Testing and surveys · