An asbestos survey or an asbestos analysis is always needed when removal work or a renovation is planned in a building constructed or renovated before 1994. That applies to small home renovations just as much as to major refurbishments. A full-scale survey is not always necessary, though, so it helps to understand the difference between a survey and a single analysis.
The statutory obligation
Finnish legislation requires that, before removal work begins, it is established whether the materials to be removed contain asbestos. The Government Decree on the Safety of Asbestos Work (798/2015) places that obligation on the developer. In practice it means the person commissioning the renovation - a homeowner, a housing company or a contractor - has to see that the investigation is done.
The obligation covers every building whose materials may contain asbestos. In practice that is almost every building completed before 1994, since that was the year asbestos was banned in Finland.
When do you need a full survey?
A full asbestos survey is called for when the removal work touches several structures, or when it is not clear which materials will be taken out. Typical cases are a full refurbishment, a pipe replacement project, extensive repairs after water damage, or partial demolition of the building. In a survey, a professional works through the building's materials systematically and samples every suspect one.
An asbestos survey is usually carried out by a building health specialist or another qualified person who knows building materials and their history. The survey report is the basis on which the removal work is planned.
When is a single analysis enough?
A single asbestos analysis is enough when you know exactly which material is coming out and simply want to know whether it contains asbestos. Testing tile adhesive before a bathroom renovation, or the adhesive under vinyl flooring before a floor renovation, takes just one sample.
A single analysis is quick, inexpensive and often entirely sufficient for a limited renovation. You take the sample yourself and post it to the laboratory, which makes the whole thing easy.
Renovation planning and asbestos
The asbestos investigation belongs to the planning stage of a renovation, not to the moment removal work is about to begin. That way any asbestos removal can be scheduled and budgeted as part of the job. Surprises once the work is under way mean delays and extra costs.
In practice, the right moment is once the scope of the renovation has been settled but before removal work starts. The results are then in hand when the contractor begins.
The difference between a survey and an analysis
An asbestos survey is a wide-ranging investigation in which a professional goes through the building and identifies every material that might contain asbestos. An asbestos analysis, by contrast, is a laboratory test on a single material sample. A survey normally includes analyses, but an analysis can also be ordered on its own.
If only one or two materials are coming out, an analysis is enough. If the removal work is large in scale or involves many materials, a survey is the more sensible option. Both serve the same end: making sure the renovation is safe.
How to proceed
If you are planning a renovation and suspect asbestos, start by taking a sample of the material that is coming out. That quickly tells you whether you need asbestos removal work or can proceed as normal. If you are unsure, we can advise whether a wider survey is needed or a single analysis will do.