Only a lab test can tell you for sure. Your photo helps us send the right kit.
Older homes, hidden materials
Edinburgh and the Lothians have homes of every age, from tenement flats to post-war houses and newer estates. Any home built or refurbished before 2000 could contain asbestos somewhere, often in places you wouldn't think to look.
The usual places
- Textured coatings on ceilings and walls
- Floor tiles, often under newer flooring
- Corrugated garage and shed roofs
- Cement sheets, gutters and soffits
- Insulation board in cupboards and behind heaters
Not sure what you're looking at? Most people aren't. See what asbestos looks like, and why the honest answer is that you can't tell by eye.
Testing, step by step
- Send us a photoUse the free AI photo check. Snap the area, answer three quick taps, and see what's worth testing and how many samples you'd need.
- Take a small sampleThe kit comes with a proper mask, gloves, sample bags, a spray bottle, a step-by-step guide and a return envelope.
- Post it to the labYour sample is analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory.
- KnowYour result comes to you by email, in writing.
Planning work?
Test before the tradespeople arrive. Knowing what's in a ceiling, wall or floor before it's drilled, sanded or lifted protects you, your family and the people working on your home. A result in writing is also useful if you're selling.
Renting? Talk to your landlord or letting agent before any work.
Buying or selling in Edinburgh
In Scotland, sellers must provide a Home Report. Its property questionnaire, mygov.scot says, covers past issues "like fire or storm damage or asbestos". If you're selling, a lab result in writing gives you something clear to put there. If you're buying, it's worth asking about any textured ceilings, old floor tiles or outbuildings. Our guides to buying and selling a house with asbestos go through it step by step.
Leave these to a professional
Don't sample pipe lagging or sprayed coatings or loose fill. Those need a licensed asbestos professional. Insulation board is different. Don't sample it yourself. Send us a photo first and we'll advise. If in doubt, don't touch it, and send us a photo.
