Reliable Asbestos Surveys You Can Depend On Across the South of England

We have years of experience in asbestos management surveys and asbestos
We offer a trustworthy and independent service to all our clients

Asbestos Surveys in Kingston upon Thames and all Surrounding Areas

If you need an asbestos survey for your Kingston upon Thames home or commercial property, the team at Key Asbestos Services Ltd can help. We are professional contractors with over a decade of experience delivering asbestos surveys in line with HSG 264 regulations.

We visit domestic and commercial properties across Kingston upon Thames and the wider Berkshire, Hampshire, Kent, London, Surrey and Sussex regions to determine whether asbestos is present and its overall condition. An asbestos survey can identify the specific types of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), their quantities, plus the risk they pose. As asbestos is frequently combined with other materials, careful sampling and laboratory analysis are crucial.

Quality Asbestos Inspection

It is a statutory requirement for commercial buildings to hold an up-to-date asbestos register that protects staff and the public. This register is essentially a log, detailing all the information held about known asbestos.

Homes and businesses alike also require an asbestos survey before any building work that is likely to disturb or damage any known asbestos takes place. You may also need to commission a survey if you suspect asbestos is present or wish to verify earlier test results.

There are two primary types of asbestos surveys:

The appropriate survey type depends on your specific needs, so if in doubt, contact a member of our team today, who will be happy to help.

Trusted Asbestos Survey Contractors across Kingston upon Thames

All our asbestos surveys are carried out efficiently and meticulously. We prepare the site and limit access to those solely in contact with the material. A large part of a survey involves the collection of physical and airborne samples, which are taken away for analysis. Following the survey, we will provide a detailed report outlining our findings and recommended next steps.

As trusted asbestos contractors, much of our survey work comes from referrals as we have strong relationships with local building surveyors and estate agents, as well as previous domestic clients and property companies.

Asbestos Management Survey

Asbestos management surveys are carried out in line with HSG 264 guidelines and identify, as far as is practical, the location, extent and condition of suspected asbestos-containing materials. Our surveys determine whether suspected materials contain asbestos and assesses the likelihood of fibre release alongside providing recommendations as to the remedial action to be undertaken. Most importantly, this information is used to prevent those working on or using the building from being exposed to asbestos.

Commercial Buildings and Asbestos Management Surveys

There is a statutory requirement under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 for all commercial buildings to have an asbestos register in place. It is essential to protect the staff, customers and any other third parties using the commercial premises. We have carried out numerous asbestos management surveys of shops, offices, warehouses, managed offices, commercial garages, bakeries, workshops, factories, retail sheds, schools, colleges, cafes, restaurants and bars.

Commercial premises where there is a potential asbestos exposure risk to employees and the public requires an asbestos register. The Asbestos Register is essentially a list of any asbestos-containing materials, their associated risk and what remedial action is required. We carry out the asbestos survey to give you the information required for the register. We can also put the register together so you have a starting point to manage any asbestos-containing materials identified.

Commercial buildings can also include the communal areas of residential blocks and converted houses. If you are planning refurbishment works to the premises, then the asbestos management survey will not suffice and you will require an asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey which is a more destructive and invasive survey designed to be carried out before works Our reports minimise jargon, use photos extensively and are designed to be easy to follow. We provide clients with the necessary information to safely carry out asbestos management. If you have any queries, contact us on 0208 288 4460 or email key@keyasbestos.co.uk.

Asbestos Management Surveys and Residential Property

Asbestos management surveys are not restricted to commercial buildings. We are commonly called upon by homeowners to survey private residential houses and flats where they are concerned about the presence of asbestos. This request often comes up during house sales, where we are responding to the suspicions of the building surveyor or commercial surveyor about certain materials.

We carry out management surveys where the property owner believes that the building is of an age or design where there is a significant likelihood of asbestos being present. In some cases, a full management survey is not necessary; instead, only taking a sample of a specific material that the homeowner or tenant is concerned about.

We can provide several different options, allowing you to decide what you want us to do. If you require an asbestos management survey, an asbestos register implementing or you have any queries, contact us on 0208 288 4460 or key@keyasbestos.co.uk. For our London office, please call 0207 871 4105.

Asbestos Management Survey Method

An asbestos management survey is designed to address the risk of asbestos-containing materials in the day-to-day use of the property and is not to be used in advance of major works. Management surveys are not destructive and require only minimal intrusion. Sampling of suspected asbestos-containing materials involves taking only small samples, assuming that it is safe to do so.

The surveyor will identify certain materials purely through visual inspection, whereas other materials, such as textured coatings and Artex, will require sampling. Sampled materials will then be analysed by a UKAS laboratory to determine if asbestos is present and, if so, what type it is.

Once the analysis has been completed, you will receive the results identifying the location of asbestos-containing materials, the associated risk and what remedial action is required.

What Does the Asbestos Refurbishment and Demolition Survey Involve?

Refurbishment and demolition surveys are fully intrusive and involve opening up boxing, service risers, voids below floor and above ceiling, and taking all practicable steps to identify the location of asbestos-containing materials. Any suspected asbestos-containing materials will be sampled wherever safe to do so.

