An asbestos analysis usually costs from a few tens of euros to around a hundred per sample. The exact figure depends on the laboratory, the service level and any extras. This article tells you plainly what an analysis costs, what makes up the cost and how to order one.
A straight answer on price
Laboratory analysis of a single asbestos sample typically costs around 30-100 euros, depending on the provider and the service level chosen. The price usually covers the laboratory analysis and the reporting of the results by email. At some laboratories it also includes a shipping pack and a return envelope.
Sending several samples at once makes sense overall: the postage is the same however many you send, and you get all the results together. At Onelab the price is a flat 39,90 € + VAT per sample up to 100 samples, and for orders above 100 samples the price is negotiable.
What makes up the cost?
The cost of an asbestos analysis consists mainly of the laboratory work. The sample is prepared, examined under a microscope or by another method, and the results documented. Reporting, any shipping pack and customer service add to it.
There is no need for a separate urgent service, because every sample is analysed and the result emailed on the same day it arrives at the laboratory. If you need the result urgently - to keep removal work on schedule, for instance - contact the laboratory or bring the sample in person, which removes the postal delay.
The price compared with the alternatives
It is worth setting the price of an analysis against the other ways of settling the asbestos question. An asbestos survey of a whole building by a professional usually costs several hundred euros, whereas analysing a single sample is a fraction of that. If you know exactly which material needs testing, taking the sample yourself and having it analysed is clearly the cheaper route.
For comparison: stripping out asbestos-containing material without testing it first can leave you with contaminated premises to clean up at a cost of thousands of euros. The price of an analysis is tiny set against the risk of not testing.
How do you order an analysis?
Ordering an asbestos analysis is easy and quick. Take a sample of the material following the sampling instructions. Pack it in a Minigrip bag, label it clearly and post it to the laboratory. Enclose your contact details and a note of the material you want tested.
The laboratory receives the sample, analyses it and sends the results by email. You get the results on the day the sample arrives at the laboratory, so the total time depends mainly on the post - in Finland a letter typically takes 1-3 working days.
When should you order more than one analysis?
More than one is needed when a renovation takes out several different materials. In a bathroom renovation, for example, the tile adhesive, the wall filler and the floor adhesive may all need testing separately. Each material is a sample in its own right, because their compositions can differ.
Ordering several samples at once makes practical sense too. The postage is the same however many you send, and you get all the results together, which makes planning the renovation as a whole much easier.
An analysis is the most affordable insurance a renovation can buy
An asbestos analysis is an investment that pays for itself many times over. It gives you certainty about the materials, keeps you from carrying out removal work unlawfully and protects your health. A few tens of euros for one analysis is negligible against the total renovation budget - but it matters enormously for safety.
Take a look at our price list and order your asbestos analysis today. Then you can get on with planning your renovation in confidence.