the South East and East of England · CDM 2015 & CAR 2012 · Independent asbestos surveying specialists

Independent refurbishment & demolition surveys, across the South East and East of England.

Fully intrusive R&D surveys for contractors, designers and developers — scoped against your works and delivered as a Principal Designer-ready PCI pack with detailed floor plans. Evidence-based, conflict-free advice from Elements Surveying Group. Reports typically issued within 48–72 hours; large or unusually complex projects may require a longer reporting period, which will be confirmed when the scope is agreed.

Refurbishing only, with no demolition planned? See our pre-refurbishment asbestos survey.

Get a survey quote 0208 036 1099

Get a quote

Get an R&D survey quote

Refurbishment and demolition surveys from £300–£400 + VAT for typical properties, scoped against your works programme. Send the details and we'll confirm a firm price.

BOHS P402 qualified surveyors
HSG264 survey methodology
Fixed Prices. No Surprises.
UKAS-accredited laboratory analysis
Independent — we do not sell asbestos removal

Call 0208 036 1099 WhatsApp us Book a survey

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 work

Before you commission a survey

Choosing your asbestos survey

Do I need an asbestos survey before renovating in London, Essex, Kent and the wider South East?

Before work that could disturb suspect materials in a pre-2000 property, establish whether asbestos is present. A management survey covers normal occupation and routine maintenance, with minor intrusion where appropriate. Refurbishment or demolition requires an intrusive survey of the affected works area; a targeted R&D survey can cover a clearly defined refurbishment scope. A management survey alone is not normally sufficient for intrusive works.

Refurbishment and demolition surveys

Who carries out asbestos surveys in London, Essex, Kent and the wider South East?

Elements Surveying Group Ltd provides management, refurbishment and demolition surveys and targeted sampling in London, Essex, Kent and the wider South East. Our BOHS P402 qualified surveyors work to HSG264; our operational base is Colchester, Essex, not a separate office in each area. Confirm the property address and intended works so we can agree the right scope.

Request a fixed quotation

How quickly are asbestos survey reports issued in London, Essex, Kent and the wider South East?

Reports are typically issued 48–72 hours after the survey. Complex scope or laboratory delays can affect timing; confirm any deadline before booking. Bulk sampling alone provides a material analysis certificate, not a survey report. We arrange samples analysed in a UKAS accredited laboratory. The laboratory holds the relevant accreditation; Elements provides the independent surveying service.

About our surveying practice

What next if a RICS Level 2 / Level 3 or building survey recommends further asbestos investigation?

A building survey recommendation is not a laboratory result. Send or upload the relevant asbestos extract, property address, material location and planned works. If you intend to renovate after purchase, describe the works area and disturbance so a targeted refurbishment/R&D or wider works scope can be agreed. Obtain the owner's permission before sampling and distinguish private-flat from communal access. Your solicitor or lender decides whether the evidence answers their request; acceptance is not guaranteed.

Send your building survey recommendation

Before work that may disturb asbestos begins, Regulation 5 of CAR 2012 requires suitable steps to identify asbestos or presumed asbestos. For pre-2000 refurbishment or demolition, an appropriately scoped intrusive HSG264 survey is normally used to obtain that information.

What's included

A PCI-ready pack, not just a survey report.

Every R&D survey we deliver is scoped against your construction programme and the Principal Designer's information requirements. The deliverables drop straight into the pre-construction information pack and any licensed removal tender.

Fully intrusive inspection of every area within the scope of works, in line with HSG264
Destructive sampling — lifting floors, opening ceilings, cutting risers and behind permanent fixtures where required
Bulk samples analysed in a UKAS-accredited laboratory to ISO/IEC 17025
Photographic register and annotated drawings of all asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) identified
Material and priority risk assessments for each ACM
Pre-construction information (PCI) suitable for the Principal Designer under CDM 2015
Removal recommendations and licensed/non-licensed work categorisation under CAR 2012

Who commissions an R&D survey

Anyone responsible for works on a pre-2000 building.

Principal contractors

Before work that may disturb asbestos, Regulation 5 requires suitable steps to identify it. An appropriately scoped intrusive R&D survey is normally used for pre-2000 strip-outs, refits, structural alterations and demolition.

Principal designers

We scope the survey against your information requirements under CDM 2015, so the report drops straight into the pre-construction information pack.

Architects & developers

Early R&D surveys protect programme and budget — late asbestos discoveries routinely trigger delays of 4–8 weeks.

Landlords & duty holders

For partial refurbishment of pre-2000 non-domestic property, an appropriately scoped R&D survey is normally used to obtain the information Regulation 5 requires before work begins.

Our process

Scoped, intrusive, lab-verified — PCI ready.

Scope agreement

We review drawings and the scope of works with you, agree intrusion levels and access requirements, and confirm a fixed price.

On-site survey

Our qualified surveyor inspects intrusively — lifting finishes, opening voids and sampling concealed materials within the agreed scope.

Lab analysis

Bulk samples are analysed through a UKAS-accredited laboratory, with laboratory analysis typically 24–48 hours after sample receipt.

PCI report

You receive a full HSG264 R&D report, annotated drawings and a pre-construction information pack — ready for tender, the Principal Designer and any licensed removal contractor.

Same-week mobilisation

CDM 2015 & CAR 2012 compliant

UKAS 17025 lab analysis

FAQs

R&D asbestos surveys — common questions.

What is a refurbishment & demolition (R&D) asbestos survey?

An R&D survey is a fully intrusive asbestos survey carried out before work that may disturb the fabric of a building — refurbishment, strip-out, refit or demolition. For pre-2000 non-domestic premises and common parts of domestic blocks, it is normally used to obtain the asbestos information required by Regulation 5 of CAR 2012.

How is an R&D survey different from a management survey?

A management survey is non-intrusive and identifies ACMs that could be disturbed during normal occupation. An R&D survey is fully intrusive — surveyors lift floors, open ceilings and cut into walls within the scope of works to locate ACMs a contractor could disturb. A management survey does not normally provide enough information for intrusive refurbishment or demolition.

How much does an R&D survey cost?

Guide prices start from £300 + VAT for a refurbishment survey of a flat up to 3 bedrooms, £400 + VAT for a house up to 4 bedrooms, and £500 + VAT for a demolition survey of a house up to 4 bedrooms. Commercial premises and larger projects are priced per project after a short scoping call.

When do I need to commission the R&D survey?

As early as possible — ideally during RIBA Stage 2/3 design or before tender. Commissioning the survey only at mobilisation routinely causes 4–8 week delays and licensed-removal cost overruns on live projects.

Can the works start without an R&D survey?

Regulation 5 requires suitable steps to determine whether asbestos is present before work that may disturb the fabric proceeds. A non-intrusive management survey does not normally provide that information, so an appropriately scoped intrusive survey carried out in accordance with HSG264 is the usual way to obtain it.

Which areas do you cover for R&D surveys?

Colchester and the whole of Essex, all 32 London boroughs and the City, Kent, and the wider South East and East of England. We regularly support multi-site refurbishment programmes across the region.

Sector specialisms

Commercial →Industrial & Logistics →Public Sector →Education →

Management asbestos survey

Asbestos testing in London

Where we survey

Looking for a refurbishment or demolition 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.

Mobilising a project? Don't let asbestos delay it.

Share drawings and your scope of works — we'll have a fixed price and a survey date in your inbox within 24 hours.

Request a quote 0208 036 1099