Find asbestos before refurbishment finds it for you
Targeted inspection before trades disturb ceilings, walls, floors and services.
Discuss planned works
Match the survey to the work
A management survey is not designed to cover intrusive refurbishment. Before work starts, the survey must address the areas and building fabric that will be disturbed.
- Share drawings and the intended scope.
- Inspect relevant voids, finishes and service routes.
- Sample suspected materials where appropriate.
- Give contractors clear information before work begins.
From finding to workable plan
If asbestos is confirmed, we explain the required controls and can help source quotations from appropriately qualified removal contractors. That lets you programme the work and understand costs before the project is committed.
Survey the areas the project will disturb
Internal refurbishment
Alterations to walls, ceilings, floors, kitchens, bathrooms, service routes, risers, plant areas or fixed finishes may expose concealed materials.
External or structural work
Roofing, cladding, extensions, openings, demolition and structural changes require information aligned with the affected construction.
Major maintenance or installation
Work that is more intrusive than routine maintenance may fall outside an existing management survey and need targeted investigation.
Scope first, investigate safely, then plan the work
Define the works
Provide drawings, specifications, photographs and a clear description of every area and building element likely to be disturbed.
Plan access
Agree intrusive access, isolation, occupancy arrangements and any enabling work needed to inspect concealed spaces safely.
Survey and sample
We inspect the agreed scope, record limitations and arrange controlled sampling of suspect materials where appropriate.
Brief the project team
Use the report to design controls, obtain removal quotations, programme enabling work and inform contractors before disturbance.
Access and occupancy need to be planned
A refurbishment and demolition survey may involve opening up finishes, voids or building elements to inspect areas that cannot otherwise be seen. The premises or affected areas should be suitably prepared and, where necessary, unoccupied while intrusive inspection takes place.
Good project information reduces avoidable damage and helps the survey focus on the actual works rather than applying a generic scope.
What should you send us?
- Property address, type and approximate age if known.
- Drawings, specification and scope of works.
- Areas that will be altered, removed or penetrated.
- Existing asbestos and building survey reports.
- Photographs of the project areas.
- Programme dates, occupancy and access constraints.
Turn findings into a buildable programme
The report should be provided to designers and contractors who need the information to plan the work. Where asbestos is confirmed, the project team can consider design changes, protection, specialist controls or removal before disturbance.
We can clarify the survey findings, help define the remedial scope and source quotations from appropriately qualified removal contractors. Final requirements depend on the material, condition, extent, access and proposed disturbance.
Management survey versus R&D survey
A management survey supports normal occupation and foreseeable routine maintenance. A refurbishment and demolition survey is more intrusive and is targeted to the specific areas and materials a project will disturb. One should not be assumed to replace the other.
Unexpected suspect material during work?
Stop work in the affected area, prevent further disturbance and seek competent advice. Do not sample, drill, cut or remove the material until it has been assessed and appropriate controls are in place.
Ask for urgent guidanceProject-specific survey support across Jersey
Jersey Asbestos Limited supports homeowners, property managers, designers, contractors and project teams across Jersey. We recommend the scope around the building, available records, planned disturbance, access requirements and the information needed to prepare the work safely.
Jersey’s asbestos ACoP provides practical guidance for workplace premises and work that may expose people to asbestos. See the Government of Jersey asbestos guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Is a management survey enough before refurbishment?
No, not where planned work will disturb areas or building fabric beyond its scope. Refurbishment normally requires a targeted, more intrusive survey before work begins.
Why do you need the scope and drawings?
They show exactly what will be disturbed, allowing inspection to focus on relevant areas and reducing the risk of gaps or unnecessary intrusion.
Will the survey cause damage?
It can require destructive access to concealed areas. The level and location of intrusion should be agreed and planned around access, occupancy and the proposed works.
Does the whole building need surveying?
The scope should cover all areas and building fabric affected by the work. Whole-building demolition requires a broader scope than a localised refurbishment.
Can you help plan removal before building work?
Yes. Where asbestos and the required scope are confirmed, we can help source quotations from appropriately qualified contractors and clarify sequencing.
What if suspect material is found after work starts?
Stop work in the affected area, prevent further disturbance and obtain competent advice before the material is touched or work resumes.