Asbestos when buying a home: what to ask and when to test

Asbestos rarely stops a home sale, but it is worth looking into before renovation plans and the budget are fixed. If the home was built or renovated before 1994, its materials may contain asbestos, and you cannot tell by looking. As a buyer, ask for earlier test results and the renovation history, and if a particular material is going to be removed soon after the purchase, it can be tested with a sample before the sale, with the seller's permission.

This article covers what to ask about asbestos at each stage of a sale, how a laboratory sample fits the timetable, what the result tells you and what it does not, and how a seller can prepare. Planning the renovation after the purchase is covered in the post asbestos checklist for buyers of older homes.

Is asbestos in a home a problem for the sale?

An intact asbestos-containing material that stays in place does not release fibres. Asbestos becomes relevant when the material is broken: when tiles are removed, filler is sanded or a floor is torn up. In a home sale, asbestos is therefore mainly about the cost and timetable of future renovations, not about everyday living.

Removing asbestos-containing material is done as asbestos work, carried out by a company authorised for asbestos removal work. It costs more and takes longer than ordinary demolition. If you plan to redo the bathroom, kitchen or floors soon after buying, knowing what the materials contain affects what the renovation will really cost.

What should you ask about asbestos before making an offer?

• Year of construction and renovation history. When were the bathroom, kitchen and floors last renewed, and with what materials? Surfaces from before 1994 are possible asbestos sources. Old layers may also have been left under a newer surface.
• Earlier asbestos tests. Ask the seller whether samples have been taken or a survey carried out, and ask to see the results. Check which rooms and materials they cover.
• Housing company information. For a flat or terraced house owned through a housing company, ask the property manager whether asbestos surveys have been done, for example for a pipe or facade renovation, and whether such renovations are planned. A traditional pipe renovation usually strips the wet rooms, and their materials are investigated then. Read more in the article asbestos in pipe renovation.
• Scope of the condition inspection. A standard pre-sale condition inspection in Finland does not normally include an asbestos survey or the analysis of material samples, although the report may mention possible asbestos based on the construction period. Check whether any material samples were taken.

Can you take an asbestos sample before the sale?

Yes, if the seller gives permission. Sampling leaves a small hole, so it is not done in someone else's home without their permission. In a block of flats some structures belong to the housing company, so in unclear cases the property manager is asked too.

In practice there are three options:

• The seller takes the samples and shows the results to the buyer.
• The buyer takes the samples with the seller's permission, for example at a second viewing.
• Samples are taken only after the purchase, and the renovation budget includes a margin for possible asbestos removal.

How to take a sample in a home that is for sale

1. Limit the samples to materials you really plan to remove, and choose spots that will be demolished anyway.
2. Do not break the waterproofing of a wet room in use, for example in the shower corner. Choose a dry, inconspicuous spot instead, such as the upper part of a wall or a surface behind a cabinet.
3. Wear disposable gloves and a respirator of at least class FFP3.
4. Lightly mist the sampling spot with a spray bottle.
5. Remove a piece of about 2–5 centimetres so that every layer down to the substrate comes with it.
6. Put the piece in a zip-lock bag, seal it and put it inside a second bag. Mark the bag with the room and spot.
7. Cover the sampling spot with tape, wipe the area with a damp cloth and tell the seller where the sample was taken.

More detailed instructions on tools and packing are in the article how to take an asbestos sample.

How does a sample fit the sale timetable?

Onelab sends the result by email, typically on the day the sample arrives, so the timetable depends mainly on the post. If the sample is sent straight after the viewing, the result is usually available within a few days.

If you want the result before a binding offer, agree on this with the estate agent. The terms of an offer and the allocation of responsibility in the sale are legal questions, and it is worth getting help from an estate agent or a lawyer. This article is not legal advice.

What does the result tell you, and what does it not?

Onelab analyses the samples with a JEOL SEM-EDS electron microscope in accordance with ISO 22262-1. The result tells you whether asbestos was detected in the sample you sent.

• The result applies to the sample and similar material. A sample of the adhesive under the bathroom floor says nothing about the wall filler or the kitchen floor.
• Asbestos detected does not mean the home is dangerous to live in. It means that the material in question is removed as asbestos work.
• No asbestos detected does not mean the whole home is asbestos-free. Other materials are tested separately.
• Keep the result report. Store it with the home's documents. It is useful for the next renovation and for a later sale.

How to read the result is explained in more detail in the article interpreting an asbestos result.

Detached house or a flat in a housing company?

The buyer of a detached house is responsible for all of the building's structures after the purchase, so there may be more to investigate: facade boards, roofing, pipe insulation, fireplaces and floors. Asbestos cement boards are common in old detached houses and are covered in the article asbestos cement. Houses built after the war are covered in the article asbestos in post-war veterans' houses.

In blocks of flats and terraced houses, the housing company is usually responsible for many structures, such as pipes and facades, while the shareholder mostly renovates the surfaces of the flat. The buyer can then focus on the surfaces they plan to renew themselves and ask the property manager about the housing company's plans. Materials in blocks of flats are covered in the article asbestos in blocks of flats.

What should the seller do?

A seller can reduce the buyer's uncertainty by gathering the information in advance.

• Put together the renovation history: what has been renewed, when and with what materials.
• Find earlier test results and survey reports and add them to the sales material.
• If buyers are likely to renew a particular room, such as an old bathroom, consider testing its materials before the sale.
• Be open about what you know. Questions about each party's responsibilities in the sale are best put to the estate agent or a lawyer.

If the whole home or house is to be surveyed, the survey is carried out on site by a qualified surveyor. Onelab is a laboratory, and on-site surveys are handled by our sister brand AsbestiPro.

How much does an asbestos analysis cost when buying or selling a home?

The analysis costs €39.90 + VAT per sample, and the price is the same for 1–100 samples. Orders of more than 100 samples can be priced separately. Postage is not included. You can order the analysis online and send the sample to the laboratory by post.