Decision tree
A single, visual answer to the most common question in asbestos.
This decision tree walks through the three legal survey types defined in HSG264 and points you to the correct instruction. It reflects the way our senior surveyors actually scope work in the field — not a marketing quiz.
Overview
Why this exists.
Under HSG264 there are three formal survey types. Every project falls into one of them once you strip out marketing labels. The trigger is not the property, it is the work: are you managing the building in use, disturbing part of it, or removing all of it?
Get the survey type wrong and the report cannot be relied on. A management survey will not clear an area for refurbishment. A refurbishment survey does not discharge the duty to manage. The consequences show up months later, when a contractor cuts into a wall and finds AIB the survey never covered.
The explainer
Which survey do I need?
How to read this
- Start at the top question and follow the arrow that matches your project.
- Grey nodes are questions. Coloured nodes are the survey type you should instruct.
- Every outcome links to the full service page with scope, deliverables and price band.
Key takeaways
Building in continued use
Management Survey — a rolling record for the duty holder under CAR 2012 Reg 4.
Any invasive works
Refurbishment & Demolition Survey — fully intrusive across the affected area, before works begin.
Whole-building demolition
Demolition Survey — 100 % intrusive coverage of every structural element.
FAQs
Common follow-up questions.
Can one survey cover both management and refurbishment?
No. HSG264 treats them as different jobs with different scopes. You can commission both on one site visit, but the outputs are two distinct reports.
What if I don't know the extent of works yet?
Instruct a management survey first to discharge the duty to manage, then a refurbishment survey once the scope is defined. Ordering both together saves mobilisation.
Explore further
Related guidance
Guide
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