Frequently asked questions

Not always. Asbestos in good condition that won’t be disturbed can often be left in place and managed. The law requires asbestos to be identified and managed in non-domestic premises and the common parts of blocks of flats (the duty to manage), and it must be dealt with properly before any work that would disturb it. Removal is needed when the material is damaged or in the way of planned work.

Any building built or refurbished before 2000 can contain asbestos. You can’t tell by looking: a sample has to be analysed by an accredited laboratory. A test answers the question for one material; a survey looks at the whole building.

Testing checks specific materials you’re worried about. A survey inspects a whole building, or the whole area you’re working on, finds suspect materials you may not have noticed, samples them and records their location and condition in a report.

HSE’s guidance (HSG264) is that a refurbishment and demolition survey is needed before refurbishment or demolition work, for the areas affected, so that any asbestos can be dealt with before the work starts.

It depends on the material, how much there is, its condition, access and disposal. We quote each job individually. Our garage roof removal cost guide lists published price ranges from other companies.

A small non-licensed job such as a single garage roof is usually short once the work area is set up. Bigger jobs, and licensed work that needs an enclosure and clearance testing, take longer. We’ll give you an idea when we quote.

Often, yes, for outdoor work such as a garage roof. For indoor work, the room being worked on has to be sealed off and kept clear, and for licensed work the area can’t be used until a UKAS-accredited analyst has cleared it. We’ll tell you what applies to your job.

Yes, if it’s in good condition and won’t be disturbed. It should be recorded and checked from time to time. See leave, seal or remove?

HSE’s advice to the public is not to try to repair or remove asbestos yourself. HSE says sprayed coatings, lagging and insulating board should only be removed by a contractor licensed by HSE. See can I remove asbestos myself?

It’s double-bagged or wrapped, labelled, carried by a registered waste carrier and taken to a permitted site, with a consignment note as the record. See asbestos waste disposal.

London and the South East: London, Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight. Find your area.

Use our quote form or call 07833 053 749. Tell us what the material is and where, send photos if you can, and include any survey or test results you already have.

It depends on the size of the building and the type of survey. A management survey of a typical house is shorter than a refurbishment and demolition survey, which is fully intrusive. We’ll give you an idea when we quote.

Someone needs to give us access to every area in the survey, including the loft, garage and any locked rooms.

It depends on the laboratory’s workload. We’ll tell you the expected timing when we quote.

The result shows which type of asbestos was found. We’ll explain your options, which depend on the material, its condition and what work you’re planning.

If it hasn’t been identified, yes. The removal method depends on what the material is, so we either take a sample or ask for an existing survey or test result.

Removal is planned in advance: the method, the controls, the waste and, for some work, a notification to the enforcing authority. We’ll agree a date when we quote.

Most single garage roofs are a short job once the work area is set up, but access, the number of sheets and their condition all make a difference. We’ll give you an idea when we quote.

Not always. If the roof is clearly asbestos cement, a sample test may be enough. If you’re also clearing or demolishing the garage, a survey of the whole structure may be needed.

No. Many textured coatings don’t. Those applied before 2000 can, usually in small amounts. The only way to know is to test a sample.

Skimming or boarding over an intact coating avoids disturbing it, but the asbestos is still there and needs recording for any future work. Don’t sand it smooth first.