The Duty to Manage Asbestos in Bicester
If you own a building in Bicester, you’ve got a legal duty to manage any asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) on site. That’s under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. We see this a lot with commercial and agricultural buildings that still have asbestos cement roofs around Oxfordshire. You need to identify, assess, and manage those ACMs properly, so they don’t get damaged and release fibres. For businesses and farms in Bicester, that means looking after your asbestos cement roofs safely, either by encapsulating them or, if they’re too far gone, getting them removed.
Where Asbestos Cement Roofs Sit Around Bicester
You still find plenty of asbestos cement roofs across Bicester and the wider Oxfordshire area. Walk around the Kingsmere or Langford Village estates, and you’ll spot them on commercial units and industrial buildings put up before 2000. Out in the fields, many farms near Bicester still roof their cow sheds and grain stores with asbestos cement. The older commercial sites on the Bicester Industrial Estate often have them too. It was a popular material back in the day because it was tough and fire-resistant, but now it needs careful looking after.
Around Bicester we encapsulate asbestos cement roofs with encapsulating paint systems made for the job, applied after low-pressure cleaning that leaves the fibres undisturbed.
What Asbestos Roof Encapsulation Involves
Encapsulation means we put a protective coating or membrane right over your asbestos cement roof. It seals the roof, stops any fibres from getting out. If your roof is in decent nick, it’s usually the safest and most cost-effective way to deal with it. Here at National Coating Specialists, we start by sealing up any cracks or damaged bits with a special resin. Then we put on a coating system, chosen specifically for your roof. That creates a weather-tight seal. It protects the asbestos underneath and gives your roof a new lease of life. This isn’t a quick fix, mind. Done properly, it gives lasting protection and keeps the water off those old asbestos sheets.
When Removal Is the Right Answer Instead
Most asbestos cement roofs in reasonable condition are good candidates for encapsulation. But sometimes, removal is the only sensible option. That’s usually when a roof is badly damaged, or has been disturbed too much, making encapsulation a waste of time. Or if you’re planning a big renovation or knocking the building down. Around Bicester, we’ve come across roofs where years of weathering have caused widespread breakage of the asbestos cement sheets. In those cases, removal is definitely the safer choice. If you do need removal, it has to be done by licensed contractors, following strict HSE guidelines, especially in busy areas like Bicester’s industrial and commercial zones.
Our Survey-Led Encapsulation Process
Every asbestos roof job we do at National Coating Specialists starts with a proper survey on site. Our surveyor will visit your property in Bicester, check the roof’s condition, looking at how sound the sheets are, how much weathering has happened, and what’s around the building. We’ll tell you if encapsulation is the right way forward and, if it is, which coating system makes the most sense. Only after we’ve done that assessment do we get on with the encapsulation work. Our trained operatives follow strict safety rules. That survey-led approach means you always get the right solution for your specific roof.
Why a Survey Comes Before Any Decision
You can’t just dive in. A professional survey is vital because asbestos cement roofs vary hugely. Around Bicester, with all its commercial, industrial, and agricultural buildings, we’ve seen everything from roofs that look brand new to ones that are falling apart. Only an experienced eye can tell if encapsulation is even possible, what prep work is needed, and if there are any tricky bits that need extra care. Our surveys also give you a written record of the roof’s condition, which helps you meet your legal duties for asbestos management.
- HSE-compliant asbestos roof assessments
- Detailed condition reports with encapsulation recommendations
- Identification of any pre-coating repair needs
- Advice on maintenance after encapsulation
For professional asbestos roof encapsulation services in Bicester and Oxfordshire, visit our asbestos encapsulation page or request a free quote.
We carry out asbestos roof encapsulation work in and around Bicester. For the full survey-led service and how we assess each building, see our Asbestos Roof Encapsulation service, or request a free site survey.
Recently — June 2026
As always, where a coating is not the responsible answer we say so and point towards repair or replacement. The survey is what settles it honestly.
Summer is the steadiest season for exterior coating: longer dry spells mean preparation, application and curing can be programmed with fewer weather delays.
