn't imagine most landlords being too keen on their tenants doing such work unauthorised.
 
danski said:
Surely leaving it on the ceiling it could get disturbed by moving furniture, changing light fittings, pinning xmas decorations (on plasterboard, obviously) etc. so if they knew it was there they'd get rid, no?
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See my edit.
 
Geri said:
I've never drilled a hole in my ceiling. I wouldn't imagine most landlords being too keen on their tenants doing such work unauthorised.
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Why not, Geri? Isn't a ceiling a place as good or as bad as any other? It's never occurred to me that it'd be any different, please enlighten.
 
pogofish said:
Absolutely but would the HA routinely copy that info to the OP?

I also have some memory that Artex didn't come under the legislation till quite recently - 2006/7 maybe? In which case it may not be documented on an older removal schedule?

They should ask though.
Click to expand...

All i know is that the information needs to be documented and made available in the event of it being disturbed - usually through building work. Whether the work is to be carried out by a resident, bodgit & scarper ltd or if the landlord 'thinks the resident won't drill holes in the ceiling' is irrelevant. It is to help prevent exposure to asbestos fibres by anyone for whatever reason.

I agree with what you're saying about artex in that white asbestos only came under the legislation relatively recently. I think things have moved pretty rapidly since then though. Same with legionella.
 
Dutyholders of all non-domestic properties within the UK must establish an asbestos register and a management plan. The definition of "non-domestic" is "a property or structure (commercial, domestic or residential) where work is carried out" the obligation of the duty holder is that such operatives are not exposed to any asbestos based materials during the course of the work, the Asbestos Register states the presence or non presence of asbestos related to the inside and outside of the structure. The exception is where the property age (post-1999 when Chrysotile asbestos was banned) would indicate that such products will not have been used during the construction of the building.
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http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos_and_the_law?wasRedirected=true
 
Thank you for your replies and pm's, you have all been very, very helpful. I'll probably hire a SDS drill for the day, as it's been suggested in pm, and find out about the asbestos situation which is, as it's been pointed at, something I've a right to be informed about.

Cheers! :)
 
Update: the guy at m local DIY shop offered me one of his used SDS drills for sale for £30, cheaper than hiring. What do you think, oh wise tool experts? if it's shit and knackered, I can always bring it back to the shop.
 
Depends on the voltage. needs to be 230v for home use (might be 110v if it has been used on site then you would need a transformer)
For £30, go for it as it will come in handy again no doubt :)
Was gonna offer the use of mine again but not sure when I'll next be up with a vehicle (probably train on my next trip)
 
Itziko said:
Why not, Geri? Isn't a ceiling a place as good or as bad as any other? It's never occurred to me that it'd be any different, please enlighten.
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Most tenancy agreements I've ever had have forbidden any work being carried out without the consent of the owner. I think generally property owners like to be satisfied that people doing work on places they own know what they are doing.
 
Geri said:
Most tenancy agreements I've ever had have forbidden any work being carried out without the consent of the owner. I think generally property owners like to be satisfied that people doing work on places they own know what they are doing.
Click to expand...

Ah, ok. I can totally understand that if I was with a private landlord, but being council property, I think everybody does what they like. As far as I've seen, council tenants often carry out very considerable decoration/building work, like adding porches or closing balconies (after applying for written permission first, I'm sure). I'm talking about a 5mm hole in a ceiling! Not to mention that 10 years ago, this flat was an empty concrete shell with rotting lino on the floor and now it's a bloody palace.
 
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