How Much Asbestos Is Likely to Be in Your Home?

Many people are surprised to learn that there is very little legislation protecting householders from asbestos inside their own homes.

While laws apply to asbestos management in workplaces and non-domestic buildings, private homeowners are largely responsible for identifying and managing asbestos themselves. In practice, this means that many people carry out DIY work, renovations or maintenance without knowing whether asbestos containing materials (ACMs) are present.

Because asbestos was widely used in building materials throughout the 20th century, it is still commonly found in homes built before the year 2000.

About This Research

As part of an MSc in Commercial Building Surveying, research was undertaken to better understand how much asbestos is typically present in UK homes. The research analysed results from 4,500 domestic asbestos surveys carried out during a career as an asbestos surveyor, grouped according to the age of the property to identify patterns.

This survey data was then compared with national housing statistics showing the distribution of housing types and construction periods across the UK housing stock. By combining these two datasets it was possible to estimate the likely extent of asbestos present within domestic properties nationally.

The research demonstrated that the age of a property is one of the strongest indicators of both the likelihood and quantity of asbestos containing materials present.

A Simple Tool for Homeowners

To help homeowners understand the potential asbestos risk in their own properties, the findings from this research have been summarised into a simple reference tool. Using the approximate construction date of your home, the table below provides an indication of:

The percentage of properties within an age range which contain asbestos

The percentage of a dwelling which contains asbestos materials

The types of asbestos materials commonly found in houses from that period

An indicative cost range for removing these materials if refurbishment or demolition work is planned

Why This Information Matters

Understanding the likely extent of asbestos in a property can help homeowners to:

Plan refurbishment works safely
Avoid accidental disturbance of asbestos materials
Budget for potential removal works
Make informed decisions when buying or renovating a property

Asbestos Likelihood by Property Age

Property Construction Period	Percentage of Properties Containing Asbestos	Percentage of Property Elements	Typical Extent Within Property	Common Asbestos Materials Found	Typical Cost to Remove All Asbestos Materials
Pre-1900	44%; Moderate	~9% of Property	Small number of materials typically present	Moderate Extent Low Risk Materials, Few Higher Risk	£200 – £1,500
1900–1929	38%; Moderate	~5% of Property	Small quantities of asbestos materials	Moderate Extent Low Risk Materials, Few Higher Risk	£500 – £3,500
1930–1949	67%; High	~23% of Property	Moderate number of asbestos materials	Significant Extent Low Risk Materials, Few Higher Risk	£2,000 – £9,000
1950–1966	76%; Very High	~42% of Property	Significant number of asbestos materials	High Extent of Low Risk Material, Significant Higher Risk	£4,000 – £12,000
1967–1975	92%; Extremely High	~39% of Property	Highest overall number of asbestos materials	Highest Levels of Low and Higher Risk Materials	£2,500 – £7,000
1976–1982	92%; Extremely High	~30% of Property	Large number of asbestos materials	High Extent of Low Risk Material, Significant Higher Risk	£1,000 – £3,500
1983–1990	56%; Moderate	~10% of Property	Reduced number of materials compared with earlier decades	Moderate Extent Low Risk Materials, Few Higher Risk	Usually Minimal
1991–1995	11%; Low	~3% of Property	Small number of materials occasionally found	Rare occurrences only	Minimal
Post-1995	<1%; Very Low	Negligible	Rare occurrences only	Rare occurrences only	Minimal

Likelihood of Asbestos by House Age

Pre-1900

1900–1929

1930–1949

1950–1966

1967–1975

1976–1982

1983–1990

1991–1995

Post-1995

Extremely High (≥90%) Very High (70–89%) Moderate–High (50–69%) Low–Moderate (<50%)

Common Asbestos Materials Found in Homes

Lower Risk Level Materials

Textured Coatings (Artex)
Asbestos Cement, e.g. Flue Pipes, Roof Sheets, Soffits, Fascia Boards, Roof Tiles
Composite Materials, e.g. Thermoplastic Floor Tiles, Adhesive, Sink Pads, Toilet Cisterns

Higher Risk Level Materials

Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB), e.g. Linings to Boiler Cupboards, Heaters, Electrical Cupboards

The combination and quantity of these materials varies, depending largely on the age of the property.

Note

The aim of providing this information is simply to increase awareness and help householders better understand the potential asbestos risks within their homes.

These figures represent broad estimates derived from statistical analysis of domestic survey data. The research was conducted and removal prices were gathered in 2012. Forecast costs should be put into an inflation calculator for more accurate current day costs. Actual removal costs vary significantly depending on the number of materials present, accessibility and contractor pricing.

A detailed survey would always be required to determine actual extents of ACMs and those which need to be removed (if any). It is always strongly recommended to obtain as many costs as possible from a number of licensed asbestos removal contractors as quotes vary hugely.

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Key Finding

92%

of homes built between 1967 and 1982 were found to contain asbestos in this research.

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