Know what is in the walls before anyone opens them.
Asbestos cannot be identified by looking at it. A licensed inspector samples the suspect materials, an accredited lab analyzes them, and you get a written survey that tells a buyer, owner, contractor or demolition crew exactly what is there and where.
Pick the question you are trying to answer.
Pre-renovation survey
Test the floors, ceilings, siding and pipe wrap your project is about to disturb.
Read the guide →Pre-demolition survey
The survey that clears a demolition to start, building-wide and written for the permit file.
Read the guide →What is asbestos?
Where it came from, why it was used everywhere, and where it hides in a Michigan home.
Read the guide →When it becomes dangerous
Friable versus non-friable, what disturbs it, and when leaving it alone is the right call.
Read the guide →What not to do
Sanding, sweeping, vacuuming and the other well-meant mistakes that spread fibers.
Read the guide →Asbestos in a home inspection
Buying an older house? Ask for a survey alongside the full inspection report.
See the inspection →Four steps, one written answer.
Samples are only taken from materials that are suspect and accessible, so you pay to answer real questions, not to test everything.
- Walk & identifyWe list every suspect material in the work area and note its condition.
- Sample safelySmall samples are taken with the area controlled so fibers are not spread.
- Lab analysisSamples go to an independent accredited lab for microscopic analysis.
- Written surveyYou receive locations, results and a clear recommendation: leave, manage or remove.
Ajene Todd
State Licensed Asbestos Inspector, Michigan Licensed Builder and OSHA 30 certified. He reads buildings as a builder, which is why the survey tells you what the work means, not just what the lab found.
Common asbestos questions
How much does an asbestos survey cost?
Asbestos surveys start at $775. The final price depends on the size of the property and how many materials need sampling, and we quote it before we start.
Who performs the survey?
Surveys are led by Ajene Todd, a State Licensed Asbestos Inspector and Michigan Licensed Builder with OSHA 30 certification.
How do you test for asbestos?
A trained inspector identifies suspect materials, collects small samples with the area protected, and sends them to an independent accredited lab for microscopic analysis. Only a lab can confirm asbestos.
Do I need a survey for a house built after 1980?
Less likely, but not impossible. Some asbestos-containing products stayed on the market after 1980, and older materials were sometimes reused, so the safe move is to test before you disturb anything you cannot identify.