Asbestos EnquiriesPlymouthSurveys, testing & removal enquiries · Plymouth & South Devon
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Plymouth & South Devon

Asbestos removal, surveys and testing in Plymouth

Think you've found asbestos, or need a survey before building work? Send one enquiry and we'll pass it to an HSE-licensed contractor who covers Plymouth, Plympton, Plymstock, Saltash, Ivybridge and Tavistock.

  • One contractor, not a list of firms
  • Free to send, no obligation
  • You can check their HSE licence yourself
Send an enquiry I think I've found asbestos

An independent enquiry service. See how it works.

Worker in a white protective suit, mask and gloves using an industrial vacuum indoors
Stock photo for illustration.

Send an enquiry

Fill this in and your enquiry goes to one HSE-licensed local contractor, who will contact you to talk it through and quote. Fields marked * are needed.

So the contractor knows where the job is, e.g. PL4 or PL7 1AB.
What do you need? *
For example: "Garage roof, corrugated sheets, house built 1970s" or "Textured ceiling in back bedroom, about to renovate".
Do you have photos you could send the contractor? Say what they show. Please don't break or scrape anything to take them.

When you press Send, your details come to us and are passed to one HSE-licensed local contractor only, so they can contact you about this enquiry. See our privacy notice.

What happens next: your details go to one contractor only, not to a list of firms.

How it works

How this service works

  1. You send one enquiry using the short form. It takes about two minutes.
  2. We pass it to one contractor. A local firm that holds an HSE asbestos licence. Your details are not sold or sent round lots of firms.
  3. The contractor contacts you to ask questions, arrange a visit if needed, and give you a quote.
  4. You decide. There's no obligation, and any agreement is between you and the contractor.

You can check any firm's licence yourself: HSE's website links to the current list of licensed asbestos contractors. More about how we work

Services

What do you need?

Asbestos survey

Before renovating, knocking through, rewiring or demolishing, or if you're responsible for a non-domestic building. Covers refurbishment and demolition surveys and management surveys.

About surveys

Asbestos testing

One suspect material? A trained person takes a sample and an accredited lab analyses it. HSE says analysis of a sample is the only way to confirm it.

About testing

Asbestos removal

Garage roofs, textured ceilings, floor tiles, boxing-in, soffits, pipe lagging. Some of this work legally needs an HSE-licensed contractor.

About removal

Safety first

Think you've found asbestos? Do this first

  1. Stop and leave it alone. The risk comes when asbestos is damaged or disturbed and fibres get into the air. Don't drill, sand, scrape or break it.
  2. Keep people and pets away if the material is broken or crumbling.
  3. Don't put it in the bin or a skip. Asbestos waste is hazardous waste and must not be mixed with household waste.
  4. Get it checked. A sample analysed by an accredited lab, or a survey, tells you what it is and what needs doing.
If you think something is asbestos, leave it alone. Don't drill, sand, scrape, break or sweep it up. HSE advises that if you have not been trained you should not try to repair or remove asbestos yourself, and that material in good condition is often best left where it is until it has been checked. Source: HSE asbestos FAQs

HSE says buildings constructed after 2000 are unlikely to contain asbestos, so this mostly applies to older homes and premises. Source: HSE introduction to asbestos.

Common jobs

Common asbestos jobs in Plymouth homes

These are materials HSE lists as places asbestos can be found. Plenty of older Plymouth houses, bungalows and garages have at least one of them.

Garage roofs and sheds

Corrugated asbestos cement sheets. Usually non-licensed work, but it still needs to be done properly and the waste disposed of legally. Garage roof guide

Artex and textured ceilings

Textured decorative coatings can contain asbestos. Get them tested before scraping, sanding or drilling.

Floor tiles

Old vinyl floor tiles, their adhesive and backing can contain asbestos, and can be hidden under carpet.

Pipe lagging and boiler insulation

HSE calls lagging one of the most dangerous asbestos materials. Work on it is licensable, so it needs an HSE-licensed contractor.

Soffits, panels and boxing-in

Asbestos insulating board (AIB) was used for soffits, partition walls, fire doors and panels. Most AIB removal needs a licensed contractor.

Gutters, downpipes and flues

Asbestos cement was also used for gutters, downpipes, flues and cladding.

Source: HSE: locations of asbestos and taking the right action.

Questions

Quick answers

Do I need a licensed contractor to remove asbestos?

It depends on the material. HSE says sprayed coatings, lagging and insulation, and asbestos insulating board should only be removed by an HSE-licensed contractor. Most work on asbestos cement, such as many garage roofs, can be done without a licence by people with the right information, instruction and training. Licensed vs non-licensed work

What's the difference between a survey and a test?

A test checks one material: a sample is taken and analysed. A survey looks at a whole property or the part you're working on and records where asbestos is or may be. About surveys

Can I take asbestos to the tip in Plymouth?

Plymouth City Council accepts small amounts of bonded asbestos at Chelson Meadow only, booked in advance. Plymouth disposal rules

Are you an asbestos company?

No. We're an independent enquiry service. We pass your enquiry to one HSE-licensed local contractor, who quotes and does the work. How it works

All questions answered

Ready to send your enquiry?

Tell us what you need in about two minutes. We pass your enquiry to one HSE-licensed local contractor, who will contact you to discuss it. No obligation, and we never sell your details to lists.

Send an enquiry

Send an enquiry