Asbestos Found During Refurbishment: What Should You Do?
Updated: 29 September 2026. If suspected asbestos is discovered during refurbishment, drilling, demolition or other intrusive work, the immediate response should be to stop work and prevent further disturbance. Do not keep cutting, drilling or removing the material simply to “see what it is”.
The next step is to check the available asbestos information and arrange competent assessment, sampling or a correctly scoped refurbishment/demolition survey where required. HSE guidance makes clear that intrusive work should not continue until sufficient information is available to understand and control the asbestos risk.
What should you do immediately if suspected asbestos is found?
- Stop work immediately.
- Keep people away from the affected area.
- Avoid further disturbance, sweeping or dry cleaning.
- Check the asbestos register, management plan and previous survey information.
- Tell the person responsible for the building and the contractor or project manager.
- Arrange competent advice, inspection or sampling before work resumes.
Why is stopping work so important?
Asbestos-containing materials can release fibres when drilled, cut, broken, sanded or otherwise disturbed. Continuing work after suspicious material is found can increase exposure and spread contamination beyond the original work area.
HSE advises workers who encounter material that may contain asbestos to stop and obtain the necessary asbestos information before continuing.
Does a previous asbestos survey mean work can continue?
Not necessarily. A previous management survey may have been designed for normal occupation and routine maintenance rather than intrusive refurbishment.
Asbestos can be concealed behind walls, ceilings, panels, floor coverings, service ducts and other parts of the building fabric. HSE specifically notes that even an existing survey may not identify every hidden location.
If the planned work will disturb the fabric of the building, the project may require a Refurbishment & Demolition Survey covering the areas affected by the works.
When is a refurbishment or demolition asbestos survey needed?
HSE describes refurbishment/demolition surveys as intrusive surveys intended to locate asbestos-containing materials that could be disturbed during major refurbishment or demolition.
The survey should be properly scoped to the proposed work. For a limited refurbishment, the survey scope may be restricted to the affected room or work area rather than unnecessarily disrupting the whole building.
See HSE’s guidance on arranging an asbestos survey.
Can a small sample be enough?
Targeted sampling can answer a narrow question such as “does this particular material contain asbestos?” But it does not automatically provide the wider information needed to make an entire refurbishment project safe.
If work will disturb multiple areas or concealed building elements, a correctly scoped survey is usually more useful than relying on one isolated sample.
For more detail, read Asbestos Sampling vs Full Survey: When Is Testing Enough?.
What if asbestos has already been damaged?
If suspected asbestos has already been broken or disturbed, stop further activity and restrict access. The appropriate response depends on the material, the amount disturbed, whether debris or dust is present and the type of work that caused the disturbance.
Competent asbestos advice should be obtained promptly. Some types of asbestos work require a licensed contractor, while other lower-risk work may fall under different controls. Do not assume that ordinary builders or cleaners can safely deal with asbestos debris.
Should the area be vacuumed or swept?
Do not use normal domestic or site vacuum cleaners, brushes or dry sweeping to clean suspected asbestos debris. These methods can spread fibres further.
The clean-up method should be decided by people who understand the material and the applicable asbestos controls.
Who needs to know about asbestos before work starts?
People who could disturb asbestos need sufficient information before they begin work. Depending on the project, this can include:
- principal contractors and subcontractors
- electricians and plumbers
- builders and decorators
- maintenance staff
- surveyors and project managers
- demolition contractors
The asbestos information should be relevant to the actual work area. A general statement that “the building has asbestos somewhere” is not enough for someone about to drill into a specific wall or ceiling.
Can refurbishment restart after asbestos is found?
Work should restart only after the asbestos risk has been properly understood and controlled. That may involve sampling, a refurbishment/demolition survey, removal, encapsulation, changes to the work method or confirmation that the suspected material does not contain asbestos.
Where an intrusive asbestos survey has been carried out, the affected area must be suitable for reoccupation before normal access and refurbishment resume.
Does finding asbestos always mean it must be removed?
No. Asbestos in good condition can sometimes be managed in place where it is not likely to be disturbed. Refurbishment changes that calculation because the proposed work may directly affect the material.
The correct action depends on location, condition, material type and the planned work. Removal is often necessary where asbestos lies within the area that will be disturbed, but the decision should follow competent assessment rather than assumption.
How can landlords and project managers prevent unexpected discoveries?
- review asbestos information during project planning
- define exactly which parts of the building will be disturbed
- commission the correct survey type before intrusive work
- give survey information to contractors before they start
- mark areas that were excluded or not accessed
- stop and reassess if unexpected material appears
This is one reason a management survey and a refurbishment/demolition survey should not be treated as interchangeable documents. Read our management survey vs R&D survey comparison.
Asbestos survey support in London
Primelinks Compliance helps landlords, property managers and refurbishment teams coordinate asbestos survey and sampling requirements across London.
- See our Refurbishment & Demolition Survey service.
- For a specific material, see Asbestos Sampling & Testing.
- Read the Asbestos Duty to Manage Guide.
- See Asbestos Sampling vs Full Survey.
- For London coverage, see our London page.
Frequently asked questions
What should a builder do if they discover suspected asbestos?
Stop work, prevent further disturbance, check the available asbestos information and obtain competent advice before continuing.
Can refurbishment continue while waiting for test results?
Work that could disturb the suspected material should not continue until sufficient information is available and appropriate controls are in place.
Does a management survey cover refurbishment?
Not automatically. Intrusive work may require a refurbishment/demolition survey specifically scoped to the area and nature of the proposed works.
Can one asbestos sample replace a full refurbishment survey?
Usually not where the project affects multiple or concealed building elements. Sampling answers a specific material question; a survey provides broader project information.
Found suspicious material during London refurbishment?
Use Get a Quote and provide the property address, approximate building age, work area, planned refurbishment and details of any existing asbestos report.
This article provides general information and is not asbestos-removal, occupational-health or legal advice. Where asbestos may have been disturbed, obtain competent site-specific advice before work resumes.