The purpose of this process is to eliminate the risk to any parties who may potentially be exposed to asbestos. In addition to the risk to employees and third parties, not carrying out the refurbishment and demolition survey may leave the responsible organisation open to litigation.

We have seen numerous cases where work has had to be halted as suspected asbestos has been identified whilst undertaking works - this has exposed those carrying out the works to unnecessary risk and has also resulted in significant delays.

Residential Asbestos Surveys

Suspected asbestos-containing materials are often highlighted by home buyer surveys and building surveys as you approach the exchange to buy a new house or flat.

are commonly flagged up. Often, the survey will not provide 100% certainty over whether asbestos is present. Home buyers need to know if the suspect material contains asbestos, what the risk is and what action needs to be taken to make the property safe, so they are happy to proceed with buying the property. This survey usually comes late in the buying process – therefore, we are used to working under tight deadlines, so that any delay in a house purchase is minimised.

Asbestos Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys

If you plan to carry out refurbishments on a property or demolition, then this is the survey you require before works start.

Asbestos refurbishment and demolition surveys are a statutory requirement. It is a fully intrusive survey that identifies asbestos-containing materials, their extent and condition – this allows construction or demolition works to be carried out without risk of asbestos exposure. Asbestos surveys allow developers and contractors to identify what hazardous materials are present, the associated risk and what remedial action is required. It also allows the project manager to know how this will affect the work and the implications on the timescale and cost.

Key Asbestos Services Ltd work on an ongoing basis with property developers, construction companies, private developers, architects, demolition contractors, building surveyors, project management companies, estate agents and private individuals. We are retained by our clients and recommended by an increasing number, as we can deliver accurate asbestos reports promptly in clear English with a minimum of jargon. This allows projects to progress safely and with minimal delay.

We carry out asbestos refurbishment and demolition surveys before works, ranging from house conversions to retail refits, can begin.. Recent projects have included asbestos surveys for a farm building, demolition of large houses and a sports pavilion, and refurbishment works to prisons and a scout hut. If you require an asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey or have any queries, then please call us on 0208 288 4460 or email key@keyasbestos.co.uk.

What Can We do About Suspected Asbestos Materials?

We can identify whether asbestos is present, the potential risk and what remedial action is required - this may involve a full asbestos survey, especially where several potential asbestos-containing materials have been identified.

When something has been identified by a home buyers survey or building survey as suspicious, then we can carry out an inspection and sampling of that material. Once we have established whether asbestos is present, we make recommendations as to what remedial action is required. This process may involve asbestos removal or could mean the materials can be left ‘in situ’ as long as their condition is monitored and steps are taken to avoid disturbance.

What to do About Asbestos if You Plan Refurbishment Works?

If you plan to undertake refurbishment or demolition works that will potentially disturb asbestos, removal of the material will be required in advance.

Asbestos removal works will commonly include the extraction of an asbestos cement garage roof or internal asbestos board garage ceiling before an extension. It may also involve the removal of Artex textured coating, where structural changes are planned or new lighting is to be installed.

When an older boiler or air heating system is to be replaced, the boiler, asbestos board lining, floor tiles and an asbestos cement flue pipe are often removed, along with the cold water tank.

Asbestos Surveys and Asbestos Registers for the Common Parts of Blocks of Flats

There is a requirement, most recently under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (in force since 2004), for an asbestos register to be put in place and maintained for the communal parts of blocks of flats. The register is essentially a list of asbestos-containing materials, their condition and what remedial action is required.

It also specifies both the timescale for the management of the asbestos-containing material, what action is required and who is responsible. We carry out asbestos management surveys (and create the register) of the communal parts of blocks of flats, converted houses and also HMOs.

The asbestos survey and register are necessary to ensure that residents or tradespeople are not exposed to potentially high-risk asbestos-containing materials and that all steps are taken to minimise any risk of fibre release.

We have cases where the requirement for an asbestos register has not been acted on, or the register has either been lost or is completely out of date. Solicitors will often demand a copy of the asbestos register or the asbestos survey when buying a flat. At this point, it becomes urgent as the sale will not go through without it.

What Type of Asbestos Survey Do I Need?

There are two primary types of asbestos surveys:

If you plan to carry out major works or a partial or full demolition, then an asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey is the correct option. This should be carried out in advance of works starting.

If you require an asbestos survey when buying or selling a house, for a commercial lease or as part of the sales process for a commercial building, then you require an asbestos management survey. This survey is also suitable for those who manage residential blocks and commercial properties.

Unsure what asbestos survey you need? We are happy to answer any questions you have and can be reached on 0208 288 4460 or by email at key@keyasbestos.co.uk.

Why Choose Key Asbestos Services Ltd?

There are several reasons why homeowners and businesses throughout Kingston upon Thames turn to us for asbestos surveys:

All our work is performed by us with no subcontractors
We hold full insurance for all our services
We have years of experience in a Asbestos Management surveys and Asbestos Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys
We have strong relationships with local building contractors, property management consultants and architects

Get In Touch

020 8288 4460

key@keyasbestos.co.uk

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