Asbestos Survey - all you need to know:

How Likely is it That My Property Contains Asbestos?

A recent 2023 report revealed that 78% of surveyed properties still contain asbestos. Based on our observations, the older the property, the higher the likelihood that asbestos is present. Asbestos was widely available in building stores until the mid-1980s, when some of the most dangerous products were banned. However, a complete ban wasn't enforced until the year 2000.

Here’s a simple rule of thumb:

Before 1985: Highly likely to contain asbestos.
1985 - 2000: Likely to contain asbestos.
After 2000: Unlikely to contain asbestos.

Why Blue A LTD - Why We Stand out

You might assume that all surveyors offer the same level of quality and care, but at Blue A, we know that’s not always the case. We pride ourselves on doing things differently, and here’s why:

Unique Insights from Removal Experience: Because Blue A also handles asbestos removal, we frequently review hundreds of surveys from other companies. In many cases, we revisit properties to price jobs and evaluate the quality of previous reports. This hands-on experience gives us unique insights into areas where we can continuously improve our own surveys and reports. We also allow our surveyors to be part of the removal process, so they can gain feedback and knowledge that many other surveyors don’t have.

We Never Compromise on Quality to Lower Costs: We recognize that sampling and testing can be a significant cost in asbestos surveying. That’s why we give our surveyors the flexibility to take as many or as few samples as necessary, with no limitations, to ensure precise and accurate results.

Thorough and Meticulous Inspections: Our surveyors are given the time they need to complete every inspection meticulously. We avoid rushing through jobs, ensuring accurate sampling and detailed reporting that gives you confidence in the results.

Expertise in Both Surveying and Removal: With a deep understanding of both surveying and asbestos removal techniques, Blue A is uniquely positioned to take strategic measurements and create accurate drawings. This expertise helps prevent unforeseen costs during the removal process, ensuring a smoother experience for our clients.

Comprehensive Reports: Our reports are always comprehensive and meet the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) and Asbestos: The Survey Guide (HSG264) standards. We ensure that all asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are identified, clearly mapped, and easy to understand, so you’re protected from any future surprises.

Accurate and Fair Pricing: For a typical three-bedroom house, a professional asbestos management survey is fairly priced at around £300 to £350 + VAT. While lower prices would require us to compromise our standards, we focus on providing a service that guarantees the highest levels of both quality and safety.

Decade of Excellence: Blue A has been operating for over a decade, and our business plan is built on providing top-quality service that ensures returning customers. Our commitment to excellence has allowed us to thrive, with over 50% of our work coming from recommendations and reputable business.

Asbestos Surveys: Ensuring a Safe and Healthy Home

When purchasing a home, it's important to consider not just the aesthetics but also any hidden risks. One of the most significant dangers in older properties is asbestos. At Blue A, we offer specialized asbestos surveys for home buyers, ensuring that your new home is safe, secure, and free from hazardous materials.

Why an Asbestos Survey is Crucial for Home Buyers

If you’re buying a property built before 2000, it may contain asbestos, which poses serious health risks when disturbed. Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to conditions like asbestosis and cancer. Identifying asbestos before purchasing can prevent unexpected costs, which can sometimes amount to up to 10% of the property’s value for safe removal and repairs.

An asbestos survey provides peace of mind, allowing you to make an informed decision and avoid financial surprises.

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Types of Asbestos Surveys We Offer

At Blue A, we understand that every property is unique, whether it’s a home, commercial building, or public facility. That’s why we provide a range of asbestos survey options to suit your specific needs:

1. Management Surveys ( Home Buyer Survey)

A Management Survey is the most appropriate option for home buyers, as it is non-intrusive and won’t cause any damage to the property. This survey identifies asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) that could pose a future risk if disturbed. It’s perfect for home buyers who want to ensure their property is safe but aren’t planning any immediate renovations.

In addition, Management Surveys are a legal requirement for commercial or public properties such as offices, schools, and retail spaces. Property owners or duty holders must have this survey conducted to effectively manage asbestos and prevent the risk of exposure to occupants, following the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. This ensures that asbestos-containing materials are identified, monitored, and safely managed to protect public health.

2. Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys

A Refurbishment and Demolition Survey is legally required before any major renovation or demolition work can begin on a property. This applies to both residential and commercial properties. According to the law, it is the contractor's legal responsibility to ensure that this survey is carried out before starting work to avoid disturbing asbestos-containing materials, which could pose a serious health risk to workers and occupants.

However, we are seeing more and more homeowners taking responsibility for arranging these surveys, as they want to minimize the risk of contractors unknowingly exposing the property’s occupants to asbestos during the renovation process. This proactive approach ensures that the homeowner has full control over asbestos management and reduces the likelihood of accidental exposure.

3. Combined Surveys

In certain cases, a combination of Management and Refurbishment/Demolition Surveys may be needed, particularly if you’re considering renovations to specific areas of the property. This is especially relevant for large commercial projects or public buildings where some areas may remain in use while others are being renovated.

