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If you’re a builder, contractor, or property owner planning a demolition or major addition, Montana DEQ’s pre-demolition testing requirement applies before permits are issued — and building the testing timeline into your project schedule from the start avoids costly delays later.
Montana’s DEQ Asbestos Control Program requires an accredited inspection before demolition permits are issued, regardless of the structure’s age or apparent condition. This applies to full structure demolitions as well as partial demolitions — garages, additions requiring removal of existing structure, and similar projects. Skipping this step, or assuming an older accessory structure doesn’t need testing because it’s “just a garage,” is one of the more common and avoidable ways projects get delayed mid-permit.
Demolition also triggers a DEQ notification requirement even when testing finds no asbestos at all. Our guide to Montana asbestos rules and permits covers the notification timelines and how far ahead to plan.
Testing isn’t a standalone step tacked onto the beginning of a demolition project — it sits at a specific point in a sequence, and knowing that sequence is what keeps a project on schedule. In general, the order runs: site assessment and inspection, lab analysis of any samples collected, abatement of any confirmed asbestos-containing material (if needed), clearance testing to confirm the abatement work is complete, and only then is the demolition permit issued and demolition work allowed to proceed. Trying to shortcut this sequence — pulling a permit before testing is complete, or scheduling demolition before abatement clearance comes back — is one of the more common ways a project schedule slips, since the building department can and will hold a permit until the documentation is in order.
A pre-demolition inspection surveys all suspect materials throughout the structure being demolished — flooring, siding, roofing materials, insulation, joint compound, and any other suspect building materials — with samples sent for lab analysis as needed. The goal is a complete picture before demolition begins, not a partial check that leaves gaps.
Whether a project requires a full pre-demolition inspection generally isn’t a matter of the structure’s size alone — it’s tied to how much material is being disturbed. In practice, most demolition and substantial partial-demolition projects clear whatever threshold applies, which is why the safer default for contractors is to assume testing is required for any demolition involving a pre-1990s structure, rather than trying to calculate whether a specific project falls under a minimum.
Demolition testing has to account for exterior materials, not just what’s inside the structure. Cement-board (Transite) siding is a common asbestos-containing exterior material in older construction, and certain older roofing materials — some shingle and roofing felt products — can also carry asbestos depending on age and manufacturer. These materials are easy to overlook if a project’s focus is on interior demolition, but they’re disturbed just as thoroughly during teardown as anything inside, and they’re included as a matter of course in a full pre-demolition inspection.
For contractors and builders, the practical question is usually timeline, not whether testing is required. Testing typically doesn’t need to be a bottleneck: on-site inspection generally takes a few hours, and lab turnaround for standard PLM analysis is usually a matter of days. Scheduling the inspection as soon as the project is confirmed — rather than waiting until permit application — keeps testing off the critical path.
For new construction on a site with an existing structure being removed, the same pre-demolition testing requirement applies to that existing structure. New construction on a vacant/never-built lot generally doesn’t carry the same testing trigger, but any existing structures, foundations, or outbuildings on the property should be assessed before removal.
We handle testing, not abatement — those are separate, separately licensed activities, and keeping them independent is part of what makes a result trustworthy. Once your inspection identifies confirmed asbestos-containing material, we provide the documented report your abatement contractor needs to scope their work, and we’re available to coordinate directly with them on sequencing, especially on projects where the demolition timeline is tight. After abatement work is complete, clearance air testing (see our Air Quality Testing page) confirms the space is ready before demolition proceeds — we can schedule that as a next step without you needing to manage the handoff between contractors yourself.
A positive result doesn’t necessarily stop your project — it means the identified materials need to be addressed by a licensed abatement contractor before or during demolition, depending on the material and scope. We can walk you through what your specific report means for your permit timeline and how it fits into your schedule.
Call or fill out the form — we’ll help you build testing into your project timeline from day one.
Related: Asbestos Inspection