Medway · England
Asbestos Testing in Hempstead
Asbestos testing in Hempstead and across Medway: asbestos sampling and testing.
- Single materials in rented homes between tenancies
- Artex before downlights or rewiring
- Debris found after DIY
Asbestos testing in Hempstead
Asbestos testing near Hempstead
Testing suits one or two specific materials. For larger projects in Hempstead, a survey covers more, and we will say which makes sense. People often contact us about soffit boards and debris found after DIY, including black adhesive, textured ceilings and soffit boards.
Homes in areas like Hempstead with older garages and outbuildings often have cement sheet roofs that are worth testing before repair. Everything is explained in plain English, including when it’s better to leave a material in place.
- Where
- Hempstead (ME7, ME8)
- County
- Medway
- What we do
- Sampling and laboratory testing
- Paperwork
- A written result for each sample
- Quote
- Quoted individually, in writing
- Phone
- 07833 053 749
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
Duty holders and landlords in Hempstead
If you run a business from older premises in Hempstead, you’re likely to need an asbestos register and a management plan, and contractors must be told what’s there.
Schools, halls and community buildings are non-domestic premises, so whoever runs them has a duty to manage asbestos.
The process
We use the right protective equipment and keep people away while sampling, even for a single sample. On the day, we check the area and talk you through the plan first.
- Tell us what you’d like tested
- You get a quote for the samples
- A surveyor visits and samples each material, sealing the sample points
- We send the samples to an accredited laboratory
- You get the results, and we talk you through them
How to prepare
- Clear the way to the work area
- Tell neighbours if the work is close to their property
- Leave the suspect material alone until we arrive
Getting a price
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.
Helpful guides
Prices and what affects them
Every quote reflects:
- What the material is and its state
- How many outbuildings are included
- Parking and access charges
- How big the building is
What you pay depends on the job itself: the materials, the amount, access and what paperwork is needed. Every quote is individual.
Helping us quote
A few photos can save a site visit:
- Any damage, cracks or broken pieces
- A clear close-up
- Street parking nearby
- A rough size or measurement
Photos taken from a safe distance are fine: don’t touch the material, just send them through our quote form.
Questions from Hempstead
Could my house in Hempstead contain asbestos?
It depends on its age and history: asbestos products were used until 1999, so pre-2000 homes and extensions in Hempstead may have it. Garage roofs, Artex, floor tiles, soffits and flues are typical examples.
Do you work near Rainham (Kent) station?
Yes, we cover Hempstead and the area towards Rainham (Kent) station, about 2.1 miles north-east.
Can you quote from photos?
Many jobs can be quoted from photos, but larger or unclear jobs may need a visit.
What if the weather’s bad?
That depends: indoor work carries on, while outdoor roof work may be postponed in strong wind or heavy rain.
What happens if the test is positive?
Your options depend on what it is, its condition and what work you’re planning: leave it, cover it or have it removed.
Do you test textured ceilings?
We do: we take a small sample of the coating for the lab. Some older coatings contain a little asbestos.
Does asbestos always have to come out?
No. Material in good condition that will not be disturbed can often be left and managed. Keep a record and check its condition.
Can I take a sample myself?
HSE’s advice is for a competent person to take samples. We can take it for you.
The scope of asbestos testing
What’s in and what’s out:
- A result tells you what the material is, not how to remove it
- Photos can’t confirm asbestos; only a lab can
- Testing doesn’t look for anything else, so bigger work needs a survey
Not sure what you need? Send us photos and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Common materials
- Pipe lagging
- Garage roof sheets
- Panels behind heaters
- Roof felt
- Artex and textured ceilings
- Flue pipes
- Bitumen adhesive
- Water tanks
- Soffit boards
- Floor tiles
Doing it yourself?
Working on a fragile asbestos cement roof is dangerous in itself, as well as an asbestos risk, so never climb onto one.
If you do find something during DIY, stop: leave the area, don’t clean it up, and ask for advice.
Why people call us in Hempstead
HSE advises that samples are best taken by a competent person, because taking a sample disturbs the material.
People normally contact us about one of these:
- Garage roofs before replacement
- Textured ceilings before a renovation
- Results builders ask for before work
- One-off checks in rented property
For older homes anywhere in Hempstead, from near All Saints Church outwards, get suspect materials tested before you start.
What your quote should include
- Insurance appropriate to asbestos work
- The scope, in writing
- If the price includes VAT
- Which areas and materials are covered
Testing materials in Hempstead
Hempstead is about 2 miles south of Gillingham, in Medway. If your test is in Hempstead, let us know about access when you get in touch. Hempstead is one of 68 towns and villages in Medway where we work. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 23 miles away.
If you work at a school like Hempstead Infant School, ask the duty holder about the asbestos register. For properties on main roads such as the A278, let us know where we can park. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 7 miles, where cement sheeting on outbuildings is common.
Wherever your property is in ME7 and ME8, we can help with asbestos testing, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Streets in the area include Harrow Road, Spekes Road and Capstone Road, and asbestos testing is available on all of them. Main roads around Hempstead include the A278, so mention parking if the property is on one. Other places close to Hempstead we cover include Capstone (1 mile north-west), Darland (1 mile north-west), Wigmore (1 mile east), Hale (1 mile north-west) and Park Wood (1 mile east). We also cover nearby towns such as Rochester (4 miles north-west), Strood (5 miles north-west), Hoo St Werburgh (5 miles north), Chatham Waterfront (3 miles north-west), Rochester Riverside (4 miles north-west) and Peters Village (5 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include Pentagon Shopping Centre (3 miles north-west) and Medway megaliths (3.8 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Burham Down and Boxley Hills.
- Local schools include Rainham School for Girls (1.3 miles north-east) and Howard School (1.3 miles north-east)
Your options compared
One sample or several? Each different material needs its own sample, and sometimes tiles and adhesive or coatings in different rooms need separate samples. Dealing with asbestos before building work is normally cheaper than finding it mid-job, when the whole project can be held up.
How we work in Hempstead
- Recommendations in plain English
- Accredited laboratory results
- Quotes that spell out the scope
- Work planned to HSE guidance and the regulations
Other services in Hempstead
After we have finished in Hempstead
A positive result isn’t a reason to panic: it may be left, covered or removed, depending on your plans.
Looking after any asbestos that remains:
- Make the area easy to reach
- Photos of the material help us plan
- Leave the material undisturbed until we have sampled it
- Let us know what you want to do next
Don’ts
Please don’t take your own sample; tell us where it is and we’ll sample it safely.
If a material is already damaged, keep people and pets away from it, and don’t try to clean it up.
- Identify it first: we test or survey before planning removal
- Planned to HSE guidance and the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
- Paperwork for your records: reports, lab results and consignment notes
- Waste sealed and labelled, then taken to a permitted site