Should you get an asbestos survey when buying a home?

An asbestos survey when buying a house is worth it if the house or flat was built before 1994 and you already know you will renovate. The survey is not a condition of the sale, but it tells you in advance whether the renovation will involve asbestos removal and what that means for your budget. For a seller, an existing survey is a valuable attachment to the listing.

Do you need an asbestos survey before buying a home?

Finnish law does not require an asbestos survey when a home changes hands. The obligation only arises when repair or demolition work begins in a building built or renovated before 1994 (Asbestos Act 684/2015 and Government Decree 798/2015). In practice, though, it is the buyer who will later order and pay for both the survey and any removal work.

So it helps to turn the question around: if you are buying a house from the 1960s to the 1980s and plan to redo the kitchen, bathroom or floors, it pays to know about asbestos before you commit to a price.

When does a pre-purchase survey make sense?

• The house was built between the 1950s and the 1980s and still has original surfaces, such as vinyl flooring, tiling or board cladding.
• You plan to renovate right after moving in, so asbestos removal would directly affect your schedule and costs.
• The renovation history is unclear and the seller cannot say what lies beneath the surfaces.
• A condition inspection has been done, but without material samples. A standard pre-sale condition inspection does not open up structures, so it can neither confirm nor rule out asbestos.

A survey involves taking small material samples, so before the sale you always need the seller’s permission. Buyers often agree to have the survey done after the offer is accepted but before the final deed of sale is signed.

What should a buyer ask the seller?

A lot can be found in the paperwork. Ask for at least the following:

• Previous asbestos surveys. If the home has been renovated in recent years, a report often already exists. Check which rooms and materials were examined and where asbestos was found.
• Renovation history. What was replaced and when, and were old surfaces removed or simply covered over?
• The housing company’s documents. The property manager’s statement and the five-year maintenance needs report show upcoming projects such as pipe, window or facade renovations. Also ask the property manager whether the company has commissioned asbestos surveys and what they found.
• Details of the shareholder’s own alterations, if you are buying a flat or terraced house.

In Finland the seller has a duty to disclose and the buyer a duty to inspect. A known asbestos survey is something a seller is wise to mention unprompted. For legal questions, talk to an estate agent or a lawyer.

How do the results affect your renovation budget?

The report shows which materials contain asbestos and which do not. If asbestos is found, those structures must be removed as asbestos work by an authorised removal contractor before the actual renovation. That means extra cost and extra time. Knowing this before the sale lets you factor it into your offer and your renovation plan, instead of discovering it halfway through demolition.

If no asbestos is found, the same report can serve as the survey for your renovation, as long as it covers the materials you will be working on. Read more about what the survey report contains.

The seller’s perspective

Sellers can benefit too. A ready report answers buyers’ questions at the viewing, makes renovation costs easier to estimate and reduces uncertainty after the sale. Buyers of detached houses from the 1960s and 1970s in particular often ask about asbestos.

How much does a survey cost?

Depending on the city, an asbestos survey costs from 119 € incl. VAT. The price covers the survey, all samples, the laboratory analysis, travel and the report. Demolition projects cost an extra 100 €. You can find the price for your city in the price list. On-site surveys are carried out in Uusimaa, Pirkanmaa, Southwest Finland, Kanta-Häme, Päijät-Häme and Kymenlaakso.

If you only want to check a single suspicious material, you can also send an asbestos sample by post for 39,90 € + VAT per sample. To support a purchase decision, though, a full survey is usually clearer because it examines every material the renovation will touch in one go.

Buyer’s checklist

1. Check the year of construction and whether the home has original surfaces from before 1994.
2. Ask the seller for previous asbestos surveys and the renovation history.
3. In a housing company, read the property manager’s statement and the maintenance needs report.
4. If you plan to renovate, agree with the seller on a survey before the final sale.
5. Leave room in the renovation budget for possible asbestos removal.

Already planning the work? Read what gets checked in a kitchen renovation, or order an asbestos survey right away.