An asbestos survey is the first step to keeping your building safe, legal and ready for work. Smart Property Service carries out asbestos surveys for landlords, managing agents, businesses, schools and contractors throughout the UK. Our core team covers London and the Home Counties every day, and we travel nationwide for commercial and multi-site clients. Every sample goes to a UKAS-accredited laboratory, and you usually receive your report within 1–2 days.
We also work evenings and weekends to suit your business. Better still, weekend visits come at no extra charge.
An asbestos survey identifies materials in a building that may contain asbestos, known as asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). The surveyor records where each material is, its extent and its condition. Next, they assess how likely it is to release fibres. Finally, the results form an asbestos register and management plan for your property.
UK builders used asbestos widely until the full ban in 1999. As a result, any building constructed or refurbished before 2000 may still contain it. Common examples include ceiling tiles, insulating board, pipe lagging, textured coatings, floor tiles and cement roof sheets. Undisturbed and in good condition, these materials are usually low risk. However, drilling, cutting or demolition can release fibres that cause serious disease decades later.
Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 places a duty to manage asbestos on whoever is responsible for non-domestic premises. The duty also covers the common parts of residential blocks. You will usually need a survey if you are:
Private homeowners have no legal duty to manage asbestos. Nevertheless, the government guidance on asbestos in the home recommends care before any building work.
A management survey is the standard survey for any building in normal use. It locates ACMs that occupants or maintenance staff could disturb during everyday activity. The surveyor samples suspect materials and gives each one a risk rating. Older guidance called this a Type 2 survey.
Before any strip-out, fit-out, conversion or demolition, the law requires a refurbishment and demolition survey. It is fully intrusive, so the surveyor opens walls, floors, ceilings and voids in the work area. For this reason, the area needs to be empty during the inspection. This survey follows HSE guidance in HSG264 and replaced the older Type 3 survey.
Once you have an asbestos register, the materials need checking regularly, often every 6 to 12 months. We carry out re-inspections and update your register. We also offer one-off sampling when you just need a single material tested.
London is our busiest area. We carry out every type of asbestos survey in London, from office fit-outs in the West End to common-parts surveys for mansion blocks and post-war estates. Our surveyors cover all 32 boroughs and the City of London. That includes Westminster, Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith, Southwark, Lambeth, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Brent, Ealing, Barnet, Croydon, Hillingdon and Harrow.
We work across every county surrounding London. Here are some of the main towns we cover:
County | Towns we cover |
|---|---|
Hertfordshire | Hemel Hempstead, Watford, St Albans, Stevenage, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Hertford, Berkhamsted |
Buckinghamshire | Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Amersham, Chesham, Beaconsfield, Milton Keynes |
Bedfordshire | Luton, Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard |
Berkshire | Slough, Reading, Maidenhead, Windsor, Bracknell |
Essex | Chelmsford, Basildon, Brentwood, Harlow, Southend-on-Sea |
Surrey | Guildford, Woking, Epsom, Staines, Redhill |
Kent | Dartford, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells |
Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire | Oxford, Banbury, Cambridge, Peterborough |
Beyond the South East, we carry out asbestos surveys anywhere in England, Scotland and Wales for commercial clients. This suits property portfolios, retail chains, housing providers and contractors who want one surveyor and one report format across every site. For example, we can cover cities such as Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Nottingham and Cardiff. Call us to plan a multi-site programme.
The cost of an asbestos survey depends on floor area, survey type, access and the number of samples. Here are our guide prices for management surveys:
Property size | Guide price |
|---|---|
Small unit (500 – 2,500 sq ft) | £250 – £500 |
Medium unit (2,500 – 5,000 sq ft) | £500 – £1,000 |
Large unit (5,000 – 10,000 sq ft) | £1,000 – £2,500 |
Refurbishment surveys, large sites and nationwide work are quoted individually. In every case, you receive a fixed price before we book.
Alongside asbestos surveys, we provide Fire Risk Assessment, Legionella Risk Assessment, EPC Certificates, Lease Floor Plans, Property Floor Plans, Property Photography and Property Inventory services.
Which asbestos survey do I need? If the building is in normal use, start with a management survey. If you are planning building work, you need a refurbishment and demolition survey for the affected area.
How long does an asbestos survey take? Most small properties take one to three hours on site. Larger or multi-storey buildings can take a day or more.
Do I need to close my building? Not for a management survey, as samples are very small and sealed afterwards. A refurbishment survey area does need to be empty.
What happens if asbestos is found? It does not always need removing. Materials in good condition can often stay in place with regular re-inspections. Our report states whether to manage, seal or remove each one.
Call 01442 939006 or 07860 540077, or email info@theasbestossurvey.co.uk. Alternatively, request a free quote online. Tell us the address, property type and any planned works, and we will recommend the right asbestos survey at a fixed price.