You’ve got your plans. You’ve booked the builder. You’re itching to tear down that ugly old ceiling.
But hang on. Before a single tile comes off or a wall comes down, there’s something you need to do first.
Something people forget. Something that could stop your renovation in its tracks. Something that could protect your family’s health.
You need to check for asbestos.
Why It Matters More Than You Think
Asbestos isn’t just an old problem. It’s a current one.
Thousands of homes and buildings across the UK still contain it. If your property was built or refurbished before 2000, the risk is real.
It might be hiding in the walls, the floors, the ceiling, even the boiler cupboard.
And once you start work, it doesn’t stay hidden.
Disturb it—cut it, sand it, drill it—and it releases tiny, invisible fibres. You can’t smell them. You can’t see them. But if you breathe them in, they can lodge in your lungs for decades and cause serious illness.
We’re talking about:
- Mesothelioma
- Lung cancer
- Asbestosis
- Breathing problems that never go away
These aren’t mild irritations. They’re life-altering diseases with no easy cure.
What’s the One Check?
A professional survey that will detect asbestos.
It’s the only safe way to find out if your home contains asbestos, where it is, and whether it’s safe to carry on with your plans.
Without it, you’re guessing.
And guessing is a terrible renovation strategy.
Two Types of Survey – Know Which One You Need
1. Management Survey
This is for day-to-day use—when you’re not disturbing anything. It’s mostly used in commercial settings or rented properties.
2. Refurbishment and Demolition Survey
This is the one you need if you’re doing building work. It checks under floorboards, inside ceilings, behind bathroom panels—anywhere the work could disturb asbestos.
It’s not optional.
It’s the law.
If you go ahead without it and asbestos is found mid-project, work will stop. You could be fined. Your property could be sealed off. Worse still, you could expose your builder, your family, or yourself to dangerous fibres.
“But My House Looks Fine…”
That’s the trap. Asbestos doesn’t look dangerous.
It looks like ceiling paint. Like insulation. Like tile glue.
Plenty of people have started jobs thinking, “It’s probably fine,” only to land themselves in a nightmare.
Some realise halfway through a loft conversion. Others don’t know until they’ve already contaminated the whole house.
By then, it’s not just expensive. It’s a mess. The builders leave. The air needs cleaning. The work stops. Everyone panics.
All of it could’ve been avoided with one check.
What It Involves
A qualified surveyor will visit your property. They’ll inspect and sample areas where asbestos is likely to be found. The samples are tested in a lab. Within days, you’ll get a clear report of where the asbestos is and what to do about it.
If it’s there and in poor condition, it should be removed by licensed professionals before any building starts.
If it’s in good condition and won’t be disturbed, it may not need to be removed. But at least you’ll know.
What Happens If You Ignore It?
- You could expose yourself or your family to dangerous fibres
- Your builders might stop work and walk away
- You could face legal trouble if others are exposed
- Your insurance might not cover the damage
- The cost of clean-up could run into thousands
Even if no one gets sick, that’s a lot of stress and expense for something that could’ve been sorted early on.
So How Much Does It Cost?
An asbestos survey for a standard house can cost between £250 and £450, depending on the type of survey and the size of the property.
That’s less than your average skip hire.
It’s about what you’d spend on paint.
And it could save your renovation from falling apart.
Don’t Be the One Who Skipped the Survey
If you remember nothing else from this article, remember this:
You cannot see asbestos.
You cannot smell it.
And by the time you know it’s there, it may already be too late.
So don’t start that renovation just yet.
Book the survey. Get peace of mind. Then swing the hammer.
