Spray foam and lenders
What does the RICS spray-foam guide say about fire, without turning it into a ban?
RICS says polyurethane spray foam is a combustible material and can increase the likelihood and extent of damage in a fire. That is a reason to take the installation seriously and to keep the paperwork. It is not, in the guide, a statement that every foamed roof must be stripped, and it is not a fire-risk assessment of your house.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
The guide lists several risks together: hidden defects, condensation, energy claims that may not materialise, and fire. A home survey is not a fire engineer’s report and does not test the foam. The surveyor can record that foam is present and that it restricted the inspection. The fire sentence in the guide is something to show the lender, the insurer and your solicitor, because each of them may have their own rule.
Ask the insurer as well as the lender. A buildings policy can differ from a mortgage policy. Do not assume either has refused you. Do not assume either is content. Get the answer on this installation, with the document pack RICS describes, including any independent certificate and the photographs from the time of the work.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Where is the foam, and did it stop you seeing the structure?
- What should we hand an insurer as well as a lender?
- Are you making a fire-engineering judgement, or reporting a material the RICS guide discusses?
What are the typical next steps?
- Tell the insurer and the lender that foam is present, with the photographs you actually have.
- Do not remove it solely because the word combustible appears, until those firms have said what they require.
- Do not add foam to another roof in the meantime because a salesperson calls it fire-safe. Read the guide first.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Is every insulation combustible in the same way?
The guide is talking about polyurethane spray foam. Do not copy the sentence onto a glass-fibre quilt. They are different products.
Will the surveyor write a fire certificate?
No. They can record the material. A fire certificate, where one is needed, comes from someone instructed to produce it.