Mortgage survey . . . Asbestos mentioned

[Steve]

As per the title, just had mortgage survey back for our prospective purchase, the survey states the house is in a poor state of repair and requires a full refurbishment. We knew this anyway. It then simply goes on to state that pipe lagging in the loft may contain asbestos. Thats it. More words than I expected from a mortgage survey, tbh.

Anyway, a bit of asbestos in the loft I don't mind. We are having the house re-plumbed but the pipes in the loft can stay put for a while as they can just be chopped off where they emerge through the ceiling. But given the house was built in 1955, could asbestos be present elsewhere in the house? Its a standard brick built, tiled roof semi. But one of the things that we want to do is to pull the ceilings down and re-board them as they are all cracking along the lines of the existing boards, and i want a new start for the house as i think we'll be living there for a long time. But now I'm worried the existing boards may contain asbestos!

How much would an asbestos survey cost? Do councils do it?

Is a full survey worthwhile given we are stripping everything out and starting again? Including the kitchen and bathroom, electrics and heating system. We are also extending the house to form a large kitchen diner. There are no visible cracks anywhere, nor any signs of damp.

 

[foxhole]

May be asbestos anywhere in property, millions of homes have it. Untouched it's pretty harmless. Taking precaution when dealing with unknown substance [masks, protective clothing etc] is just common sense.
Survey will mention possibilities to cover themselves. So I would not bother with a survey but maybe test when you start to gut it.

 

[vinn]

As above.

Possibly the surveyor meant cold water tank insulation boxing-in which sometimes contained asbestos. Unbroken its no danger & can be bagged & removed in its various pieces, one at a time.
Asbestos "mud" & felt pipe wrapping was usually done on ships and factories, & occasionally in houses. But I've only seen it a few times in house lofts.