Asbestos Surveyors in the UK
Browse 11 verified asbestos surveyors across the UK. Get quotes for and more.
11 verified asbestos surveyors across the UK on The Planning Review.
What does a asbestos surveyor do?
If you are planning to demolish, refurbish, or alter a building constructed before the year 2000, you are legally required to establish whether asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are present before work begins. An asbestos surveyor carries out intrusive inspections of the building fabric, identifies and samples suspect materials, arranges laboratory analysis, and produces reports that enable duty holders to manage or remove asbestos safely. Without this survey, demolition contractors cannot prepare safe methods of work, and the local planning authority or HSE may halt the project.
Asbestos was used extensively in UK construction from the 1950s through to the mid-1990s in products ranging from roof sheeting, floor tiles, and insulation boards to textured coatings, pipe lagging, and fire-protection sprays. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 places a duty on building owners and those responsible for maintenance to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises, and requires a Refurbishment and Demolition (R&D) Survey before any building work that disturbs the fabric. For planning applications involving demolition or conversion of older buildings, the R&D survey is often a pre-commencement condition or a validation requirement.
The surveyor's findings feed directly into the pre-construction information pack required under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). They determine whether asbestos can be managed in situ, whether it must be removed by a licensed contractor before works proceed, and what notifications to the HSE are required. Getting this wrong carries serious legal and health consequences: asbestos exposure is the single largest cause of work-related deaths in the UK, responsible for around 5,000 fatalities per year.
When do you need a asbestos surveyor?
- You are applying for demolition of a building constructed before the year 2000
- The planning application involves refurbishment or conversion of an older commercial, industrial, or residential building
- The local planning authority has imposed a pre-commencement condition requiring an asbestos survey
- You are preparing pre-construction information under CDM 2015 for a project involving existing structures
- A Management Survey has identified ACMs that may be disturbed by the proposed building works
- The building contains known or suspected asbestos insulation board, lagging, or sprayed coatings
- You need to notify the HSE under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 before licensed removal work
- The development involves stripping out or altering building services (heating, ventilation, electrical) in a pre-2000 building
- A principal designer or CDM adviser has requested confirmation of asbestos status before design work proceeds
Services you can get local quotes for
- Asbestos Survey & Management
Frequently asked questions
How much does an asbestos survey cost?
A Management Survey for a standard 3-bedroom house typically costs between £200 and £400. A Refurbishment and Demolition Survey for the same property costs between £300 and £600, reflecting the more intrusive nature of the work. For commercial or industrial buildings, R&D survey costs range from £500 to £2,500 or more depending on the size and complexity of the building, the number of samples required, and accessibility. Laboratory analysis is usually included in the survey price, but priority (24-hour) turnaround may carry a surcharge of £20 to £40 per sample.
How long does an asbestos survey take?
The site survey for a domestic property typically takes 1 to 3 hours. A commercial or industrial R&D survey may take a full day or longer depending on building size and the extent of intrusive inspection required. Laboratory results are returned within 3 to 5 working days as standard, or within 24 hours on a priority basis. From instruction to final report, a straightforward survey can be completed within 1 to 2 weeks.
What is the difference between a Management Survey and an R&D Survey?
A Management Survey (formerly Type 2) locates ACMs in the building's normal occupiable areas so they can be managed during everyday use. It is minimally intrusive and does not involve destructive inspection. A Refurbishment and Demolition Survey (formerly Type 3) is fully intrusive: the surveyor opens up walls, ceilings, and floors to find all ACMs, including those that are hidden. An R&D survey is mandatory before any refurbishment or demolition work that may disturb the building fabric. If you are applying for planning permission involving demolition or significant alteration, you will need an R&D survey.
Is an asbestos survey a legal requirement for planning permission?
There is no blanket national validation requirement for an asbestos survey with a planning application. However, many local planning authorities impose a pre-commencement condition requiring an asbestos survey (and where necessary, removal) before demolition or construction work begins. Separately, the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and CDM 2015 require that asbestos is identified before any building work that could disturb it, regardless of whether planning permission is needed. In practice, a survey is essential for any project involving demolition or refurbishment of a pre-2000 building.
What happens if asbestos is found?
The surveyor's report will classify each ACM and recommend whether it can be managed in situ, encapsulated, or must be removed before works proceed. Low-risk materials in good condition (such as undamaged cement products) can often remain in place with appropriate management. Higher-risk materials (insulation, lagging, sprayed coatings, and asbestos insulation board) must be removed by an HSE-licensed contractor, who is required to notify the HSE at least 14 days before work begins. Non-licensed removal work (for lower-risk materials) must still follow strict controls but does not require the 14-day notification.
Can I carry out building work if asbestos is present but I do not want to remove it?
It depends on whether the proposed work will disturb the ACMs. If the materials are in good condition and will not be affected by the building works, they can remain in place under a management plan with clear labelling and periodic re-inspection. However, if the construction work will damage, cut, drill into, or otherwise disturb ACMs, they must be removed before work begins. The surveyor's report and the principal designer's risk assessment will determine whether removal is necessary for the specific scope of works.
Legal and regulatory framework
- Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012)
- HSG 264: Asbestos: The Survey Guide
- HSG 248: Analysts' Guide for Sampling, Analysis, and Clearance Procedures
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015)
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
- Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 (as amended)
- Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005
Professional accreditations
- British Occupational Hygiene Society