Kent · England
Asbestos Testing for Maidstone
Found something that might be asbestos in Maidstone? We provide sampling and lab analysis of suspect materials, explained in plain English.
- Single materials in rented homes between tenancies
- Boards and panels before a kitchen or bathroom refit
- Something broken during building work
Need asbestos testing in Maidstone?
Common questions in Maidstone
Do you work on properties in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes. The asbestos rules are the same in protected landscapes, though access to rural buildings may need planning.
Is asbestos common in Maidstone homes?
That depends on when it was built and altered: asbestos was used until the 1999 ban, so older homes and older alterations in Maidstone can contain it. Common places include garage roofs, textured ceilings, floor tiles, soffits and flues.
Can you come if the asbestos is damaged?
Keep people away from damaged material and don’t clean it up yourself. Then contact us and we’ll advise on the next step.
Do you work on commercial premises?
Yes. Send us the details of the premises.
How dangerous is asbestos?
Asbestos fibres can cause serious lung diseases years after exposure. The main risk is from disturbing it, so identifying it before work is important.
My builder has found asbestos. What now?
Stop work in that area and keep people out, and the material needs identifying before work resumes.
Can you test the air for asbestos?
Air testing is a different job from material testing, and not one we do: clearance testing after licensed removal is carried out by an independent UKAS-accredited analyst. We’ll tell you if your job needs it.
How many samples will I need?
One for each different material, and sometimes more where the same material is in several places. We will suggest a number when we see the photos.
About our asbestos testing in Maidstone
You can’t tell whether something contains asbestos by looking at it. Only a laboratory can tell you for sure, which is what our testing service in Maidstone provides. People often contact us about checks before maintenance in rented homes and lab results for contractors before they start, including garage roof sheets, black adhesive and floor tiles.
Before small jobs in Maidstone, many people test first. Nothing is added to the job that you do not need.
Materials we deal with
Flues and tanks
A test before removal is a good idea.
Floor tiles and adhesive
Old tiles and black adhesive can be tested separately, because results can differ.
Places near Maidstone
Other services in Maidstone
What it costs
Quotes vary because of:
- The type of material and its condition
- Which survey type fits your plans
- The size and age of the building
- Parking and access charges
The cost of asbestos testing depends on the job: the materials, the amount, access and what paperwork is needed. Every quote is individual.
Sending photos
What to photograph:
- A closer photo of the material, without touching it
- An overall view
- The parking area
- The route in: gates, steps, stairs or the loft hatch
If you have a survey or test result, include it when you use our quote form or call 07833 053 749; it helps us quote accurately.
Asbestos testing in Maidstone: local notes
Maidstone is about 31 miles south-east of London, in Kent. In Maidstone, we hear from homeowners, landlords and businesses. We cover 922 places in Kent. Our area stretches from Maidstone to Canterbury (about 24 miles away).
If you live in an older house in Maidstone, test any suspect materials before renovation. For properties on main roads such as the A20 and A26, let us know where we can park. Maidstone is within about 5 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, and rural properties nearby often have outbuildings with roofs worth testing.
We carry out tests all over the ME15, ME16, ME14 and ME17 postcode area. Streets in the area include Square Hill Road, Arundel Square and Square Hill, and asbestos testing is available on all of them. You’ll find Maidstone on the A20 and A26, which makes it simple to get to. We also carry out tests in Tovil (1 mile west), Foley Park (1 mile north), Shepway (1 mile south-east), Penenden Heath (1 mile north) and Weavering (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover Sittingbourne (10 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (15 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles south-west), Gravesend (13 miles north-west), Tonbridge (12 miles south-west) and Northfleet (14 miles north-west). As one of the bigger places in Kent, Maidstone has a wide mix of older and newer buildings.
Other landmarks nearby include Maidstone Carriage Museum (less than half a mile north-west) and Oakwood Hospital (1.8 miles west). The countryside around Maidstone includes Burham Down and Boxley Hills.
- Schools near Maidstone include Maidstone Grammar School (within half a mile south-east) and St Augustine Academy (1.2 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include Paper Makers Arms (within half a mile north)
How it works
On the day, we confirm which materials to sample and where, then take each sample with the area damped and the point sealed afterwards. Before anything starts, we confirm the areas and materials with you, so there’s no confusion.
- Describe the material and send a picture
- We quote for the samples needed
- We take each sample with wetting and controls, and seal it
- The samples are analysed by an accredited laboratory
- We send the result and explain your options
How to prepare
- Mention any parking restrictions
- Clear access to the area, loft or garage
- Dig out previous surveys
Getting a price
Photos taken from a safe distance are fine: send them through our contact page.
Read more
What happens next
You get a written laboratory result for each sample, stating whether asbestos was detected and what type.
After we have finished:
- Clear access to the area
- Test everything you are worried about at once
- Let us know what you want to do next
- Photos of the material help us plan
What to avoid
Leave the material alone until the result is back.
Keep everyone away from damaged material, and do not sweep or vacuum up debris.
The scope of asbestos testing
It’s worth knowing what asbestos testing does and doesn’t cover:
- We can’t confirm asbestos from a picture; only a lab can
- Identifying the material is the first step; removal is planned separately
- If the material is in a hard-to-reach place, access may need planning
If in doubt, ask: we will recommend a test, a survey or removal.
Materials in Maidstone
- Artex and textured ceilings
- Water tanks
- Floor tiles
- Roof felt
- Pipe lagging
- Soffit boards
- Panels behind heaters
- Flue pipes
- Garage roof sheets
- Bitumen adhesive
Duty holders and landlords in Maidstone
If you manage or own a block in Maidstone, the asbestos register for common parts should be kept up to date and shared with contractors, and condition checked regularly.
Duty holders for workplaces and the shared parts of flats in Maidstone must manage asbestos under regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. That means finding it, assessing it, recording it and planning how to manage it.
Typical tests in Maidstone
Textured coatings, floor tiles, cement sheets and boards can all look the same with or without asbestos, so appearance and age aren’t enough.
Asbestos can be in plenty of places in buildings from before 2000. Common situations include:
- Old floor tiles before a new floor goes down
- Something broken during building work
- Boards and panels before a kitchen or bathroom refit
- Soffit boards
If you let flats near Maidstone West station, a quick test between tenants is worth considering.
What to look for in a quote
- What exactly is included: the areas, materials or samples
- Areas included and excluded
- Whether extra samples cost more
- That samples are analysed by an accredited laboratory
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.
Power tools, sanding and jet-washing release the most fibres, so avoid them completely.
- Identify it first: we test or survey before planning removal
- Work planned to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and HSE guidance
- Written paperwork: reports, results and waste consignment notes
- Asbestos waste double-bagged or wrapped and taken to a permitted site