Surrey · England
Asbestos Survey in Guildford
Need an asbestos survey in Guildford? We cover Guildford and the surrounding area, with plain-English advice and a written quote.
- Contractors’ requests for an asbestos report
- Workplaces built before 2000
- Checks on rental property
Asbestos survey in Guildford
What’s included, and what isn’t
What’s in and what’s out:
- Areas we cannot safely reach are listed in the report, and should be presumed to contain asbestos
- A refurbishment and demolition survey needs the areas to be empty, so timing needs planning
- A survey identifies asbestos; it does not remove it
If in doubt, ask: we will recommend a test, a survey or removal before booking.
Materials in Guildford
- Soffits and porch canopies
- Pipe lagging
- Floor tiles and adhesive
- Ceiling tiles
- Boiler cupboards and panels
- Artex and textured coatings
- Garage and shed roofs
- Roofing felt and bitumen
- Water tanks and flues
- Cement sheets and cladding
Asbestos survey near Guildford
The point of a survey is more than a list. It records the condition of each material, so you know what can be left and managed and what needs dealing with, in plain English. Common materials are floor tiles, water tanks and boiler cupboard panels, and people usually contact us about rented homes between tenancies and common parts of flats and HMOs.
In Guildford, a Victorian terrace can sit next to a 1970s block or a modern estate, so the age and history of each building decide whether a survey is needed. Everything is explained in plain English, including when it’s better to leave a material in place.
Why people call us in Guildford
Asbestos was used in British buildings for much of the 20th century, until it was fully banned in 1999. So buildings across Surrey can contain it in roofs, soffits, ceilings, floors and boiler cupboards.
Buildings from before 2000 can hide asbestos in many places. Common situations include:
- Shared halls, stairs and plant rooms
- Kitchen, bathroom and rewiring projects
- Surveys requested by builders before work
- Community buildings and halls
If you are a landlord near London Road (Guildford) station, it helps to know what’s in the building before repairs.
Questions to ask before booking
- The survey type, as defined in HSG264
- The report contents
- Which areas and materials are covered
- Suitable insurance for the work
Towns and villages near Guildford
More for properties in Guildford
What it costs
Our quotes take into account:
- Lofts, voids and outbuildings to include
- Access: height, lofts, steps and space
- The quantity or area
- Parking and access charges
Every quote says whether VAT is included, so you can compare like with like.
Sending photos
Photos help us understand the job before we visit. Take them without disturbing anything:
- A closer photo of the material, without touching it
- How we’d reach it
- Damaged areas
- Visible markings
If you have a survey or test result, include it when you fill in the enquiry form or give us a call on 07833 053 749; it helps us quote accurately.
Materials we deal with
Pipe lagging
Lagging found in a survey is flagged clearly, and it shouldn’t be disturbed.
Asbestos cement
Asbestos cement turns up on roofs, flues and outbuildings. How weathered and damaged it is affects what to do.
Which option is right?
A building survey for a purchase is not the same as an asbestos survey. It might mention possible asbestos without testing anything, so a pre-purchase asbestos survey fills that gap. Dealing with asbestos before building work is generally cheaper than finding it mid-job, when the whole project can be held up.
Why us?
- Plain-English advice, including when to leave things alone
- Across London and the South East
- Each material’s condition recorded
- Clear written quotes
See how we quote and published price ranges.
Guildford questions
Do you cover Guildford from London?
We cover Guildford, about 27 miles from central London.
Do you work on properties in the Surrey Hills National Landscape?
Yes, the same rules apply there, but access to farm and rural buildings can take planning.
Can you quote from photos?
Many jobs can be quoted from photos, though some need a visit first.
Do you give written quotes?
Yes, every quote is in writing and says what’s included, including whether VAT is included.
Does someone need to be there?
Someone needs to give us access to the areas involved, and to be available for questions.
My builder has found asbestos. What now?
Work in that area should stop, then have the material identified before anything else happens.
Can you help with a flat?
Yes, of course. For the shared areas of a block, the managing agent or freeholder holds the asbestos information.
Is a survey needed before building work in Guildford?
Yes, for the areas being worked on: HSE’s guidance calls for a refurbishment and demolition survey before the work starts.
Landlords, managing agents and employers
Schools, halls and community buildings are non-domestic premises, so the duty to manage applies.
Before contractors start, they need to know about any asbestos. HSE’s campaigns stress this point to building owners and trades alike.
What happens next
Material in good condition often does not need removing. The report tells you what to keep an eye on.
Some practical advice:
- Keep pets and children out of the way on the day
- Make sure we can get into the loft, garage and cupboards
- Have any old surveys or plans ready
- Ask for the report in a format you can share with contractors
Avoid these
Plan the survey early, before booking builders, so there’s time to deal with anything it finds.
Do not take samples yourself before the survey: we take samples with wetting and sealing to limit any release.
How we work
Each sample is sealed, labelled and recorded with its location, before going to an accredited laboratory. When we’re done, we explain what happens next and what paperwork follows.
- Describe the property and the reason for the survey
- We agree the survey type and scope, and send a quote
- On the agreed day, the surveyor inspects, photographs and samples
- The samples are analysed by an accredited laboratory
- You get the report, and we talk you through it
Getting ready
- Tell us about anything that’s already damaged
- Find any old asbestos reports
- Move belongings away from the area, without touching the material
How to get a quote
Tell us about the material, its location and your plans. Ring 07833 053 749, or send the details through our contact page.
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Surveying buildings in Guildford
Guildford is about 27 miles south-west of London, in Surrey. Wherever your property is in Guildford, tell us the postcode and what you need, and we will quote. We cover 395 places in Surrey.
Non-domestic buildings, Sandfield Primary School among them, come under the duty to manage asbestos; we survey non-domestic buildings by arrangement with the duty holder. Altering an older house in Guildford, wherever it is? The rooms being worked on need surveying before the builders arrive. Guildford is within about 6 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape, and rural properties there often have outbuildings worth including in a survey.
We handle surveys in every part of GU1, GU2, GU4 and GU3 and the streets around it. Your property could be on Church Road, Market Street and High Street or the roads around them, wherever it is in Guildford. Guildford is on the A3 and A25, which makes it simple to get to. For properties just outside Guildford, we cover Bellfields (1 mile north), Abbotswood (1 mile south-east), Stoughton (1 mile north-west), Westborough (1 mile west) and Burpham (1 mile north-east). We also cover nearby towns such as Woking (5 miles north), Camberley (9 miles north-west), Epsom (15 miles north-east), Farnham (10 miles west), Egham (13 miles north) and Walton-on-Thames (12 miles north-east). Guildford is one of the larger places we cover in Surrey, with every kind of building, from homes to workplaces.
A little further out are Guildford Castle (0.9 miles south) and Guildford House (0.8 miles south). Open spaces near Guildford include Silent Pool and Pewley Hill.
- Local schools include Surrey Maths School (0.5 miles south-west) and Guildford High School (0.6 miles south-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The King's Head pub (less than half a mile south-east)
- Nothing removed blind: unknown materials are tested first
- Work planned to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and HSE guidance
- Everything in writing: quotes, reports, results and waste notes
- Legal disposal at a permitted site, with a consignment note