Asbestos in pre-2000 homes
What should you do if a survey suspects a sprayed coating on a steel or a concrete beam?
Stop and treat it as a material not to be disturbed. HSE lists sprayed asbestos coatings as fire protection and insulation on steels, concrete beams and sometimes the underside of roofs. That is a different and more serious finding than a cement garage roof. A home survey naming the suspicion is not a licence to sample it yourself, and it is not a removal quote.
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?
Sprayed coatings are on HSE’s list of materials that need the right contractor, and high-risk work belongs with a licensed contractor. The surveyor has not classified the job and has not tested the coating. In a house this finding is less common than cement or a textured coating, but it does occur in conversions and in garages with steel frames. The Level 3 description is explicit that the surveyor is not an asbestos inspector under the Control of Asbestos Regulations.
Do not wire-brush, encapsulate or clad over the coating because a builder says it will be cheaper. Ask a competent asbestos surveyor what the material is and what work, if any, is required for the use you actually plan. If you had no plan to touch it, say that. Leaving a sound material alone can be the right action. This page will not invent a removal cost.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Where is the coating, and did you only suspect it?
- What work would disturb it?
- Are you telling us not to touch it until a competent person has advised?
What are the typical next steps?
- Do not occupy the space by sanding or drilling near the coating “carefully”.
- Instruct an asbestos surveyor if the purchase depends on using that space.
- Tell your solicitor the survey has not identified the material in a laboratory.
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 rough coating on a beam sprayed asbestos?
No. Vermiculite and other coatings exist. Looks are not identification. That is why the finding stays a suspicion until someone competent says otherwise.
Can you encapsulate first and ask later?
Encapsulation is work on the material. Get advice before you coat it, not after.