We're a Tooting asbestos specialist covering the whole SW17 district, from Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway through to Colliers Wood and beyond. We regularly work on properties near Tooting Market.
Asbestos in Tooting buildings
Many buildings in Tooting predate the 2000 asbestos ban, which means artex and textured coatings, asbestos insulating board (AIB), cement roof and wall sheets, pipe lagging, floor tiles and guttering can all still be present. The Victorian and Edwardian terraces common around Tooting are especially worth checking. A diverse residential area known for its markets and Tooting Common. We identify and sample suspect materials to UKAS-accredited labs first, so nothing in your Tooting property is disturbed unsafely.
If you’re planning major refurbishment or demolition in London, a fully intrusive Refurbishment & Demolition (R&D) asbestos survey is mandatory under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, not optional. You’ll need a licensed specialist to open voids, sample all suspect materials, and use a UKAS-accredited lab to identify ACMs before works start. This controls liability, prevents fibre release, and guarantees compliant removal, air testing, and certification, with the next sections explaining exactly how that’s done.
Takeaways
- A refurbishment & demolition (R&D) asbestos survey is mandatory under CAR 2012 before major refurbishment or demolition work in London.
- The survey is fully intrusive, opening voids and finishes to identify all asbestos-containing materials that could be disturbed by the planned works.
- Surveys must follow HSG264 and use a UKAS-accredited laboratory for sample analysis to meet legal and safety requirements.
- Results are provided as a risk-prioritised asbestos register, supporting compliant planning, licensed removal, and protection of workers and occupants.
- Typical London R&D survey prices start from £345 + VAT, with a fixed written quote issued within 24 hours of the site visit.
What This Service Covers
A Refurbishment and Demolition (R&D) asbestos survey identifies all asbestos‑containing materials (ACMs) that could be disturbed during major refurbishment or full demolition works across London. It is fully intrusive: our surveyors open up voids, remove sections of finishes and access hidden areas so that asbestos cannot be missed in structural elements and hard‑to‑reach spaces.
We work to CAR 2012 and HSG264, using a UKAS‑accredited laboratory to analyse samples. The survey findings are set out in a clear report with photographs, sample results and a risk‑prioritised register of ACMs. This enables your principal designer, contractor and CDM dutyholders to plan safe removal, control costs and prevent accidental fibre release on site.
Typical materials and situations covered:
- Refurbishment of kitchens, bathrooms, offices and shops
- Full or partial demolition projects
- Asbestos insulation board (AIB) and partitioning
- Pipe lagging and boiler/plant insulation
- Sprayed coatings and other high‑risk ACMs
Why You Need a Licensed Specialist
If you’re planning refurbishment or demolition in a London property, the law (Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012) makes you responsible for managing asbestos safely. Using an unlicensed operator can leave you personally liable for breaches, even if they were “cheaper” or said they’d take care of everything.
Unlicensed work often means poor controls, hidden or leftover fibres, and no proper paperwork. That puts trades, occupants and neighbours at risk, and can lead to enforcement action, project delays and costly re‑work. There’s also a real danger of asbestos being fly‑tipped or dumped illegally, which you can be held accountable for.
An HSE‑licensed asbestos contractor works to strict standards, uses UKAS‑accredited testing, and issues a formal four‑stage clearance certificate so you can prove the property is safe to proceed.
Our Process — Survey, Quote, Removal, Clearance
Our process begins with a free on-site survey, during which our qualified asbestos surveyors inspect the areas due for refurbishment or demolition and take representative samples for testing in a UKAS-accredited laboratory. Following the survey, we provide a clear, fixed written quote within 24 hours, so you know exactly what is involved before any work starts. Once approved, the removal phase is carried out under full enclosure where required, in strict accordance with CAR 2012 and HSG247, using negative pressure units and controlled techniques to minimise fibre release. Finally, we arrange an independent 4-stage clearance, including air testing, and only when this is passed do you receive a formal 4-stage clearance certificate confirming the area is safe for reoccupation and your project can proceed.
How Much Does It Cost in London?
In 2026, most London refurbishment and demolition (R&D) asbestos surveys we carry out start from £345 + VAT, as per our published pricing. That’s an all‑in, fixed price for the agreed scope – not a day rate that creeps up once we’re on site.
The final cost depends on the size, complexity and number of floors/units, plus any access issues, but we confirm everything in a written, fixed‑price quote within 24 hours. This covers UKAS‑accredited sampling and testing, a full survey report compliant with CAR 2012 and HSG264, and clear recommendations for any asbestos found, so you know your legal duties – and total cost – upfront.
How Long Does the Job Take?
