If you have never had an asbestos survey before, you might be wondering what the process involves. Whether you’re in an Edinburgh tenement flat ahead of a kitchen refit, a landlord with a Midlothian rental portfolio, or managing a commercial building in Falkirk or Stirling — the process is the same. This guide walks you through every step from your initial enquiry through to receiving your final report.

The 8-Step Survey Process

Initial Enquiry & Quote

You email us with the basics — property type, rough size, where it is, and why you need the survey. We come back with a fixed price, usually the same day. That price does not change. There are no call-out fees added afterwards and no invoice surprises.

Booking & Preparation

We schedule a date, normally within 2–3 working days. For a management survey you just need to make sure all areas are accessible — loft, basement, any locked cupboards. For a refurbishment survey, it helps to tell us in advance exactly where the building work is planned so we can focus the sampling on the right areas.

Surveyor Arrival & Briefing

Alex arrives with all the equipment he needs — sampling tools, PPE, a camera for recording materials, and sample bags. He will run through what he is going to do and ask anything that was not clear from the initial enquiry. For most Edinburgh properties this takes about five minutes before the actual survey starts.

Visual Inspection

Every accessible room gets checked — walls, ceilings, floors, cupboards, service risers, loft if there is one. Alex knows what to look for: artex coatings, old floor tiles, pipe lagging, boiler flue materials, cement panels, fuse boards. Anything suspect gets photographed and logged. In an Edinburgh tenement this stage often turns up materials in areas the occupant had never thought to look.

Bulk Sampling

For each suspect material, a small sample is taken — about the size of a 50p coin. We dampen the area first to keep any potential fibres contained, take the sample cleanly, and seal it in a labelled bag. The number of samples varies depending on the property. A typical Edinburgh flat might generate 3–7 samples; a commercial premises or older house with a garage and outbuildings could be more.

Laboratory Analysis

Samples go to a UKAS-accredited lab the same day or first thing the following morning. The lab uses polarised light microscopy (PLM) to identify whether asbestos fibres are present, which type (chrysotile, amosite, or crocidolite), and roughly how much. Results come back within 24–48 hours as standard. We can request same-day analysis if a job is urgent.

Report Preparation

Once the lab results land, Alex writes up the full report. It covers everything: executive summary, methodology, where each material was found, what condition it is in, the risk score assigned to it, photographs, laboratory certificates, and what you should do next. For properties with no findings it is a short, clean document. For properties with multiple ACMs it is more detailed, but always written in plain language rather than technical jargon.

Report Delivery & Advice

You receive the finished report by email within 48 hours of the survey for management surveys, or 48–72 hours for refurbishment and demolition surveys. The report includes your asbestos register — the document you keep on file for ongoing compliance. We are available by email to answer any questions about the findings and to advise on next steps, whether that means managing ACMs in place, arranging testing, or getting a quote for removal.

How Long Does a Survey Take?

Survey Type	On-Site Time	Report Turnaround
Management Survey (house)	1–2 hours	48 hours
Management Survey (commercial)	2–6 hours	48–72 hours
Refurbishment Survey	2–4 hours	48–72 hours
Demolition Survey	4–8 hours	3–5 working days

What Does Your Report Include?

Executive summary of findings

Full survey methodology and scope

Location and extent of all ACMs

Condition assessment and risk scores

Photographs of all sampled materials

UKAS laboratory analysis certificates

Management recommendations

Asbestos register for compliance

Priority action list ranked by risk

Floor plans with ACM locations marked

What We Typically Find in Edinburgh Properties

Having carried out hundreds of asbestos surveys across Edinburgh and the Central Belt, the findings vary a lot by area and era of construction. In Edinburgh tenements — particularly Marchmont, Bruntsfield, and Leith — artex ceilings and bitumen floor tile adhesive are the most consistent finds. In post-war council stock across Livingston, Falkirk, and Dunfermline, we regularly encounter asbestos insulating board in airing cupboards and service risers in addition to the surface finishes.

Older commercial and industrial properties tend to present more complex surveys — pipe lagging, sprayed coatings, and cement products in addition to the surface materials. That said, every property is different and we approach each survey with the same level of care regardless of size or building type.

Tips for Preparing for Your Survey

Ensure all rooms are accessible, including loft hatches, basements, and storage cupboards
Move any items blocking access to walls, ceilings, or floor edges
If possible, provide any building plans, previous survey reports, or property history
For refurbishment surveys, have your scope of works ready
Pets should be secured away from the survey areas
You do not need to vacate the property for a management survey

What Happens During an Asbestos Survey? Step-by-Step Process