1981 Stipple ceiling / 700e+ asbestos survey / test kit?

geo88

I've recently purchased a house built in 1981 (private development, not corpo) that has a slightly textured ceiling on both ground and first floor ceilings.

After reading many threads here on boards, it dawned upon me that there is a chance that the ceiling (pics attached) might have asbestos in it.

The asbestos survey quotes that I have received so far are all upward of 600e (without VAT!) which is a lot more than I was expecting.

1. Are the other ways to figure out if the ceiling has asbestos? (E.g.: from identifying construction factors, certain patterns that can be seen from the attic? etc.)

2. Are there any Irish asbestos test kits available on the market or labs that accept samples from residential customers? I can only seem to find UK ones and they don't tend to ship to Ireland.

Any other tips/advice from your experience with this?

Calahonda52

cash purchase: pre purchase survey?

What make you think there is asbestos, and where in the build up?
as it is there is no danger to man or beast.

If the survey is 600 lids, consider re-slabbing

geo88

I had a pre-purchase survey done - though it didn't mention anything about the ceiling finish or asbestos specifically.
The survey's T&C specifically states:

If you want to know that no deleterious and hazardous materials are present, such as pyrite, alkaline cement, or asbestos, then you must commission an additional qualified company or person that specialise in that field, to provide you with a report.

Nothing other than my paranoia and the warning posts on boards on this topic makes me thing there is a possibility that this stipple ceiling could contain asbestos. I have literally no other reason to think of that, other the fact that the house is build in the early 80s.

Trying to go by "better safe than sorry" I guess?
Am I being concerned without cause here?

May Contain Small Parts

1981 is still within the time when asbestos could have been used.

More helpfully, when I was googling that this ad came up.

Sleeper12

I don't believe that there was ever a time when Asbestos was in stipple. Happy to be corrected here.

They did make Asbestos plasterboard but the fact that the ceiling is stippled doesn't suggest one way or the other about the plasterboard. It was fashionable in the 80s to ruin perfectly smooth ceilings with stipple. It was the same mentally that had plasterers ruining outside plaster work by pushing a tennis ball into the plaster

What is making you suspicious?

geo88

Re that ad - it mostly seem to have the same UK-based kits that are also sold on Amazon unfortunately, thank you very much for sharing though.
I might have to go with one of those in the end.

Previous threads and also this wiki article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artex claim that asbestos was used in textured/stipple ceilings and Artex was produced with asbestos up to the mid 1980s - it is this type of information that is making me suspicious at this point in time.

I understand that it can be skimmed over/plasterboard can be added to cover it - however, I wouldn't feel as good if it was indeed asbestos and was still sitting there - as future electric/lighting work could cause issues still.

Calahonda52

geo88 wrote: »

I had a pre-purchase survey done - though it didn't mention anything about the ceiling finish or asbestos specifically.
The survey's T&C specifically states:


Nothing other than my paranoia and the warning posts on boards on this topic makes me thing there is a possibility that this stipple ceiling could contain asbestos. I have literally no other reason to think of that, other the fact that the house is build in the early 80s.

Trying to go by "better safe than sorry" I guess?
Am I being concerned without cause here?

Ok so the report covers its rear end

I think you are: particulates from diesel vehicles is a much more clear and present danger

kadman

Not to mention formaldehyde, isocyanates ect,ect,ect, and all the other goodies
used in construction material in your 40 year old house.

As for me, my 250+ year old house is probably held together with, eye of newt
and crushed bats testicles..............but I,ll live with it.

The list of stuff thats killing us slowly is a long list in todays world.

geo88

Thanks for your answers!

Would you also say that remains true if I intend to scrape the damn thing off the ceiling by hand?

Sleeper12

geo88 wrote:

Would you also say that remains true if I intend to scrape the damn thing off the ceiling by hand?

That's the only time the the asbestos will be dangerous. It's perfectly safe on the ceiling. Ugly but safe. If it were my home I'd get a good plasterer to skim it.

embraer170

Could you get one of the UK kits delivered through parcel motel?

Surely a plasterer might know as they'll have come across this before?

Our house was council built and possibly (complete guess) built in the mid 80s. All the ceilings were stippled (it's just a design that was 'in' i believe).

Our kitchen, hall and landing have all been smoothed over. The kitchen was part of an extension, so the ceiling was completely removed (to allow for new wiring etc.) whereas the hall/landing was scraped off and thistle-bonded to plaster over.


At no point was asbestos mentioned by anyone (nor was it considered before hand).

my3cents

These seem to ship to Ireland ....

Single test kit

x5 test kit

From the reviews I guess you might want to get a better face mask than the one provided.

lgk

Deleted User wrote: »

Surely a plasterer might know as they'll have come across this before?

There is no way for anyone to tell at this stage without taking a sample and testing and thereby disturbing fibres if it is indeed asbestos based. Asbestos was widely used in Artex and other brands up until the '80s

It's nigh on impossible to strip back a stippled ceiling to achieve a perfectly smooth surface, might be easier, cleaner and quicker skim over it

lochlanelore

Hello! I'm in the process of buying a 1981 apartment with the popcorn ceiling style and and worrying a lot about it. Did you ever investigate? I've been quoted 310 for a ceiling inspection and 560 for a full apartment inspection. I am leaning on forking out for peace of mind!

Sleepy

I'd just put the 560 towards hiring a plasterer and skim the ceiling, particularly in an apartment as for all of it's dangerous properties, asbestos is a fire retardant and could be useful to have in place in the event of a fire in your upstairs neighbours...