Has anyone had any dealings working in, remodel or purchase and sell on buildings / homes that have had a former Meth Lab within the structure. If so, what things to shy away from or might it be a deal to consider???
Thanks for the info.
Has anyone had any dealings working in, remodel or purchase and sell on buildings / homes that have had a former Meth Lab within the structure. If so, what things to shy away from or might it be a deal to consider???
Thanks for the info.
Ensure optimal heat pump performance under wet and potentially damaging conditions with these helpful tips and product recommendations.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial NowDig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.
Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.
Start Your Free TrialGet complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.
Already a member? Log in
Replies
As I understand it, there are wastes generated in the making of meth that are SERIOUSLY hazardous. Assuming that's true, I wouldn't buy such a property unless the cleanup had been done by properly certified people. And I'd want the proof to be in writing, and included in the closing documents of the sale.
That way there won't be a question when you try to rent or sell the place yuourself.
Unless you're the lead dog, the view just never changes.
Gasoline is used to cut meth, so more than likely there's gas in the ground below the home, and possibly in the carpet, flooring, etc. There's some other nasty crap used too, so as already said, either get it remediated professionally, or plan on knocking it down and still having to remediate the soil.
Sounds like a loser to me, though.
Bob
What the other responders said.
Welcome to BT, while I'm at it.
I, personally, would not take possession of a property that had a fromer drug lab in it. Not without some sort of hold harmless declaraion that it was safe. That declaration would be parsed by at least one attorney before my signature got close, too--remediation is a very expensive word. Remediation also goes on until every AHJ agrees that the job is done--which can be hard to do if the agencies change their minimum standards while you are remediating (which is far too common).
If I were asked to work in a former lab, I'd likely solicit legal opinon on a hold-harmless for my work, too. If you get into a "might as well" that then uncovers something, you wind up on the hook until you clean it up (sayonara profits).
Now, the next tricky thing is, "what is a lab?" Followed by "what kind of lab?"
Walk away. Hazmat certainly had to do a cleanup and it may be "safe-enough" but selling it will be righteous tough as you will have to disclose this during the sale. These meth idiots cook diesel with hydraulic fluid mixing in epinephrine or some such on the stove. Any fool doing that isn't likely to properly contain their chemicals in the first place. I'd rather buy land on a nuke test range, maybe I can finally get those superpowers I've seen in the movies!
It sounds like a looser.......I put in new flooring in an apartment that had a lab in it (Trigger alarm doors, garbage bagged windows and ceran wrapped registers)
There was this faint spell of Anahydrous pnemonia in the place..........I got done and got out.
No but seriously, meth cookers like to throw the haxardous waste just about everywhere. Careful around ditches, and Don't go near the basement if its unfinished! I have experience from doing maintenance for a ghetto rental company a few years back......got into some gross situations before i finally quit.
Just keep looking in the classifieds!
The same things that make a meth lab an explosion hazard, some police forces have limited number of firearms, a source of sparks and flame, present in raids and dress their SWAT teams in Nomex, makes the chemicals, for the most part, volatile enough that they dissipate rapidly with proper ventilation.
Given a month of a strong fan blowing in and another one, at the opposite end of the structure, blowing out the concentrations remaining should be pretty low. Keeping the structure well heated is also helpful.
Before buying any such home consulting with a reputable testing lab and environmental engineer would seem prudent but I think simple ventilation and removal of the highly absorbent surfaces, like carpets and pads, will clear most of the contaminates. A few quick, and relatively inexpensive, air and surface samples should do it to confirm that things are alright. No need to turn the place into a Superfund site and have people running around in space suits.
IMHO the press reports, driven by the police state, are mostly scare tactics and are mostly overblown. They make big press about the explosion hazards of the ammonia, ethanol, ether and gasoline used but many homes have materials every bit as dangerous. The propane and natural gas that feed many appliances is both flammable and, given the right conditions, explosive. As is the gasoline in the can many keep in their garage to fuel their lawn mower and the gas in the tank of the SUV in the garage.
I looked inside my own storage area and saw naphtha, mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, gasoline and several bottles of propane. The strike-anywhere matches I favor and firearms ammunition only add to the risk. And then there are the various caustic, toxic, flammable or potentially explosive compound and solutions that congregate, and seemingly multiply, under the sinks. I don't think my abode is unusual.
It is a vile brew that is contained within even the most friendly looking houses. More a difference in degree than kind when comparing to a house used as a drug lab.
So take reasonable precautions without freaking out or going overboard. Or buying into the overheated anti-drug hype.