Refurbishment survey: A survey that opens hidden areas before building work.
Encapsulation: Sealing sound asbestos so it can stay safely in place.
There is more than one type of asbestos survey. A basic survey may miss material hidden inside walls or floors. Choose the survey that matches your plans.
- Normal normal use
- Routine maintenance planning
- Asbestos register
Stop. Do not touch, drill, break or clean the suspect material.
Keep back. Keep people and pets away. Do not sweep or use a household vacuum.
Get advice. Call a trained professional and explain what you found and what happened.
There is more than one type of asbestos survey. A basic survey may miss material hidden inside walls or floors. Choose the survey that matches your plans.
A management survey checks risks during normal use and upkeep. A refurbishment survey opens hidden areas before building work. A demolition survey checks the whole area before it is pulled down.
What a management survey is for
A management survey finds material that normal use or upkeep could damage. It records the condition and helps the person in charge plan the next steps.
It does not open walls, floors or ceilings. The report must make this limit clear. It does not show that an area is safe to demolish.
- Normal normal use
- Routine maintenance planning
- Asbestos register
- Condition monitoring
Why refurbishment surveys are more detailed
The surveyor must look inside the parts that workers will disturb. This may mean opening boxes, lifting finishes or checking hidden spaces. People may need to leave that area during the survey.
Give the surveyor plans and a clear list of the work. Name the walls, ceiling, floor, pipes and cables that workers will touch.
Demolition surveys and complete access
A demolition survey checks every part of the area that will be pulled down. Hidden asbestos could put workers at risk and mix asbestos with other waste.
The survey does not remove asbestos. It gives the facts needed to plan removal before demolition starts.
How to ask for the right survey
Give the building age, its use and a clear work area. Say if it is empty and list past changes. Give keys and warn about other hazards. Ask how the report will cover places the surveyor cannot reach.
Read the report before any trade starts. Check the rooms, plans, photos, test results and any areas left out. Ask questions while the surveyor can still check safely.
Frequently asked questions
Questions people ask next.
Do homeowners need a management survey?+
The legal duty mainly covers business buildings and shared areas. Homeowners may still need a survey before building work.
Can a home report replace an asbestos survey?+
No. A home report is not a refurbishment asbestos survey. It does not normally open hidden areas.
Who should receive the survey?+
Give the survey to anyone who may disturb the material during work.
