Asbestos testing kits/company - can anyone help? OR Does anyone have any idea if this could be asbestos?

[ChippingIn]

I have a few things in the place I'm doing up that I'm concerned may have asbestos in them and I was wondering if anyone has used of one the companies where you send your samples off to them to get them tested or a company that comes and takes the samples for you?

The things I'm concerned about are:

Floor tiles under the carpet - they're sitting on stuff that looks a bit like black tar. They are 'popping' off easily around the edge that I've been looking at but I don't know if they could be asbestos and if it's safe to do this - especially if they stop 'popping' off so easily, which I expect will be the case :)

Ceilings - all the ceilings are different in this place! Bedrooms/bathroom are OK but the hallway/lounge/kitchen all have sodding effing artex on the ceiling. The lounge looks like it was done in more recent years so I'm going to take a punt on that and deal with it myself. The kitchen and hallway, however, look like they were done a long time ago in a very heavy artex circles (lovely )

Kitchen - low wall with a plaster board type stuff on it...

Hoping that the stuff I peeled off last weekend doesn't contain asbestos, I thought it was going to be wallpaper but when I started removing it, it came away like a plastic coating?? Heavy, almost like a very thin tile, but it was one thing - so I assume it was either a sheet of something or something that had been applied to the wall.

If you made it this far - thank you :)

Any advice? Stories?

Are the tile very 60's looking? They sound like marley (sp) tiles they are sort of one colour with a 'marble' fleck? If so they are very safe - you can eat them (according to my dad)

What age is the house?

With the artex could you just plaster over it?

Look for any tradenames on any materials and search on internet for them - could rule it out or in if there are any.

Please look at this guide regarding asbestos

www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/Planning/DoingWorkYourself/DG_10022562

this might help too

Thanks guys - will go and have a look at the links.

Katy - They are a creamy/grey with a bit of a fleck in them - so yes, sound like the Marley ones. A few of them are red. The site I was looking at earlier said that Marley tiles have asbestos in them though? Did you Dad mean they are safe because the asbestos is 'in' the tile so it's only a problem if they're broken up or did he mean they don't have asbestos in them

I don't know how old it is (not on the deeds!!) but I think it's a 60's build.

Wife - not really, it's a very deep swirl so would take about 3 lots of plaster at which point I'd be seriously worried about it coming down! Also, in the hallway we will probably need to move the loft hatch to the other end of the hallway so it would mean cutting into it anyway. There's nothing on the tiles to identify them.

or here

Marley tiles are normally OK - they can be removed by a DIYer or any contractor but they must be disposed of properly (in sealed bags to the special site); I wouldn't let anyone chew bits of them but they are essentially benign; dispose of properly or leave & cover either is fine

I would get you ceiling checked as you are going to cut into it - but it's safe to leave until you are ready to do the work

if its a 60's build an they are original its a fair bet they could have asbestos in them but it might not be the end of the world as there are several types of asbestos, however I would recommend only doing work on areas you suspect it with a mask, goggles, gloves and and your body covered. Unfortunately there is no way to tell if you have asbestos without testing it.

Thanks Katy - that last link was particularly helpful. I have emailed them and so hopefully they'll get back to me tomorrow.

Wonky - if the above can't help I'll call the council.

Didn't your survey tell you? The one we've just had identified asbestos ceilings

Survey you say.... errr.... ummmm.... errrr.....

The company that Katy has linked to should be only used with caution - I am an building professional and have been taught about asbestos, and have worked on many projects where we have to remove it or have suspected it and I find many of their claims slightly alarming.

I also find it very suspect that they do not have an address listed on their website only a link through by email - so I did a bit of a background check and this guy 'Professor' John Brindle is a dodgy character and seriously bad news for the industry.

Please use a licensed practitioner webcommunities.hse.gov.uk/connect.ti/group/asbestos.licensing/viewdatastore?dsid=196

your council may be able to help - you can find out if they can on that directgov link I previously gave you.

They may not be the cheapest for removal tho and you may want to get a few quotes

hope that helps
let us know how you get on

ps. a survey wouldn't be able to tell you more than it might be suspected and with many surveyors these days they suspect everything to cover their bottoms as I said the only way you would actually know is to test it (sorry)

Wonky - thanks for that! I will have another look at the links tomorrow and get in touch with someone that way. If it is asbestos I can leave the tiles down, cover them up and I can paint over the shitty swirly ceilings until I have the money to get it removed professionally.

It's hard to believe that removing tiles that aren't broken and are coming up easily could be a problem.

A couple of years ago I was staying with friends who had all of their downstairs re-done and had guys in to remove the thermal tiles, they didn't test them and they had to chip them all off - there was dust everywhere. I may have already inhaled serious quantities of asbestos... who knows :(

I want to rip stuff out in the loft as well - in fact we already have pulled some of it down as it was crumbling - it looks like plaster board - that could have asbestos in it too couldn't it.... feck.

Surely not everyone who renovates gets this stressed by it?

No one on Homes Under the Hammer does that's for sure!

Sorry - I wasn't recommending people just sites that had more info about identifying stuff

Asbestos was used in over 3,000 building products until the 1990s. Vinyl asbestos (VA) floor tiles were extremely commonly used, textured coatings are frequently asbestos based, many building boards, loose insulation, and even the black floor tile adhesive can contain the bloody stuff!

The testing kit looks interesting and might be worth a go but be aware that an accredited asbestos surveyor (UKAS or similar) will have the expertise to look at the rest of your property not just test those items you suspect which means he or she may spot other areas that may contain asbestos.

On all projects now I advise the client to commission an asbestos survey before I finish the drawings and certainly before any work is started on site.

Pendeen - sorry, I didn't see your reply before. I can't do anything about anything for a couple of months now, but I think when I'm ready to start up again I will see how much it costs to get an acredited sureryor to come and have a look. Everyone IRL keeps telling me not to worry about it - 'they're sure it will be fine' - ... but I'm not convinced. I'll find someone who has nothing to gain by telling me it is A, if it's not.

Thanks everyone for your help.