Think of an R&D survey as your property's pre-operation health check. Older buildings, especially those built before the year 2000, commonly contain asbestos materials. During refurbishment or demolition, these materials are often disturbed, releasing harmful asbestos fibres into the air. Inhaling these fibres can lead to serious, life-threatening diseases years later. A thorough R&D survey aims to protect everyone on site – your workers, contractors, and the public – by identifying and locating all asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) before work begins. This allows for their safe removal or management, preventing dangerous exposure, costly project delays, and hefty legal penalties.

Unlike a standard management survey, a Refurbishment and Demolition Survey is highly intrusive. Our experienced surveyors will carefully and systematically inspect all areas of the building, including those normally inaccessible. This means we might need to drill into walls, lift floorboards, open up ceiling voids, and inspect ducts to find hidden asbestos. We'll use specialist tools to access all layers of the building fabric where asbestos might be present. The goal is to locate all asbestos materials that could be disturbed by your planned work. We then take samples of any suspected ACMs and send them for UKAS-accredited laboratory analysis to confirm their presence and type.

Once our thorough inspection and testing are complete, you'll receive a detailed, easy-to-understand report. This isn't just a piece of paper; it's your essential roadmap for managing asbestos during your project. The report will clearly identify the location, type, and condition of any asbestos-containing materials found. It will also provide specific recommendations for their safe removal or management before your refurbishment or demolition work can proceed. This information allows your contractors to develop a safe work plan, price the work accurately, and ensure full legal compliance, giving you peace of mind.