Kent · England
Asbestos removal and surveys in ME14
Found something that might be asbestos in ME14? We work in Foley Park, Bearsted and Penenden Heath and the rest of the district, planned to HSE guidance.
Need asbestos advice in ME14?
Areas within ME14
- Foley Park
- Bearsted
- Penenden Heath
- Weavering
- Ringlestone
- Grove Green
- Sandling
- Abbey Gate
- Detling
- Boxley
- Thurnham
- Lower Cox Street
- Harbourland
- Scragged Oak
- Maidstone
- Park Wood
- Allington
What we do in ME14
Send us photos and the postcode for a quote: fill in the enquiry form or give us a call on 07833 053 749.
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Areas we cover
About asbestos testing in ME14
Sampling is done carefully: we wet the area, take a small piece, bag it and seal the sample point. That is safer than breaking off a piece yourself. People often contact us about garage and shed roofs before removal or repair and a material damaged during DIY, including panels behind heaters, garage roof sheets and floor tiles.
Samples are small, bagged, labelled and recorded, then sent to an accredited laboratory.
- Tell us what the material is, where it is, and send a photo if you can
- We quote for the samples needed
- We take each sample with wetting and controls, and seal it
- An accredited laboratory carries out the analysis
- You get the written result, and we explain what it means
What you will pay
Identifying asbestos early is cheaper than stopping work later, when everything has to stop.
Why people choose us
- Paperwork you can show your buyer, landlord or builder
- Houses, flats and business premises
- Samples analysed by an accredited laboratory
- Covering London and the South East
Get a quote
Include any existing survey or test when you ring 07833 053 749, or send the details through our contact page; it helps us quote accurately.
Around Foley Park
We cover homes and workplaces around Vinters Valley Park, St Paul's Infant School and The Hollybush Public House. Other local landmarks include Valley Park School (0.5 miles south) and Church of St Luke (less than half a mile south-west). For anyone coming by rail, the closest station is Maidstone East station, about 0.6 miles south-west. Nearby you will also find Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum (0.6 miles south-west) and KIMS hospital (1.1 miles east). Within reach you’ll find Burham Down and Boxley Hills.
Where we test in ME14
In ME14, a quick test before a small job is common, from Maidstone, Foley Park and Bearsted to its villages. Parts of ME14 are within a few miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, where barns and outbuildings with cement sheeting are a common sight.
Foley Park: At a school like St Paul's Infant School, the duty holder keeps asbestos records, which staff and parents can ask about. If you live in an older house in Foley Park, a quick test before work is sensible.
The scope of asbestos testing
The usual limits are:
- If the material is in a hard-to-reach place, access may need planning
- A test only covers the materials sampled, so it isn’t a substitute for a survey before major work
- A result tells you what the material is, not how to remove it
Weighing up your options
No one can confirm asbestos from a picture. Photos help us plan, but the lab gives the answer.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether extra samples cost more
- Which areas and materials are covered
- Whether VAT is included
- That the survey follows HSE’s guide HSG264
DIY and asbestos
Working on a fragile asbestos cement roof is dangerous in itself, as well as an asbestos risk, so stay off it.
Found something mid-DIY? Stop: leave the area, do not clean it up, and ask for advice.
For landlords, agents and businesses
If you run a business from older premises in ME14, you should have an asbestos register and management plan, and you must tell contractors what’s there.
Before maintenance in a rented home, agents may ask about asbestos. A test or a survey gives everyone a clear answer.
Why people call us in ME14
Textured coatings, floor tiles, cement sheets and boards can all look the same with or without asbestos, so you can’t go by looks or age alone.
Common situations in older properties include:
- Soffit boards
- Something broken during building work
- Artex ceilings before plastering, sanding or drilling
- Garage roofs before replacement
Your questions about asbestos testing in ME14
My builder has found asbestos. What now?
Work there should pause and the area be kept clear. We can test the material and, if needed, plan its removal.
Do you test textured ceilings?
We do: a small piece of the coating is sampled and analysed. Older textured coatings can contain a small amount of asbestos.
I think I’ve damaged asbestos. What now?
Stop, keep people away from the area and do not sweep or vacuum up debris. Then get advice; if you’re worried about your health, speak to your GP.
Is a home built after 2000 likely to contain asbestos?
Asbestos was banned in 1999, so buildings built after 2000 shouldn’t contain it, but older parts and reused materials can still contain it.
Which asbestos work needs a licence?
Higher-risk materials need an HSE-licensed contractor. Most asbestos cement and textured coatings are non-licensed or notifiable non-licensed.
Do I need a test or a survey?
Testing tells you about particular materials; a survey looks at everything in scope, including things you hadn’t spotted.
Does weather affect the work?
Indoor jobs go ahead in any weather. Outdoor removal may be postponed in strong wind or heavy rain, for safety.
- Nothing removed blind: unknown materials are tested first
- Done to the regulations: HSE guidance and CAR 2012
- Written paperwork: reports, results and waste consignment notes
- Asbestos waste double-bagged or wrapped and taken to a permitted site