From your first call to final clearance, most domestic projects are wrapped up within a few days. We can usually schedule a refurbishment and demolition survey anywhere in London within the same week, often sooner.
The survey itself typically takes a few hours on site, depending on the size and complexity of the property. Samples go straight to our UKAS‑accredited laboratory, and we normally receive results within a short turnaround. Once you approve the fixed-price quote, licensed removal and 4‑stage clearance are booked promptly, aiming to complete everything with minimal disruption.
What's Included as Standard
- Thorough on-site asbestos survey of the refurbishment or demolition area
- Detailed risk assessment covering occupants, operatives, and neighbouring properties
- Targeted sampling of suspected materials with analysis by a UKAS-accredited laboratory
- Design and installation of full asbestos enclosure where required
- Use of negative-pressure units and decontamination procedures for high‑risk works
- Licensed removal of all identified asbestos-containing materials in scope
- Consigned hazardous-waste transport and disposal at authorised facilities
- Independent, UKAS-accredited 4‑stage air clearance testing on notifiable work
- Issue of a formal clearance certificate confirming the area is safe to reoccupy
- Complete compliance pack, including survey report, lab results, waste consignment notes, and photographic evidence
Get a Free Quote
Call 020 4652 3586 or complete the form to book your free on-site survey. You’ll receive a fixed-price quote in writing within 24 hours, backed by our pass-first-time guarantee – if clearance ever fails, we’ll return and re-do the work completely free of charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a Refurbishment & Demolition Survey if My Property Was Built After 2000?
You probably don’t need a full refurbishment & demolition survey for a post 2000 property, because most asbestos use stopped by 1999. However, CAR 2012 still requires you to prove there’s no asbestos risk. If you’re doing intrusive works (e.g. structural changes, major refits), you should at least arrange targeted material testing of suspect components, documented by a competent surveyor, to demonstrate regulatory compliance and manage liability.
Will the Survey Findings Affect My Planning Permission or Building Control Approval?
It won’t usually block planning permission directly, but survey results can create planning implications and strict compliance checks for building control. If asbestos is found, you’ll need an HSE-licensed removal plan, possible notification, and evidence of 4-stage clearance before sign‑off. Building control may condition approvals on safe removal, waste consignment documentation, and air testing results, so you should factor asbestos risks, costs, and programme delays into your project planning.
Can I Stay in the Property While the Refurbishment & Demolition Survey Is Carried Out?
You usually can’t stay in the property during a full R&D survey; it’s about occupant safety, not inconvenience. Intrusive sampling, dust generation and unknown asbestos locations mean temporary relocation is normally required under CAR 2012 and HSG264. You’ll benefit from controlled access, air quality monitoring, and strict decontamination procedures. If only discrete areas are surveyed, limited reoccupation may be possible, with noise mitigation and sealed work zones in place.
How Detailed Is the Report, and Can My Architect/Engineer Use It for Design?
It’s highly detailed: you’ll get plans, photographs, risk assessments, scope clarity, and full material sampling records in line with CAR 2012 and HSG264. All asbestos‑containing materials are identified, risk‑rated, and located precisely by room/area, with recommendations for removal or management. Your architect or structural engineer can safely use the report for design, phasing, and method statements, ensuring their proposals don’t disturb asbestos unknowingly.
What Happens if the Survey Discovers Asbestos in Previously Refurbished Areas?
You’ll treat those “ghost” asbestos finds as live risks: stop intrusive work, lock down the area, update the asbestos register and revise your construction phase plan. We’ll advise on interim controls, including tenant relocation if exposure can’t be ruled out. Then we design licensed asbestos removal under CAR 2012, notify HSE where required, carry out UKAS-tested clearance, and re-survey affected zones so your team can safely resume works.
Areas we cover around Tooting
We provide asbestos removal, surveys and testing throughout Tooting and the surrounding SW17 postcodes, including:
- Tooting Bec — Tooting Bec, SW17
- Tooting Broadway — Tooting Broadway, SW17
- Colliers Wood — Colliers Wood, SW19
- Upper Tooting — Upper Tooting, SW17
- Furzedown — Furzedown, SW17
Tooting asbestos: local questions
Are you local to Tooting?
Yes — we work throughout Tooting and the wider SW17 district, including Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Colliers Wood and Upper Tooting. There's no extra travel charge within the area, and we can usually fit a survey in quickly.
How fast can you survey a property in SW17?
As a Tooting-based team we can normally carry out a free on-site survey in SW17 within the same week, then confirm a fixed written price within 24 hours. For urgent or disturbed asbestos, call 020 4652 3586.