Who Are The Best Asbestos Survey Companies In London?

If you’re searching for the best asbestos company in London, you’ll find plenty of firms offering management surveys, refurbishment and demolition surveys, sampling and asbestos reports. The difficulty is working out which company you can actually trust with your property.

Rather than simply choosing the first company you find, or automatically going with the cheapest quote, there are several things worth comparing. Qualifications, experience, reporting times and the quality of the final report can all make a significant difference.

Here’s what we believe you should look for when comparing asbestos survey companies in London.

1. Check the Surveyors’ Qualifications

The person arriving at your property should have appropriate asbestos surveying qualifications and practical experience.

One of the most recognised qualifications is the BOHS P402, which covers surveying and sampling strategies for asbestos in buildings. However, qualifications should be considered alongside genuine surveying experience.

This is one area where it’s worth asking companies specific questions rather than accepting vague claims about having an “expert team”.

At 0800 Asbestos, for example, our surveyors hold BOHS P402 certification and have a minimum of 10 years’ industry experience. Our surveyors currently average more than 14 years’ experience each, while our Lead Surveyor holds BOHS P402, P403 and P404 qualifications.

That combination of formal training and practical experience is the sort of thing you should be looking for when comparing providers.

2. Find Out Who Analyses the Samples

The survey itself is only one part of the process. Where suspected asbestos-containing materials are sampled, those samples need to be analysed correctly.

Ask potential survey companies how their samples are handled and which laboratories they use.

At 0800 Asbestos, samples collected during our surveys are sent to external UKAS-accredited laboratories for analysis. This means the laboratory carrying out the asbestos bulk identification operates against the relevant recognised testing standard.

It’s a small detail that can easily be overlooked when comparing quotations, but an important one.

3. Look at Their Real-World Experience

There’s a big difference between knowing the theory of asbestos surveying and having spent years inspecting different types of properties.

London makes experience particularly valuable because its property stock is so varied. A surveyor might encounter a Victorian terrace that was extensively renovated in the 1970s in the morning, followed by a commercial office, block of flats or industrial property in the afternoon.

Ask how long the company has operated and what types of buildings its surveyors regularly inspect.

0800 Asbestos has more than 25 years’ experience in the asbestos industry, working with domestic customers alongside property management companies, developers, housing associations, public-sector organisations and large corporations.

4. Check the Company’s Track Record

When searching for asbestos surveyors in London, reviews can be useful, but don’t stop there.

Look for evidence that the company regularly carries out this type of work at scale. Does it have established processes? Can it show experience with both residential and commercial clients? Are there genuine statistics or examples of its work?

At the time of writing, 0800 Asbestos has completed more than 28,000 surveys, taken more than 94,000 samples and served more than 18,000 customers.

Numbers aren’t everything, but a substantial track record can give you greater confidence that you’re dealing with an established surveying business rather than an inexperienced operator.

5. Ask How Quickly You’ll Receive the Report

If your asbestos survey is connected to a property purchase, refurbishment or construction programme, waiting for the report can hold everything else up.

That’s why turnaround should be one of the questions you ask before booking.

Find out both how quickly the survey can be arranged and how long you’ll wait for the completed report.

0800 Asbestos aims to provide a full survey report within two working days, with reports often available the next day. Our systems have been developed specifically to make reporting more efficient, with surveyors recording property information, photographs and plans digitally while carrying out the inspection.

6. Look at What’s Actually Included in the Quote

Two asbestos survey quotations can look very different in price while actually covering different things.

Before deciding which is better value, establish whether the price includes the inspection, necessary samples, laboratory analysis and final report. Check for additional sample fees or other charges that could increase the final bill.

0800 Asbestos provides fully inclusive quotations covering the inspection, bulk samples, laboratory sample analysis and report, so customers know what they’re paying before the survey begins.

A transparent quote makes it much easier to compare providers on a like-for-like basis.

7. Make Sure You’ll Receive a Useful Report

The goal isn’t simply to obtain a PDF saying that a survey has taken place. The report needs to give you useful information about the property.

Depending on the survey, this may include photographs, plans showing sample locations, details of identified asbestos-containing materials and an asbestos register.

The information becomes particularly important when contractors, landlords, property managers or other people need to use the report afterwards.

At 0800 Asbestos, completed reports include photographs, drawing plans and an asbestos register where appropriate, giving customers a clear record of what was found.

So, Which Is the Best Asbestos Company in London?

There isn’t one company that’s automatically the right choice for every property or project. The best asbestos company in London for you should be the one that can demonstrate the right combination of:

• Appropriately qualified surveyors
• Significant practical experience
• Proper laboratory analysis of samples
• Clear, comprehensive reporting
• Fast and transparent turnaround times
• Experience with properties similar to yours
• Straightforward, inclusive pricing
• A proven track record with previous customers

Those are the standards we’d recommend using when comparing asbestos surveyors in London, and they’re the same standards we’ve built our own service around.

Looking for an Asbestos Surveyor in London?

0800 Asbestos has a London office in Piccadilly and provides asbestos surveys for homeowners, landlords, businesses, developers and property managers across London.

With P402-qualified surveyors, more than 25 years’ industry experience and reports normally delivered within two working days, we aim to make arranging an asbestos survey as straightforward as possible.

Need an asbestos survey in London? Contact 0800 Asbestos today for a fully inclusive, no-obligation quote.