West Berkshire · England
Asbestos Testing in Hermitage
Asbestos testing in Hermitage: asbestos sampling and testing. Send us photos and we will tell you what you need.
- Corrugated roof sheets
- Panels behind old heaters
- Artex ceilings before plastering, sanding or drilling
Asbestos help in Hermitage
Should you do it yourself?
Home testing kits exist, but you have to disturb the material to use one. HSE advises that samples are best taken by a competent person.
Asbestos waste cannot go in household bins, recycling or skips. It has to go to a site that accepts it, and some councils accept small amounts from residents by arrangement.
Asbestos testing in Hermitage
A test answers one question: is this material asbestos? We sample suspect materials in Hermitage and have them analysed by an accredited laboratory, so you have a written answer before any work starts. From lab results for contractors before they start and tiles found under carpet, we cover flue pipes, floor tiles and textured ceilings.
Rural properties near Hermitage may have materials of very different ages, so each material needs its own test. Small jobs get the same care as big ones, with the same attention to the regulations.
- Area
- Hermitage (RG18)
- County
- West Berkshire
- What we do
- Samples analysed by an accredited lab
- Paperwork
- A written result for each sample
- Quotes
- A written quote before work starts
- Phone
- 07833 053 749
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
More for properties in Hermitage
FAQs for Hermitage
Do you work on properties in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape?
Yes. The asbestos rules are the same in protected landscapes, though access to rural buildings may need planning.
Do older homes in Hermitage have asbestos?
Older homes can, if they date from before 2000. The only way to know is to test suspect materials. Common places include garage roofs, textured ceilings, floor tiles, soffits and flues.
When can you start?
That depends on the work and current bookings. We’ll give you dates when we quote, and notifiable work needs notifying before it starts.
Can you test the air for asbestos?
Clearance air testing after licensed removal must be done by an independent analyst accredited by UKAS. We will tell you whether you need it.
What does licensed work mean?
It covers the higher-risk materials: lagging, sprayed coatings and most asbestos insulating board. Only a contractor holding an HSE licence can do it.
What if the weather’s bad?
It depends on the job: indoor jobs aren’t affected, but outdoor removal may be rescheduled for safety.
Can I put asbestos in a skip?
No: skips and household bins cannot take asbestos. It has to go to a site that accepts it, with the right paperwork.
Can I take a sample myself?
HSE’s advice is for a competent person to take samples. If you’re unsure, ask us to take it.
What it costs
What drives the price:
- How much there is
- Travel and parking
- How easy it is to reach
- The size and age of the building
Access makes a big difference to cost, so tell us about access.
Photos that help
A few photos can save a site visit:
- Visible markings
- The access route
- Cracks or breaks
- The parking area
The quickest way to a quote is to send photos and the postcode: use our quote form or call 07833 053 749.
After the job
If no asbestos is found, work can usually go ahead normally, and you can show the result to your builder.
Looking after any asbestos that remains:
- Clear access to the area
- Keep the results for future work or a sale
- Group several materials into one visit
- Tell us what work you are planning
Don’ts
Don’t break off a piece to test yourself.
Leave the material alone until the result is back.
Options to consider in Hermitage
You can buy home testing kits, but you take the sample yourself, which means disturbing the material. HSE recommends a competent person does the sampling. Every quote says whether VAT is included, so you can compare like with like.
Why people choose us
- Clear notes on any areas not reached
- Domestic and commercial work
- Lab analysis by an accredited laboratory
- Plain-English advice, including when to leave things alone
Take a look at how we price jobs and the cost guide.
How we work
We start by agreeing exactly what to sample, then take each sample with the area damped and the point sealed afterwards. We’ll tell you when we’ve finished and what you’ll receive afterwards.
- Tell us what the material is, where it is, and send a photo if you can
- We agree how many samples are needed and send a quote
- Each sample is taken carefully and sealed
- An accredited laboratory carries out the analysis
- You get the written result, and we explain what it means
Before we arrive
- Move belongings away from the area, without touching the material
- Have any previous surveys or test results ready
- Let neighbours know if the work is near them
Getting a price
Include any existing survey or test when you use our quote form or call 07833 053 749.
Helpful guides
For landlords, agents and businesses
For managing agents and freeholders in Hermitage, the asbestos register for common parts should be kept up to date and shared with contractors, and condition checked regularly.
Letting agents often ask about asbestos before maintenance work. A test or survey gives a definite answer.
Where asbestos turns up
HSE advises that samples are best taken by a competent person, since sampling disturbs the material.
Get advice if you are dealing with any of these:
- Floor tiles and black adhesive
- Garage and shed roofs before removal or repair
- Checks before maintenance in rented homes
- Artex before downlights or rewiring
If you let property close to Newbury Racecourse station, you can test a material while the property is empty.
Before booking anyone
- What the report or result will contain
- The scope of the job, in writing
- Which laboratory analyses samples
- VAT, clearly stated
Testing around Hermitage
Hermitage is about 4 miles north of Thatcham, in West Berkshire. We cover Hermitage as part of West Berkshire, whatever the size of the job. Hermitage is one of 155 places in West Berkshire where we work. Our nearest city page is Reading, about 13 miles away.
Parents and staff at schools such as Hermitage Primary School can ask about the school’s asbestos management. For older homes anywhere in Hermitage, from near Holy Trinity outwards, test any suspect materials before renovation. Hermitage is within about 6 miles of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, where cement sheeting on outbuildings is common.
Wherever your property is in RG18, we can help with asbestos testing. We can help with tests on streets such as Newbury Road, Lipscomb Close and Marlston Road or the roads around them. Close by, we cover Longlane (1 mile south-west), Little Hungerford (1 mile north-east), Oare (1 mile north), Wellhouse (1 mile east) and Curridge (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also work in Newbury (4 miles south-west), Thatcham (4 miles south), Burghfield Common (10 miles east), Speenhamland (4 miles south-west), Hungerford (11 miles west) and Spencers Wood (14 miles east).
A little further out are Hampstead Norris Castle (2.4 miles north-east) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (3.3 miles south). The countryside around Hermitage includes Snelsmore Common.
- Pubs nearby include The White Horse pub (within half a mile west)
Good to know
Worth knowing before you book:
- Identifying the material is the first step; removal is planned separately
- Testing does not look for anything else, so bigger work needs a survey
- Clearance air testing after licensed work is done by an independent UKAS-accredited analyst
If you are unsure, describe the job and send photos, and we will advise before booking.
Common materials
- Pipe lagging
- Water tanks
- Artex and textured ceilings
- Soffit boards
- Bitumen adhesive
- Flue pipes
- Panels behind heaters
- Garage roof sheets
- Roof felt
- Floor tiles
- Identify it first: we test or survey before planning removal
- 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