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GUIDES · ASBESTOS MATERIALS

Disturbed asbestos? Do this now.

Drilled into a suspect ceiling? Broken an old board or tile? Don’t panic — a one-off disturbance is almost never the disaster it feels like, but the next few minutes matter. Follow the seven steps below, then read on for what happens next.

Where you'll find it

Typically found in ceilings and feature walls in living rooms, hallways and bedrooms, most commonly in homes decorated between the 1960s and mid-1980s across every UK town. If your property fits that description and the material is undisturbed, don't panic, and don't drill, sand or break it. Send us a photo and we'll tell you what you're looking at, free.

How removal works

This is notifiable non-licensed work. Every job starts with sampling and a fixed written quote within 24 hours. Removal is carried out with the controls the law requires for this material, waste leaves site with consignment notes, and the area is handed back with the right certification for your records, whether that's a homeowner's document pack or a four-stage clearance certificate.

What it costs

Typical UK guide range: £25 to £60 per m², including disposal and paperwork. Access, quantity and condition move the number, our cost guide and calculator covers the detail, and once we quote, the price is fixed. Figures are industry guide rates, not Innov8 Group prices, we're typically cheaper. Contact us for an official quotation.
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Disturbed asbestos — what to do Surveys & sampling → Costs & calculator → Find your local team →
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The seven steps, in order

1
Stop work immediately
Put the tool down. Every extra second of drilling, sanding or breaking releases more fibres.
2
Leave the room and close the door
Walk out calmly — don’t brush yourself down in the room. Shut the door behind you.
3
Don’t sweep, dust or vacuum
Sweeping and domestic vacuums don’t capture asbestos fibres — they blast them back into the air. Leave the dust exactly where it is.
4
Don’t try to clean it up yourself
No wet wipes, no dustpan, no bin bags of debris. Clean-up of asbestos dust is a controlled job with the right equipment.
5
Keep people and pets out
Tape the door or leave a note if you have to. Nobody goes back in until the material is confirmed safe or cleaned.
6
Bag dusty clothing — don’t shake or wash it
If dust got on your clothes, take them off carefully away from others, bag them, and set them aside. Shaking or machine-washing spreads fibres.
7
Get it tested — or call us
A £125 lab test confirms whether it’s asbestos at all. Call 0333 335 6375 or WhatsApp a photo — we’ll tell you honestly how worried to be and what happens next.

What happens next

First, identification: if you can’t be sure the material contains asbestos, a £125 lab test settles it — many panics end here with a negative result. If it is asbestos, we assess how much dust was released and where. Small, contained incidents are often resolved with a controlled clean of the affected room using H-type vacuums and wipe-downs; bigger releases may need a licensed clean and reassurance air testing before the room goes back into use. Either way you get certificates showing the job was done properly — and the damaged material itself gets removed or sealed so it can’t happen twice.

Should I get an air test?

After anything more than a trivial disturbance, a reassurance air test is money well spent: an analyst samples the room’s air and certifies whether fibre levels are below the clearance indicator. It’s the difference between hoping a room is fine and knowing it is — especially with children in the house. We arrange air monitoring quickly across the North West and beyond, including Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds.

About that one-off exposure

The honest position: a single, brief, low-level exposure carries a very low risk to your long-term health. The serious asbestos diseases are overwhelmingly linked to repeated, heavy exposure over working years. Note what happened, mention it to your GP if you’re concerned, and read our plain-English health guide — written to reassure where reassurance is honest.

Is it notifiable?

For householders, an accidental disturbance is not something you report to a regulator — your job is simply to stop, contain and get help. Where it was a tradesman who disturbed the asbestos, the duties are different. For employers and tradespeople it can be different: uncontrolled disturbance of licensable materials at work may need reporting to the HSE, and your asbestos plan should say so. If it happened on a job, call us and we’ll talk you through it — no lectures.

What it costs

Testing is £125. A controlled clean of a single room is usually a fast, fixed-price visit; larger cleans and removal are quoted fixed after photos or a look. Real numbers are on our costs page — and the phone call costs nothing: 0333 335 6375.
FREQUENTLY ASKED

After a disturbance — your questions answered

I drilled into asbestos — am I in danger?
Almost certainly not from one hole. A brief, one-off, low-level exposure carries a very low long-term risk — the serious diseases come from repeated heavy exposure over years. Stop work, keep the dust undisturbed, get the material tested, and mention it to your GP if you remain concerned.
Should I get an air test after a disturbance?
For anything beyond a trivial knock, yes — a reassurance air test certifies that fibre levels in the room are below the clearance indicator, so you know rather than hope. It’s quick, independent, and especially worthwhile with children or vulnerable people in the building.
Can I hoover up asbestos dust?
No — never. A domestic vacuum, including HEPA models, does not contain asbestos fibres: it blows the finest ones straight back into the room air, turning a local spill into a room-wide one. The same goes for sweeping. Leave the dust where it is and get professional help.
Who do I call about disturbed asbestos?
A licensed asbestos contractor. Call us on 0333 335 6375 or WhatsApp a photo — we’ll tell you honestly whether it needs testing, a controlled clean, or nothing at all. For health worries, your GP is the right call; for the building, that’s us.

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