East Sussex · England
Asbestos Sampling and Testing in Old Town, East Sussex
Found something that might be asbestos in Old Town? Our service covers asbestos testing with written results, with clear advice at each step.
- Artex ceilings before plastering, sanding or drilling
- Lab results for contractors before they start
- Debris found after DIY
Need asbestos testing in Old Town?
For landlords, agents and businesses
If you run a business from older premises in Old Town, you’re likely to need an asbestos register and a management plan, and you must tell contractors what’s there.
Community buildings count as non-domestic premises, so whoever runs them has a duty to manage asbestos.
Asbestos testing in Old Town
Testing is quick to arrange and gives a definite answer. The result shows whether asbestos was found and, if so, which type, and we’ll explain your options. Typical materials include black adhesive, floor tiles and panels behind heaters, and typical jobs are porch canopies and old floor tiles before a new floor goes down.
Properties in Old Town with outbuildings may have roofs worth testing before work. We start with a clear answer: what the material is, and what that means for your plans.
- Location
- Old Town (BN21, BN20, BN22)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Covers
- Samples analysed by an accredited lab
- Paperwork
- Lab result in writing
- Quotes
- Written quote for your job
- Call
- 07833 053 749
- Page updated
- 26 October 2026
How we work
On the day, we confirm which materials to sample and where, then take each sample with the area damped and the point sealed afterwards. We keep the work area clear of other people while we work, so children and pets should be kept elsewhere.
- Send us photos of the material
- We confirm a test is the right choice, rather than a survey
- Our surveyor takes the samples
- The samples go to an accredited laboratory
- We explain what the result means for your plans
Getting ready
- Let us know if something’s broken
- Keep children and pets away on the day
- Tell neighbours if the work is close to their property
Ask for a quote
Not sure what you need? Use our quote form or call 07833 053 749 and describe the problem, and we will advise.
Helpful guides
Why people call us in Old Town
Building products contained asbestos until the 1999 ban, so materials in homes and buildings across East Sussex built or refurbished before 2000 can contain it.
Common situations in older properties include:
- Artex ceilings before plastering, sanding or drilling
- Debris found after DIY
- Garage roofs before replacement
- Panels behind old heaters
Parents and staff at schools such as Gildredge House can ask about the school’s asbestos management.
Before booking anyone
- Whether VAT is included
- Which areas and materials are covered
- What the report or result will contain
- The scope, in writing
Which option is right?
You can buy home testing kits, but you have to disturb the material yourself to use one. HSE recommends a competent person does the sampling. The cost of asbestos testing depends on the job: the materials, the amount, access and what paperwork is needed. We quote each job individually.
What you get
- Lab analysis by an accredited laboratory
- Records for your files
- Honest advice, even when the answer is to leave it
- Inaccessible areas listed clearly
Materials, one by one
Textured coatings
A small sample of the coating is enough, from a discreet spot.
Flues and tanks
Flues and tanks are often asbestos cement.
Also near Old Town
What else we do in Old Town
Testing around Old Town
Old Town is about 1 mile south-west of Eastbourne, in East Sussex. We cover Old Town as part of East Sussex, whatever the size of the job. Old Town is one of 289 places in East Sussex we cover. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 18 miles away.
If you’re a letting agent with homes near Eastbourne station, testing before work avoids delays. For older homes anywhere in Old Town, from near Church of St Mary outwards, test any suspect materials before renovation. Old Town is within about 6 miles of the South Downs National Park, where cement sheeting on outbuildings is common. Old Town is within about 2 miles of the coast; weathered soffits and canopies on coastal homes are worth testing before replacement.
Here we cover the BN21, BN20 and BN22 postcode area, and your test can be anywhere in it. From Love Lane, Mill Road and Greys Road or a nearby road, we can help. We also carry out tests in Upperton (1 mile east), Meads (1 mile south), Eastbourne (1 mile north-east), Holywell (1 mile south) and Ratton Village (1 mile north). Larger places within reach include Hastings (15 miles north-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (10 miles north-east), Seaford (7 miles west), Lewes (13 miles north-west), Hailsham (6 miles north) and St Leonards (14 miles north-east).
A little further out are Eastbourne District General Hospital (1 mile north) and Pevensey Castle (4.4 miles north-east). Within reach you’ll find Combe Hill.
- Local schools include WMG Academy for Young Engineers (under half a mile south) and Motcombe Infants' School (less than half a mile north-west)
- Nearby, you will find The Lamb Inn (less than half a mile east)
Doing it yourself?
Sanding, drilling, cutting and jet-washing are the worst things you can do to asbestos materials.
Working on a fragile asbestos cement roof is dangerous in itself, as well as an asbestos risk, so never climb onto one.
Afterwards
The sample point is sealed when we take the sample, so the material is left safe in the meantime.
Staying safe afterwards:
- Keep the results for future work or a sale
- If tiles and adhesive are both exposed, mention it
- Leave the material undisturbed until we have sampled it
- Test everything you are worried about at once
What to avoid
Get the result before work is booked, so you can plan properly.
Test before booking the builders, so you can plan properly.
Your questions about asbestos testing in Old Town
Do older homes in Old Town 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.
Do you cover Old Town and the area around Eastbourne station?
Yes. Eastbourne station is about 0.7 miles east of Old Town, and we cover both.
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 asbestos dangerous?
It can be, if fibres are released and breathed in. The related diseases often take decades to develop, which is why it’s identified before work.
Can you quote from photos?
Photos are often enough to give a quote, but larger or unclear jobs may need a visit.
Is damaged asbestos an emergency?
Make the area safe first: close it off and don’t clean it up yourself. Then contact us for advice on the next step.
What if my house is newer?
Asbestos was banned in 1999, so a home built after 2000 shouldn’t contain it, though older parts, reused materials or earlier outbuildings can.
Do you work in flats?
Yes. For shared areas, ask the managing agent about the asbestos register.
What we do and do not cover
Worth knowing before you book:
- Clearance testing is a separate, independent job
- Testing doesn’t look for anything else, so it is not a substitute for a survey before major work
- 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 before you book.
Materials in Old Town
- Floor tiles
- Roof felt
- Bitumen adhesive
- Pipe lagging
- Garage roof sheets
- Water tanks
- Soffit boards
- Artex and textured ceilings
- Panels behind heaters
- Flue pipes
- Nothing removed blind: unknown materials are tested first
- Work planned to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and HSE guidance
- Written paperwork: reports, results and waste consignment notes
- Waste sealed and labelled, then taken to a permitted site