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If you want or need to take a sample for asbestos testing, our first recommendation would be to hire professional UKAS-accredited asbestos testing services in the UK to take the sample for you. Handling asbestos can be extremely hazardous and poses a health risk when disturbed, so involving an expert is always advisable.

How to take a sample for asbestos testing

If a piece of material that you think may contain asbestos has already broken off, you may be able to take the sample yourself – as long as there’s no risk of you spreading debris or exposing yourself to asbestos dust.

Here’s a summary of what to do:

1. Take care when walking on or around the sample material

2. Dampen the sample

3. Place the sample into a self-sealing polythene bag and seal it

4. Put that bag into a second self-sealing bag and seal it

5. Label the sample with the date and a description

6. Organise for the sample to be sent to a UKAS-accredited asbestos testing service

Need help with asbestos?

Whether you need to book an asbestos survey or you have asbestos that needs removing, it’s always helpful to get advice from local asbestos survey services or asbestos removal services before you get started.

Find the best local asbestos specialists near you with our quick and easy online search. Or request a quote and we’ll reach out to multiple local tradespeople for you and they’ll get in touch with you directly.

When buying a property that was built before the year 2000, there’s a possibility that the building may contain asbestos within the materials of the building structure. For that reason it’s crucial that you organise an asbestos survey to check that no asbestos is present – or, if it is present, to remove the asbestos safely and securely.

Asbestos survey services

There are typically three main types of asbestos survey in the UK that are in line with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines, and they are:

• Management – This is the standard type of asbestos survey, which is used for the purpose of managing asbestos within a building in a situation where no remedial works will need to be carried out.

• Demolition – Mainly carried out on older properties, a demolition asbestos survey is extremely intrusive and will involve the asbestos surveyors making damage as they need to in order to see exactly what the building is made from.

• Refurbishment – A refurbishment asbestos survey is carried out ahead of any intrusive work, so would typically be done ahead of a demolition survey. The refurbishment survey would identify what works will be needed and which areas of the property will be damaged during the inspection.

Want to speak to asbestos surveyors covering GU20?

Sometimes it helps to have a quick chat with asbestos survey companies to understand what options are available in your local area and how much they’ll cost.

If you’re ready to reach out to asbestos services in the UK, you’re in the right place. We can help you find tradespeople in your area with our online search – or request a quote and we’ll get multiple local asbestos services to contact you directly.

Similar principles apply to commercial properties as they do to domestic properties – if you’re dealing with a building that was constructed before 2000 then you need to carry out an asbestos survey.

The type of asbestos survey that needs to be carried out depends on what you’re planning on doing with the new office building. Here’s a summary of which survey might be the most appropriate for your office move:

1. Your new office was built after 2000 – You probably don’t need to worry about an asbestos survey (but it’s always worth double checking with a local asbestos survey expert just to be safe)

2. Your new office was built pre-2000 and you don’t plan on doing any construction work – You’ll need a management asbestos survey to ensure that the building is fit for normal occupation of a building and that any potential asbestos is being safely managed.

3. Your new office was built pre-2000 and you do plan on doing construction work – You’ll need to organise a refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey before carrying out any construction work in the building (unless you have evidence to prove that there is definitely no asbestos present, due to prior removal or other evidence).

Find the best asbestos services for you

If you’re keen to get started with your home improvement or commercial development project and need asbestos services, we can help you find asbestos survey and removal companies near you.

You can either use our online search to find and contact asbestos services covering your local area. Or, alternatively, request a quote and we’ll do the legwork for you by reaching out to the asbestos services and we’ll get them to contact you directly.

When dealing with asbestos surveys, you will need to repeat a survey if asbestos has previously been found in the building but not removed or dealt with – which does often happen. Often disturbing asbestos can be worse than leaving it intact.

That said, if asbestos has been identified in a commercial property and is being managed with an asbestos management plan then the building must be inspected regularly. However, rather than the survey itself, it’s actually the asbestos management plan that needs to be updated regularly.

If, at any point, you plan to carry out any work on a property (either domestic or commercial) that you know contains asbestos, you’ll need to carry out a more detailed refurbishment or demolition asbestos survey – which is typically valid for 12 months, unless you take action to deal with the asbestos in the interim.

Want to find out more about local asbestos removal services?

When planning a project that requires testing for or dealing with asbestos, it’s important to speak to asbestos services in the UK to understand what’s involved, what action might be needed and how much it will cost.

Locally-operating companies that offer asbestos services should be well versed in carrying out asbestos surveys, presenting the findings and advising on the best next steps. When hiring an asbestos survey and/or removal company, it’s important to choose a reputable business with relevant experience and an excellent track record with previous customers.

Keen to get started? Search for asbestos companies in GU20 and get in touch with them yourself. Alternatively, you can get multiple quotes from asbestos services by using our request a quote feature – simply post details of what you need and we’ll get tradespeople to contact you directly.