Before demolition begins
Demolition Asbestos Surveys
Before demolition that may disturb asbestos, CAR 2012 Regulation 5 requires suitable steps to identify it. For a pre-2000 building, an appropriately scoped intrusive demolition survey to HSG264 is normally used to obtain that information. It is fully destructive and provides the register your demolition contractor will need before work starts.
- Reg 5 CAR 2012 compliant
- Fully destructive to HSG264
- Register issued to demo contractor
- HSE F10 & CDM aware
- Independent — no removal contracts
- Surveyors across London, Essex & Kent
- UKAS-accredited laboratory analysis
- Independent — no removal contracts
- BOHS P402 qualified surveyors
- Digital reports (PDF + Excel register)
- Fast turnaround — quote inside 1 hour
- London, Essex & Kent covered in full
Destructive inspection — what to expect
Because the building is coming down, nothing is off-limits. Plaster is broken out, floorboards lifted, ceilings dropped, service risers dismantled, wall cavities exposed. We work with a stripping-out approach — one room at a time, samples logged as we go — and issue a full register by area. On soft-strip contracts we often work alongside the demolition contractor's team during their initial soft strip.
Asbestos information required before demolition
CAR 2012 Regulation 5 requires suitable steps to determine whether asbestos is present before work that may disturb it. For pre-2000 demolition — including partial demolition or facade-retention — an appropriately scoped intrusive HSG264 survey is normally used to obtain that information. Work can be stopped where adequate asbestos information is not available.
Coordinating with the demolition contractor
We issue the register to the demolition contractor and brief their site team. Where asbestos removal is required, the report identifies the appropriate next steps. Elements Surveying Group does not sell asbestos removal services; clients remain free to appoint an appropriate licensed contractor.
Facade retention, partial demolition & internal soft-strip
Not the whole building coming down? A partial demolition survey is scoped to the works, provided the retained structure is treated with an appropriate refurbishment survey. We commonly deliver a combined R&D + demolition scope for phased schemes.
How it works
A five-step process, no surprises.
1. Scope
We review demolition drawings and phasing with the demolition contractor and CDM Principal Designer.
2. Book
Fixed quote by return, mobilisation aligned to the demolition programme.
3. Survey
Destructive inspection room by room, samples logged, register drafted live for the demolition contractor.
4. Report
HSG264 report and register typically issued within 48–72 hours. Where asbestos removal is required, the report identifies the appropriate next steps. Elements Surveying Group does not sell asbestos removal services; clients remain free to appoint an appropriate licensed contractor.
5. Report support
Telephone support from the reporting surveyor if the demolition team has questions about the register.
Areas covered
London, Essex and Kent in full — plus the wider South East.
We survey properties across all of London, all of Essex and all of Kent, and also attend Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex, using BOHS P402 qualified surveyors. Same fixed-price approach throughout.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Is a demolition survey legally required?+
CAR 2012 Regulation 5 requires suitable steps to determine whether asbestos is present before works that disturb the fabric of a pre-2000 building. For demolition, an appropriately scoped intrusive survey carried out in accordance with HSG264 is normally used to obtain that information.
How is it different from a refurbishment survey?+
Scope. An R&D survey covers the works package; a demolition survey covers the entire building. Reg 5 makes both mandatory in their contexts.
Can the demolition contractor commission the survey?+
Yes — many do, once appointed. It's often cheaper for the client to instruct us direct and issue the register to the contractor at PC appointment, though.
What happens if asbestos is found during demolition?+
Works stop, the area is isolated, and — where non-licensed removal isn't sufficient — a licensed contractor is called in. Our register is designed to make sure this doesn't happen; unforeseen finds are rare.
Do you clear the site after removal?+
No. Elements Surveying Group does not provide air monitoring, four-stage clearance or asbestos removal services. Where removal is required, the report identifies the appropriate next steps and you remain free to appoint an appropriate licensed contractor and analyst.
How much does a demolition survey cost?+
Fixed price per building, based on floor area, storeys, structural complexity and access. Sampling, laboratory analysis and reporting included. Portfolio pricing on multi-building schemes.
How quickly can you mobilise?+
Fast-track slots are available inside 5 working days. For programmed schemes we book in months ahead against the demolition programme.
Which areas do you cover?+
London, Essex and Kent in full, plus the wider South East.
What about the F10 notification?+
Our surveyors are CDM 2015 aware and will flag whether the works exceed F10 thresholds. Notification is the PC's responsibility, but we support it with a clear register.
Related services
Continue your research.
If demolition isn't the right fit, our surveyors also cover Refurbishment Asbestos Surveys, Refurbishment & Demolition Survey, Commercial Property Asbestos Surveys, Management Survey (Duty to Manage) and Asbestos Sampling & Testing. Every survey uses the same HSG264 methodology, UKAS ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory analysis and BOHS P402 qualified surveyors.
Where we survey
Looking for an asbestos survey locally? See asbestos surveys in Colchester, asbestos survey services across Essex and London asbestos surveying for local guide prices, survey types and turnaround times.
Independent asbestos surveying and testing — no asbestos removal sales
We survey and advise — we do not sell the removal work.
Elements Surveying Group specialises in asbestos surveying, sampling and independent advice. We do not sell asbestos removal services, so our survey recommendations remain focused on the condition, risk and appropriate management of the material identified.
Where removal or remedial work is genuinely required, we explain what that normally involves and what a licensed contractor would need — then leave you free to appoint whoever you choose.
How we workReady when you are
Book a Demolition Survey.
Fixed-price quote. Contact us to discuss surveyor availability.