Greater London · England
Asbestos Sampling and Testing in Shirley, Greater London
Asbestos testing in Shirley, from older homes to workplaces. Every job is quoted in writing.
- Porch canopies
- Garage roofs before replacement
- A material damaged during DIY
Asbestos testing in Shirley
Responsibilities for owners
Contractors working for you need asbestos information before they start. HSE’s campaigns stress this point to building owners and trades alike.
Landlords of single homes do not have the same duty to manage as non-domestic duty holders, but contractors still need to know about asbestos before they work.
Asbestos testing near Shirley
Asbestos materials often look just like materials without it. Only a laboratory can tell you for sure, which is what our testing service in Shirley provides. We often deal with black adhesive, garage roof sheets and soffit boards, and people normally contact us about old floor tiles before a new floor goes down and lab results for contractors before they start.
In towns and villages like Shirley, we often test a single material in a flat before work, when a full survey would be more than you need. We identify materials before planning removal, because the method depends on what the material is.
- Where
- Shirley (CR0, SE25, CR9)
- County
- Greater London
- Service
- Sampling and laboratory testing
- Afterwards
- A written result for each sample
- Price
- Quoted individually, in writing
- Call
- 07833 053 749
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
Can I do it myself?
If you do find something during DIY, stop: leave the area, don’t clean it up, and ask for advice.
HSE’s advice to the public is not to try to repair or remove asbestos yourself. Licensed materials are strictly for licensed contractors.
Shirley: your questions answered
Is asbestos common in Shirley homes?
Older homes can, if they date from before 2000. The only way to know is to test suspect materials. Look at garage roofs, textured ceilings, old floor tiles, soffits and flues.
Do you work in Shirley despite London parking restrictions?
Yes, we work across London. Let us know the parking situation and we will plan around it; all of Greater London is inside the ULEZ.
Can asbestos go in my bin?
No. Asbestos is hazardous waste and must go to a site that accepts it. We take it to a permitted site with paperwork.
Do you do air testing?
Air testing for clearance is done by an independent UKAS-accredited analyst. We will tell you whether you need it.
Is asbestos dangerous?
Asbestos fibres can cause serious lung diseases years after exposure. The risk comes mainly from disturbing materials that contain it, so identifying it before work is important.
Do you give written quotes?
Yes, every quote is in writing and says what’s included.
I think I’ve damaged asbestos. What now?
Stop, keep people away from the area and don’t sweep or vacuum up debris. Then ask for advice; if you are worried about your health, speak to your GP.
Can you help a business or landlord?
Yes, as well as homeowners. Send the details.
Testing materials in Shirley
Shirley is about 2 miles north-east of Croydon, in Greater London. Anywhere in Shirley, just send the postcode. Shirley is one of 764 places in Greater London where we work. Our nearest city page is London, about 8 miles away.
If you work at a school like Oasis Academy Shirley Park, ask the duty holder about the asbestos register. If you are a letting agent with homes near Elmers End station, a single material can be tested between tenancies.
Anywhere in CR0, SE25 and CR9, we can help with asbestos testing. Streets in the area include Poppy Lane, Homer Road and Craven Road, and asbestos testing is available on all of them. Main roads around Shirley include the A232, so mention parking if the property is on one. For properties just outside Shirley, we cover Monks Orchard (1 mile north), Shirley Oaks (1 mile west), Addiscombe (1 mile west), Ashburton (1 mile north-west) and Woodside (1 mile north-west). We also cover nearby towns such as London (8 miles north), City of Westminster (10 miles north-west), Marylebone (10 miles north-west), Kensington (10 miles north-west), St Pancras (10 miles north) and Shoreditch (10 miles north).
Shirley is in London, inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, where parking and loading can be restricted: let us know about parking and access when you get in touch.
A little further out are National Psychosis Unit (1 mile east) and Addiscombe (1.2 miles west). Open spaces near Shirley include Duppas Hill and Bramley Bank.
- Local schools include Orchard Way Primary School (0.6 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include The Cricketers pub (within half a mile west)
Places near Shirley
Other services in Shirley
What affects the price in Shirley
We base our quote on:
- How easy it is to reach
- The type of material and its condition
- How big the building is
- How many outbuildings are included
How easy the material is to reach affects the price, so tell us about access.
Photos that help
Photos often save us a visit:
- How we’d reach it
- An idea of size
- A close-up from a safe distance
- Damaged areas
Send us the address in Shirley, a description and some photos: call 07833 053 749 or use our quote form.
Materials we deal with
Boards and panels
Boards in boiler cupboards, behind heaters or as soffits can be asbestos insulating board. A test tells you which.
Cement sheets
Roof sheets are sampled safely from the edge.
Limits to be aware of
Worth knowing before booking:
- Testing does not look for anything else, so it isn’t a substitute for a survey before major work
- Clearance air testing after licensed work is done by an independent UKAS-accredited analyst
- We cannot confirm asbestos from a photo
If you’re unsure, describe the job and send photos, and we’ll advise before you book.
Materials we see
- Garage roof sheets
- Roof felt
- Panels behind heaters
- Flue pipes
- Floor tiles
- Artex and textured ceilings
- Pipe lagging
- Water tanks
- Soffit boards
- Bitumen adhesive
What happens next
File the results with your house paperwork, as they’re useful when you sell or carry out more work.
Once we are done:
- Ask us if you are unsure whether you need a test or a survey
- Leave the material undisturbed until we have sampled it
- File the result with your property paperwork
- Tell us if there is adhesive under tiles
Avoid these
Get the result before work is booked, so there is no delay later.
Test before booking the builders, so you can plan properly.
Choosing the right option
A test or a full survey? Testing checks the materials you are worried about; a survey checks the whole building or work area. Small jobs normally just need a test. What you pay depends on the job itself: the materials involved, how much there is, access and paperwork. We quote each job individually.
Why people choose us
- Condition ratings, not just a list
- Management, refurbishment and demolition, and pre-purchase surveys
- Accredited laboratory results
- Paperwork you can show your buyer, landlord or builder
Read how we price jobs and published price ranges.
How it works
Each sample is small, sealed in a bag, labelled and logged, then sent to an accredited laboratory. We begin by confirming exactly what we are doing.
- Describe the material and send a photo
- We agree how many samples are needed and send a quote
- 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
Preparing for the visit
- Tell us about parking and access
- Ensure pets and children are elsewhere
- Clear the way to the work area
Get a quote
Photos taken from a safe distance are fine: send them through our contact page.
Related guides
- Survey or test first when it isn’t clear what a material is
- Done to the regulations: HSE guidance and CAR 2012
- Paperwork for your records: reports, lab results and consignment notes
- Waste sealed and labelled, then taken to a permitted site