Can you remove asbestos yourself?
The short answer: for some non-licensed materials on your own domestic property, the law does not explicitly prohibit it. The practical answer: it is almost always unwise, and in many cases will leave you without the documentation you need for insurance, property sales, and future renovation work.
Never attempt to remove licensed asbestos materials yourself. Sprayed coatings, asbestos insulating board (AIB), and pipe lagging are licensed materials. Removing them without an HSE licence is a criminal offence.
Common scenarios: legal vs practical
Technically not prohibited for domestic homeowners. But: no air clearance certificate, no valid waste documentation, no insurance cover, and significant risk of fibre release if sheets are broken during removal.
Non-licensed work. But Artex must be wet-stripped or gel-stripped — sanding or dry scraping releases fibres. Without a HEPA vacuum and proper containment, the risk of contaminating the rest of the property is high.
Licensed asbestos work. Cannot be carried out by a homeowner or a non-licensed contractor. Requires an HSE-licensed contractor.
Non-licensed work. But tiles must be lifted whole, not broken. Broken tiles release fibres. Without proper containment and a HEPA vacuum, contamination of the property is likely.
Licensed asbestos work. Cannot be carried out by a homeowner or a non-licensed contractor. Requires an HSE-licensed contractor.
Why DIY removal is almost always the wrong choice
Even where the law does not prohibit a homeowner from removing non-licensed asbestos, there are four practical reasons why professional removal is almost always the better option.
1. No air clearance certificate. A clearance certificate can only be issued by an independent UKAS-accredited analyst after a professional removal. Without it, you have no documented proof that the area is safe. This matters for insurance claims, property sales, and any future renovation work that involves the same area.
2. No valid waste documentation. Asbestos waste is hazardous waste. A registered waste carrier must transport it, and a consignment note must be produced. A homeowner who removes asbestos themselves and then tries to dispose of it will find that most licensed disposal sites will not accept waste without a consignment note from a registered carrier.
3. Contamination risk. Without proper containment, a HEPA-filtered vacuum, and correct decontamination procedures, DIY removal is likely to spread asbestos fibres to other parts of the property. Decontaminating a property after an uncontrolled release is significantly more expensive than a professional removal would have been.
4. Insurance. Most home insurance policies exclude damage or liability arising from DIY work on hazardous materials. If something goes wrong during or after a DIY removal, you may find your insurer declines the claim.
From our work
The DIY garage roof that cost twice as much to fix
A homeowner in Catford called us after attempting to remove an asbestos cement garage roof themselves. They had read that asbestos cement was non-licensed work and assumed this meant it was straightforward. They had broken several of the sheets during removal, spread debris across the garden, and were now unsure whether the garden was contaminated.
We carried out an assessment. The broken sheets had released fibres, and there was visible debris on the garden soil and on the adjacent fence panels. We contained the area, carried out a thorough clean of the garden, removed the remaining debris, and arranged air testing. The total cost — assessment, containment, clean, disposal, and air clearance — was approximately twice what a professional removal of the intact roof would have cost.
The homeowner also had no clearance certificate for the garage itself (the original removal had not been completed), and the garden clean-up certificate did not cover the garage. A second air test was required for the garage after we completed the removal of the remaining sheets.
Frequently asked questions
Get it done safely and with the right documentation
Professional removal, air clearance certificate, and waste documentation — from £[SUGGESTED — verify with business] for a standard domestic job.