England
Asbestos Testing in Reading
We cover 34 towns and villages in Reading for asbestos testing, planned to HSE guidance.
Need asbestos testing in Reading?
Where we work in Reading
Asbestos sampling and testing, with samples analysed by an accredited laboratory. Choose your town from the list to see local details, and send us the postcode for a quote.
Larger towns
What else we do in Reading
Postcode districts
About asbestos testing in Reading
You cannot tell whether something contains asbestos by looking at it. Only a laboratory can tell you for sure, and that’s what we arrange in Reading. Typical jobs include single materials in rented homes between tenancies and garage and shed roofs before removal or repair, including flue pipes, soffit boards and floor tiles.
We start by agreeing exactly what to sample, then take each sample with the area damped and the point sealed afterwards.
- Get in touch with photos
- We confirm a test is the right choice, rather than a survey
- We visit and take the samples
- The lab tests the samples
- We explain what the result means for your plans
Cost
There is no one-size price, as every job differs. Our guides list published price ranges from other companies, with sources.
Why choose us
- Paperwork you can show your buyer, landlord or builder
- Reports that say what wasn’t accessed
- London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and beyond
- Domestic and commercial work
Getting a price
Include any existing survey or test when you fill in the enquiry form or give us a call on 07833 053 749.
Landmarks near Caversham
Locally, our jobs take us close to Eldon Square, Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre and Chiltern Nursery Nurse Training School. Other local landmarks include The Hill Primary School (less than half a mile north-east), Grace Church (under half a mile east) and The White Horse pub (within half a mile north). The closest station to Caversham is Reading station, about 1.3 miles south. A little further out are Royal Berkshire Hospital (1.9 miles south) and Broad Street Mall (1.6 miles south). The countryside around Caversham includes South Lake and Sonning Hill.
Reading: testing for homes and workplaces
Across Reading, homeowners and landlords test single materials before small jobs, from Caversham, Norcot and West Reading to its villages.
Caversham: Schools such as The Hill Primary School should have an asbestos management plan, and staff can ask to see how it works. If you let flats near Reading station, a single material can be tested between tenancies.
Responsibilities for owners
Letting agents often ask about asbestos before maintenance work. A test or a survey gives everyone a clear answer.
The duty to manage applies to non-domestic premises and common parts, not to single private homes, but anyone working on the property still needs to know about asbestos.
What we do and don’t cover
To be clear about the scope:
- Testing doesn’t look for anything else, so it is not a substitute for a survey before major work
- Sampling high or hidden materials may need access equipment
- Clearance testing is a separate, independent job
Which option is right?
You can buy home testing kits, but you have to disturb the material yourself to use one. HSE advises that a competent person takes samples.
Comparing quotes
- If the price includes VAT
- What the report or result will contain
- The number of samples
- What exactly is included: the areas, materials or samples
Why people call us in Reading
Asbestos was used in building products until 1999, so pre-2000 buildings across Reading may have it.
Typical jobs in Reading include:
- Artex ceilings before plastering, sanding or drilling
- Soffits and porch canopies before replacement
- Lab results for contractors before they start
- Garage roofs before replacement
A closer look at the materials
Textured coatings
A small sample of the coating is enough, from a discreet spot.
Boards and panels
Some boards are insulating board, which is higher risk. A test tells you which.
Reading questions
Can you come if the asbestos is damaged?
First, keep everyone away and do not clean it up. Then contact us for advice.
Do I need a test or a survey?
A test checks specific materials; a survey checks a whole building or work area. Before building work, you normally need a survey.
Is a home built after 2000 likely to contain asbestos?
Asbestos was banned in 1999, so a home built after 2000 shouldn’t contain it.
Can you help with a flat?
Yes. For shared areas, the managing agent or freeholder holds the asbestos information.
Do you give written quotes?
Always: the quote is in writing and sets out what’s included.
Does someone need to be there?
Someone needs to give us access to the areas involved, and to be available for questions.
I think I’ve damaged asbestos. What now?
Stop work, leave the area and don’t try to clean up. Then get advice.
A to Z of places in Reading
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- 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
- Waste sealed and labelled, then taken to a permitted site