Few things in life can be as exciting as buying a house to renovate. Beneath the dated wallpaper and tired fittings may lie the foundations of a beautiful home or a profitable development.
However, there is a long road between purchasing the property and its new occupants moving in. Along the way, there may be a few obstacles, such as ageing pipework or walls that are barely standing. But none of these inconveniences compares with the risks posed by a very old resident who might be lurking, waiting for you or your team to make a mistake. That unwelcome guest is asbestos.
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring, heat-resistant mineral fibres. It can be present in almost any residential or commercial property built or refurbished before 2000. It may be concealed in insulation, textured coatings, floor tiles, cement roofing, pipe lagging, soffits, partition boards, and even old fuse boxes. You cannot reliably identify it simply by looking.
Here are the key checks you should carry out before and during your renovation.
Check the records—but don’t rely on them
Ask the seller for any asbestos surveys, building plans, and records of previous refurbishment or removal work. For flats and converted houses, the freeholder or managing agent may also hold a register covering communal areas.
If the paperwork does not reveal any problems, great. But the absence of records does not necessarily mean that the mineral was never used in the property, so do not let your guard down just yet. Also, do not mistake a homebuyer’s survey for a specialist asbestos inspection.
What if the property does not have the necessary paperwork? In that case, out of an abundance of caution, assume that asbestos is present.
Choose the right survey
The survey you need depends on what you intend to do with the property.
A management survey is designed to locate materials that could be disturbed during normal occupation or routine maintenance. It may be sufficient if the planned work is minor and will not affect the building’s fabric.
A refurbishment or demolition survey is more intrusive. It is intended to find asbestos hidden inside walls, floors, ceilings, and other areas that renovation will disturb. The affected area normally needs to be vacant while this work is carried out.
Make sure the full scope of the project is clear. A survey covering only accessible surfaces will be of little value if your plans involve stripping the property back to its structure.
Do not assume everything must be removed
Found asbestos? Don’t panic.
It does not necessarily mean abandoning the purchase or removing every affected material immediately. Asbestos in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed can sometimes remain in place under an appropriate management plan.
Renovation, however, changes that calculation. Drilling, sanding, cutting, and breaking materials can release fibres into the air. The survey should therefore inform the method of work.
Some lower-risk tasks may be carried out by appropriately trained workers using strict controls. Higher-risk jobs must be completed by a licensed asbestos-removal contractor. Never ask a general builder to “take care of it” without first confirming exactly what the material is and whether the staff are qualified to handle it.
Consider the costs involved
An inexpensive property can quickly become a costly project if asbestos is discovered after work begins. Allow for more than the removal itself. Your budget may need to cover:
- A suitable survey and laboratory analysis
- Specialist removal or encapsulation
- Air monitoring and clearance procedures
- Secure transport and lawful waste disposal
- Replacement materials and reinstatement
- Delays while affected areas are made safe
Discovering asbestos early gives you the opportunity to renegotiate, redesign the project, or decide that the property is no longer commercially viable.
Know what to do if suspicious material is disturbed
If workers uncover an unexpected board, coating, or insulation, stop immediately. Keep people away, avoid creating further dust, and do not sweep or use an ordinary vacuum cleaner. A competent professional should assess the material before work resumes.
This is not simply a paperwork issue. Inhaling asbestos fibres can cause serious diseases, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, which may not develop until decades after exposure.
In 2024, 1,680 new mesothelioma cases were assessed under Britain’s Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit scheme.
If the disease proves fatal, eligible dependants may be able to seek mesothelioma death compensation—financial redress obtained through a civil claim or, in certain circumstances, a government lump-sum payment scheme.
Eligibility depends on factors such as how the exposure occurred and whether the responsible employer or insurer can be traced.
Investigate before you renovate
The most effective asbestos precaution is also one of the simplest: investigate before disturbing the building. A proper survey protects workers, occupants, neighbours, budgets, and schedules—and gives a renovation project the safe start it deserves.
