Asbestos Surveys in Greater Manchester

Asbestos Survey Services Across Greater Manchester

We carry out all types of asbestos surveys for residential, commercial and industrial properties throughout Greater Manchester. Whether you are a homeowner planning a renovation, a landlord with a legal duty to manage asbestos, or a contractor preparing for demolition, we can help. Because we only survey — we do not remove asbestos — we have no vested interest in finding it. You get a completely independent assessment, and the price we quote is the price you pay.

Asbestos Management Surveys

A management survey is carried out on an occupied building to identify any asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) that are present and could be disturbed during normal use or routine maintenance. It produces a written asbestos register and management plan, which is a legal requirement for most non-domestic premises under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012). We carry out management surveys across all of Greater Manchester — from Manchester city centre commercial offices and Salford industrial units through to Stockport market town premises, Bolton mill buildings and residential properties throughout all ten boroughs.

Asbestos Refurbishment & Demolition Surveys

Before any refurbishment, extension, or demolition work begins on a building constructed before the year 2000, a refurbishment and demolition survey is a legal requirement. This is a more intrusive survey designed to locate all ACMs in the areas to be disturbed, including those concealed within floors, walls, ceilings and roof spaces. Greater Manchester has one of the largest concentrations of pre-2000 industrial, commercial and residential buildings in England — do not start work without a survey in place.

Asbestos Sampling & Testing

If you have a material you suspect may contain asbestos but are not certain, we can take a bulk sample and have it analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory. We offer two samples for £150 — results are typically ready within 3 working days of sample collection. A cost-effective first step before committing to a full survey or remediation programme.

Areas We Cover in Greater Manchester

We provide asbestos surveys across all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester. Click on any town below to find out more about our service in that area.

Town / Area	Postcode	Survey Page
Altrincham	WA14–WA15	Asbestos Surveys Altrincham
Bolton	BL1–BL7	Asbestos Surveys Bolton
Bury	BL8–BL9	Asbestos Surveys Bury
Manchester	M1–M23	Asbestos Surveys Manchester
Oldham	OL1–OL4	Asbestos Surveys Oldham
Rochdale	OL10–OL16	Asbestos Surveys Rochdale
Salford	M5–M7, M27–M28	Asbestos Surveys Salford
Stockport	SK1–SK8	Asbestos Surveys Stockport
Wigan	WN1–WN6	Asbestos Surveys Wigan

Don’t see your town listed? We cover all of Greater Manchester — call us and we will confirm coverage for your area.

Our Asbestos Survey Services

Not sure which type of survey you need? The table below explains each service and links through to the full information page.

Service	When You Need It	More Information
Asbestos Management Survey	Occupied buildings — to meet your legal duty to manage asbestos under CAR 2012	Management Survey Information
Asbestos Refurbishment & Demolition Survey	Before any refurbishment, extension or demolition of a pre-2000 building	Refurbishment Survey Information
Asbestos Sampling & Testing	When you want to confirm whether a specific material contains asbestos	Sampling & Testing Information

Why Greater Manchester Properties Carry a Higher Asbestos Risk

Greater Manchester’s history as the world’s first industrial city produced a building stock of extraordinary scale and variety. Cotton spinning in Bolton, Oldham and Rochdale; textile manufacturing in Manchester and Salford; hat making in Stockport; coal mining in Wigan; engineering and chemical processing across the region — all drove rapid construction from the 18th century onwards, creating a vast concentration of older buildings that were built or substantially refurbished during the decades when asbestos was used as a standard component of British construction.

Greater Manchester has one of the highest concentrations of pre-2000 properties of any region in England. Asbestos was used widely across the region’s building stock for insulation, fireproofing and as a component in a huge range of construction products. Common locations where asbestos-containing materials are still found in Greater Manchester properties include:

• Roof sheets and guttering on older industrial, mill and commercial buildings (asbestos cement)
• Pipe and boiler lagging in older commercial and residential properties
• Floor tiles in pre-1980 offices, schools and public buildings
• Ceiling tiles and partition boards in buildings from the 1960s and 1970s
• Artex and textured coatings on ceilings and walls in domestic properties
• Soffit boards, window surrounds and external cladding panels
• Thermal insulation in former cotton mills, engineering works and city centre commercial buildings
• Rope seals and gaskets in older heating systems

If you own, manage or are planning work on any Greater Manchester property built before 2000, you need to take asbestos seriously. The legal duty is clear — and the health consequences of getting it wrong are severe.

Who We Work With Across Greater Manchester

Our Greater Manchester clients include property owners, landlords, housing associations, construction contractors, local authorities, schools and colleges, commercial businesses, estate agents and individual homeowners. We work with clients of all sizes across all ten boroughs — from a homeowner needing a single sampling visit before a bathroom refurbishment, to a contractor managing a large commercial demolition requiring a full pre-demolition survey.

Asbestos Surveys Greater Manchester — Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an asbestos survey before refurbishing a Greater Manchester property?

Yes. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, a refurbishment and demolition survey is required before any work that disturbs the fabric of a building constructed before the year 2000. This applies to domestic, commercial and industrial properties throughout Greater Manchester. Starting refurbishment work without a survey is not only illegal but puts workers and occupants at serious risk.

What qualifications do your surveyors hold?

Our surveyors hold BOHS P402 (Buildings Surveys and Assessment of Asbestos-Containing Materials) and BOHS P405 (Management of Asbestos in Buildings). All surveys are carried out in accordance with HSG264: Asbestos — The Survey Guide. Our principal surveyor has been working in the asbestos industry since the early 1990s.

How quickly can you carry out a survey in Greater Manchester?

We can typically arrange surveys within a few days of enquiry. A 24 to 48-hour service is available for urgent situations — call us and we will do our best to fit around your timescale.

What does an asbestos survey cost in Greater Manchester?

We offer fixed-fee pricing — the price we quote is the price you pay, with no hidden extras. For a typical domestic property, a management survey starts from around £200 plus VAT. Asbestos sampling is offered at two samples for £150. For commercial and industrial properties, pricing depends on the size and complexity of the building. Call us for a same-day quote.

Do you survey residential properties as well as commercial ones?

Yes. We survey all property types including houses, flats, bungalows, commercial offices, retail units, industrial buildings, schools, churches and community buildings across all of Greater Manchester. No job is too small.

What happens after the survey?

You receive a full written report — typically within 5 working days of the site visit — identifying the location, type, condition and risk rating of any asbestos-containing materials found. For management surveys this forms the basis of your asbestos register and management plan. We will talk you through the findings and advise on next steps.