Before works begin
Refurbishment Asbestos Surveys
A refurbishment survey is a legal requirement under CAR 2012 Regulation 5 before any works that will disturb the fabric of a pre-2000 building. It is intrusive, fully-sampled, and scoped tightly to the works package you plan to carry out. We work Principal-Designer-side, mobilise inside your CDM programme, and issue a register your Principal Contractor can trust.
- Reg 5 CAR 2012 compliant
- Intrusive & fully sampled
- Scoped to your works package
- PC / Principal Designer coordination
- Mobilises inside your CDM programme
- Independent — no removal contracts
- UKAS ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory partners
- Independent — no removal contracts
- BOHS P402 senior surveyors
- Digital reports (PDF + Excel register)
- Fast turnaround — quote inside 1 hour
- Nationwide UK coverage
What 'intrusive' actually means
A refurbishment survey inspects behind, under and inside things a management survey doesn't touch: dry-lining is opened up, floorboards are lifted, ceiling tiles are dropped, service risers are entered, plaster is sampled at ~1m² per 5m², boiler cupboards are dismantled, and any concealed lagging or AIB is exposed. We reinstate as we go with matched sealant and hoardings; if the area is due to be stripped anyway we leave openings visible for the contractor.
Planning refurbishment — get the survey in early
The best time to commission an R&D is at RIBA Stage 2/3 — early enough to fold findings into cost plans, late enough to know which fabric is being touched. Late R&Ds are the single biggest cause of contract-programme slippage on pre-2000 refurbishments. We can turn one around in 5–10 working days including sample results.
Builder & Principal Contractor requirements
Under CDM 2015, the Principal Contractor may refuse to start works without a compliant R&D survey — and the HSE will back them. Our report is signed by a BOHS P402 surveyor, formatted to HSG264 Appendix 6, and issued in PDF plus a downloadable Excel register for the pre-construction information pack. Where our findings change the works scope, we speak directly to the PC and Principal Designer at no extra charge.
Occupied refurbishments (fit-outs, RM works)
For refurbishments in occupied buildings — Cat B fit-outs, tenant CoW works, live retail parades — we survey out-of-hours and issue a phased register so the PC can strip out one zone while the next is being surveyed. This is standard on major fit-outs and adds no time to the overall programme.
How it works
A five-step process, no surprises.
1. Scope
Send us drawings and the works package. We scope the survey tightly to what will actually be disturbed.
2. Book
Fixed quote by return, mobilisation date agreed with your PC/PD.
3. Survey
Intrusive on-site work, sampling reinstated as we go, contractor briefed on what to expect during strip-out.
4. Report
HSG264-format report and Excel register issued within 5–10 working days of sampling. Findings flagged verbally to the PC as we go.
5. Site support
Included: telephone support during strip-out, unforeseen-finds response within 4 hours, register re-issue after removal works.
Areas covered
Nationwide coverage, local surveyors.
We survey properties across England, Wales and Scotland through a regional rota of BOHS P402 senior surveyors. Same fixed-price approach whether the property is in Kent, Cumbria or Cardiff.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Is a refurbishment survey a legal requirement?+
Yes. Regulation 5 CAR 2012 requires an assessment before any works that will disturb the fabric of a pre-2000 building. HSG264 sets the technical standard, and a survey compliant with that standard is what a Principal Contractor and Principal Designer will expect.
What's the difference between a management and a refurbishment survey?+
A management survey is non-intrusive and looks at accessible materials, so it's fine for day-to-day occupation. A refurbishment survey is intrusive — it looks behind, under and inside the fabric — and is required before any disturbance.
How much damage will the surveyor cause?+
Only what your works will cause anyway, scoped to the specific package. If you're stripping a kitchen, we open behind kitchen units; we don't open living-room walls that aren't in scope.
Do I need an R&D survey for a boiler replacement?+
Yes if it's a pre-2000 building — the boiler flue, hearth, and pipe lagging within the works zone must be assessed and sampled where suspect. Cost is low, disruption minimal, and it prevents Gas Safe engineers stopping mid-swap.
Can you scope the survey to save cost?+
Yes — that's the point of an R&D. We survey what will be disturbed, nothing else. If the works package expands later, we add a re-scope visit rather than re-survey the whole building.
How long does the survey and report take?+
Survey time depends on scope — a domestic kitchen strip-out is a half-day; a whole-floor commercial fit-out is 1–3 days. Report follows within 5 working days of sample results.
What happens if you find something during strip-out?+
Call us — telephone support is free for the life of the report. If a genuinely unforeseen ACM is exposed we can be back on site within 24 hours for a supplementary R&D.
Do you work for architects and PCs directly?+
Yes — most of our refurbishment work is either PC-side or PD/architect-side. Terms are agreed up-front and we invoice whichever party you nominate.
Can you attend a pre-start meeting?+
Yes — attendance at pre-start / CDM meetings is included in the fee for jobs above a modest threshold. Ask when you book.
Related services
Continue your research.
If refurbishment isn't the right fit, our surveyors also cover Demolition Asbestos Surveys, Refurbishment & Demolition Survey, Management Survey (Duty to Manage), Commercial Property Asbestos Surveys, Church Asbestos Surveys and Listed Building Asbestos Surveys. Every survey uses the same HSG264 methodology, UKAS ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory partners and BOHS P402 senior surveyors.
Ready when you are
Book an R&D Survey.
Fixed-price quote within one working hour. Senior surveyor on site within the working week. Report inside 72 hours of the visit.