Greater London · England
Asbestos Survey in Downe
Worried about asbestos in Downe? We provide management, refurbishment and demolition, and pre-purchase asbestos surveys, explained in plain English.
- Managing asbestos in workplaces and non-domestic premises
- Rented homes between tenancies
- Refurbishment, rewiring and new kitchens or bathrooms
Need an asbestos survey in Downe?
How asbestos survey works in Downe
There are two main types of survey, set out in HSE’s guide HSG264. A management survey is for a building in normal use; a refurbishment and demolition survey is for before building work. We’ll help you choose the right one for your survey in Downe. People often contact us about demolition and strip-out and shops, offices and industrial units, involving soffits, garage roofs and textured ceilings.
London buildings in areas like Downe have generally been altered many times, so we look at every alteration, not just the original building. We start with a clear answer: is it asbestos, and what should you do about it.
- Area
- Downe (BR6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Service
- Management, refurbishment and demolition, and pre-purchase surveys
- Paperwork
- Survey report and lab results
- Quote
- Written quote for your job
- Call
- 07833 053 749
- Last updated
- 26 October 2026
The scope of an asbestos survey
What’s in and what’s out:
- A management survey doesn’t open up walls, floors or ceilings, so it is not enough before refurbishment
- A survey identifies asbestos; it does not remove it
- A refurbishment and demolition survey needs the areas to be empty, so plan it around the building’s use
If in doubt, ask: we will recommend a test, a survey or removal.
Materials in Downe
- Cement sheets and cladding
- Garage and shed roofs
- Soffits and porch canopies
- Floor tiles and adhesive
- Roofing felt and bitumen
- Ceiling tiles
- Artex and textured coatings
- Water tanks and flues
- Boiler cupboards and panels
- Pipe lagging
Step by step
In a refurbishment and demolition survey, we open up the fabric of the building: we check behind, under and inside the parts being worked on, so the rooms must be cleared. Unexpected finds are discussed with you first.
- Send us the address and what you need the survey for
- We recommend the right type of survey
- On the day we inspect, sample and photograph
- Each sample is analysed by an accredited laboratory
- The report comes to you, and we explain anything that isn’t clear
Getting ready
- Leave the suspect material alone until we arrive
- Warn neighbours if needed
- Ensure we can get to the area
How to get a quote
Send us the address in Downe, a description and some photos: use our quote form or call 07833 053 749, and we’ll reply with a quote.
Read more
Should you do it yourself?
Home testing kits exist, but you have to disturb the material to use one. HSE recommends a competent person takes samples.
With a professional job, you get a record: a record that buyers, insurers and builders may want to see.
Questions from Downe
Do you survey schools and community buildings around Downe?
Yes, by arrangement with the duty holder. Non-domestic buildings should have an asbestos register and management plan.
Can you deal with asbestos on rural buildings in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, the same rules apply there, but access to farm and rural buildings can take planning.
Does asbestos always have to come out?
Not always. If it’s in good condition and nobody will disturb it, leaving it in place and checking it can be the safer choice.
Do you work for landlords and businesses?
We do. Landlords, agents, businesses and builders all use our services.
Do I get anything in writing afterwards?
That depends on the job: a survey report, a laboratory result, or a consignment note for removed waste.
What if my house is newer?
Asbestos was banned in 1999, so a home built after 2000 shouldn’t contain it.
When can you start?
It depends on the job and our diary. You will get available dates with the quote, and notifiable work needs notifying before it starts.
What will I get after the survey?
The materials found, their locations, the laboratory results, their condition, photographs and recommendations. Any areas we couldn’t access are listed.
A closer look at the materials
Asbestos cement
Cement roofs, flues, gutters and tanks are among the most common finds. It contains a relatively low proportion of fibres bound in cement, and breaking or cutting it releases them.
Pipe lagging
Lagging on older pipes and boilers can contain asbestos and releases fibres easily. It’s licensed work.
Where asbestos turns up
Many buildings have been extended, refitted and repaired over the years, so asbestos may be in later alterations as much as the original structure, which is why surveys look everywhere in scope, not just at the obvious places.
If any of these sound familiar, it’s worth getting advice:
- Public and community buildings
- Rented homes due for maintenance
- Pre-purchase checks on older properties
- Shared halls, stairs and plant rooms
If you have an older property in Downe, near St Mary's Church or anywhere else, get the work areas surveyed before anything is opened up.
What to look for in a quote
- Survey methods in line with HSG264
- Which laboratory analyses samples
- The scope, in writing
- What exactly is included: the areas, materials or samples
Duty holders and landlords in Downe
Between tenancies is a good time to deal with asbestos, while the property is empty.
If your business premises in Downe were built before 2000, you are likely to need an asbestos register and a management plan, and you must tell contractors what’s there.
Prices and what affects them
These are the main things that affect the price of an asbestos survey:
- The survey type
- What the material is and its state
- Travel and parking
- How many samples are needed
We don’t publish a price list, because jobs vary so much. Our cost guides show published ranges, with dates and sources.
Sending photos
Photos help us understand the job before we visit. Take them without disturbing anything:
- Damaged areas
- A clear close-up
- An overall view
- Street parking nearby
You will get a written quote. Use our quote form or call 07833 053 749 with the details, including any survey or test you already have.
Surveying buildings in Downe
Downe is about 4 miles south-west of Orpington, in Greater London. We work across Downe and the surrounding area, on everything from houses and flats to workplaces and garages. Downe is one of 764 places in Greater London we cover. Our area stretches from Downe to London (13 miles away).
For a school like Downe Primary School, the duty holder must manage asbestos and keep an asbestos register, and a management survey is generally where that starts. For rented homes close to Chelsfield station, it helps to know what’s in the building before repairs. Downe is within about 6 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, where farm buildings, barns and stables with cement roofs are common.
We cover surveys across BR6 and the streets around it. Your property could be on High Street, North End Lane and Belle Vue Road or the roads around them, wherever it is in Downe. Neighbouring places we cover include Farthing Street (1 mile north-west), Hazelwood (1 mile east), Luxted (1 mile south), Leaves Green (1 mile west) and Single Street (2 miles south). We also cover nearby towns such as London (13 miles north-west), City of Westminster (15 miles north-west), Marylebone (15 miles north-west), St Pancras (15 miles north-west), Shoreditch (14 miles north-west) and Hoxton (15 miles north-west).
Downe is in London, inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, where parking and loading can be restricted: let us know about parking and access when you get in touch.
A little further out are Crofton Roman Villa (2.7 miles north-east) and Princess Royal University Hospital (1.8 miles north). The countryside around Downe includes Downe Bank Nature Reserve and Betsom's Hill.
- Nearby schools include Charles Darwin School (1.8 miles south)
- Local pubs include The Queens Head pub (within half a mile south)
What happens next
Share the report with builders and trades before they start, so they know what to avoid or plan around.
If asbestos stays in the building:
- Ask for the report in a format you can share with contractors
- Book the survey before you book builders
- Let us know about locked rooms or unsafe areas
- For flats, ask the managing agent for the asbestos register for the common parts
What to avoid
Until the survey is done, don’t drill, sand, cut or break suspect materials.
Be clear about the work you are planning, so the survey covers every area that will be disturbed.
- Survey or test first when it isn’t clear what a material is
- Done to the regulations: HSE guidance and CAR 2012
- Everything in writing: quotes, reports, results and waste notes
- Legal disposal at a permitted site, with a consignment note