Homeowner Asbestos Guides & Practical Advice
Finding suspected asbestos during a house purchase or renovation does not need to cause panic. Our surveyors have put together straightforward, practical guides to help homeowners, buyers, and landlords across Hampshire understand what to look for, how bulk sampling works, and when materials can safely stay in place.
Independent UKAS Testing: Every bulk sample we collect on site is sealed, logged, and analysed by an independent UKAS-accredited laboratory.
Browse Our Asbestos Advice Hub
Select a guide below for clear answers on testing textured Artex ceilings, handling old thermoplastic floor tiles, checking garage roof sheets, and preparing for home refurbishments.
What to Do If You Uncover Suspected Materials During DIY or Renovations
It is very common to lift an old carpet in a 1960s or 1970s property across Basingstoke, Andover, or Havant and find brittle thermoplastic floor tiles fixed down with black bitumen adhesive. Similarly, stripping wallpaper or taking out an old airing cupboard often exposes textured coatings or insulating board panels.
If you uncover an unfamiliar board, cement flue, or textured coating, stop sanding, drilling, or scraping immediately. Asbestos materials in good condition do not release fibres on their own—the risk only arises when they are mechanically disturbed or broken up.
Three Simple Steps Before Trades Continue:
- Leave it in place: Do not sweep up dust with a standard household vacuum cleaner or snap off fragments to post in the mail.
- Book a discrete sample or survey: Our surveyor visits with surfactant spray, FFP3 respiratory protection, and controlled sampling tools to extract a small cross-section safely and seal the sample point right away.
- Get clear lab results: Once the UKAS-accredited laboratory confirms whether asbestos fibres are present, we give you straightforward advice on whether to encapsulate, manage in situ, or arrange non-licensed removal.
Floor Tiles & Bitumen
Thermoplastic tiles and black adhesive frequently found beneath modern carpets during domestic strip-outs.
Textured Coatings (Artex)
Pre-2000 stippled and swirled ceiling finishes that should be tested before plasterers or electricians cut into them.
Cement Garage Roofs & Outbuildings
Corrugated cement sheets, soffits, and rainwater downpipes on older garages and sheds. We dismantle these intact without mechanical breaking and transport them in UN-approved hazardous waste bags.
Need a Sample Tested or a Property Inspected in Hampshire?
Speak directly to Asbestos in Homes, operated by BPS. Tell us what material you have found or what building work you have planned, and we will advise you on the right survey or sampling visit.