Asbestos Survey Process:

Our surveys are thorough, ensuring no detail is overlooked. Here’s what you can expect from the process:

Initial Consultation: We discuss the details of your property and any specific concerns you may have. To provide an accurate quote and plan for the survey, we typically need floor plans, the property address, and sometimes a link to the estate agent’s webpage, which usually contains all the necessary information for pricing the survey. Once all details are agreed upon, we’ll also need your contact details and your estate agent's details. This allows us to organize everything on your behalf, saving you time and ensuring a seamless process.
On-Site Inspection: Our fully qualified surveyors, accredited by BOHS, perform a detailed inspection of the property. They take samples from any materials that may contain asbestos, ensuring a comprehensive assessment.
Testing & Analysis: All collected samples are sent to a UKAS-accredited laboratory to confirm the presence and type of asbestos.
Comprehensive Report: You’ll receive a clear, easy-to-understand report that details the location, condition, and type of any asbestos found, along with recommendations for management or removal. Our reports have been redesigned specifically for home buyers, ensuring they are clear and understandable for non-specialists, not just industry experts.
Asbestos Removal & Reinstatement: If required, we can pass the report on to our asbestos removal and reinstatement team, who can provide a quote for completing the necessary work, giving you a complete solution from identification to remediation.

Frequently Asked Questions;

Is asbestos sampling safe?

Are samples taken during the asbestos survey?

Will asbestos sampling damage the property?

Asbestos sampling is a minimally invasive process. Our surveyors may need to create small intrusions or scrape surfaces to collect a sample for analysis. Sample areas are kept as discreet as possible, typically between 1 to 3 cm², and are usually sealed with filler, paint, or an equivalent product.

Our team is trained to prevent the release of asbestos fibres or debris during the process. For materials like textured coatings (such as Artex), once sealed with paint, the sample area is generally unnoticeable unless the original pattern is highly decorative.

What is the difference between asbestos survey and sampling only?

The sampling only service targets specific client-identified materials for asbestos
testing.: Samples are taken from specific materials or surfaces of concern nominated by the
client, explicit instruction of the exact material or surface should be advised at the booking
stage. Please note, this is not a survey and Blue A are not responsible for any other
materials or areas in the property which have not been nominated to be sampled. As such,
there may be other asbestos-containing material in the property not highlighted by the client.
You will receive a certificate only stating the materials and the asbestos fibre type present, or
whether no fibre was detected.

What are the limitations of an asbestos management survey?

An Asbestos Management Survey helps identify asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) but has certain limitations:

Limited to Accessible Areas: Only easily accessible areas are surveyed. Hidden ACMs in walls, floors, or ducts may not be detected. This is where an Asbestos Refurbishment Survey comes in, but it can only be carried out once you own the property. In most cases, buyers may have to take a gamble and only discover asbestos products once refurbishment begins.

Roof Assessment: Surveyors usually can’t assess roofs thoroughly, as setting up access equipment can double or triple the survey cost. However, if the budget allows, this can be arranged. For most cases, a visual inspection is sufficient, as experienced surveyors can often determine the likelihood of asbestos based on the roof type. Soffits are generally accessible from top-floor windows, but fascia, especially on the side of houses, can be more challenging.

Loft Spaces: Loft areas can be difficult to fully access due to extensive insulation covering large portions. However, our procedures ensure surveyors inspect strategic areas, particularly around pipework insulation and water tanks, which are common locations for asbestos products.

RICS Survey vs. Asbestos Survey

While RICS surveyors have good intentions, their accuracy is inherently limited without the ability to analyse materials on-site. A trained asbestos surveyor not only knows where to inspect but also how to confirm the presence of asbestos with certainty. Every competent asbestos surveyor undergoes at least six months of hands-on training, working alongside experienced professionals, collecting samples, and mastering the complexities of asbestos identification.

Unlike RICS surveyors, who often rely on visual assessments grounded in book knowledge, our findings are based on lab-tested samples that provide concrete verification of asbestos presence. Although RICS surveyors possess theoretical knowledge of asbestos products, our surveyors test an average of 2,000 suspicious materials annually. This extensive practical experience is crucial, allowing our team to identify up to twice as many asbestos-containing materials. As a result, RICS surveyors often recommend additional specialist surveys for a more accurate assessment.

Where am I likely to find asbestos materials?

Survey planning

High-quality and useful survey reports are produced through careful planning. We prioritise
gathering the pertinent information prior to visiting the site to ensure all aspects are
addressed. To assist with this, providing the below information when submitting your enquiry
would help and expedite the process.
It is the client's responsibility to clearly define the demolition scope when scheduling the
booking, these areas of the site will be surveyed intrusively. Areas of the site that are not
within the planned demolition will be omitted from the survey.
● Full site address including postcode
● Floor plans or a detailed description of the property detailing how many floors,
number of rooms and size?
● What type of asbestos survey do you require? Please see descriptions of survey
types on our website (insert link to page)
● If refurbishment is planned, what is the defined scope of the refurbishment?
● Is high level special access equipment required above 3.5m?
● Is the property occupied?
● Will we need to collect keys from an estate agent?
It is the client's responsibility to clearly define the survey scope when scheduling the
booking, these areas of the site will be surveyed. Areas of the site that are not within the
defined scope will be omitted from the survey.

Will you sample everything, can I tell you what to sample?

BLUE A LTD

VAT No: GB 153 4880 02
Company No:08355657

HEAD OFFICE

1 Handford Court
Garston Lane, Watford
WD25 9EJ

phone: 01923 609858
e-mail: office@bluea.co.uk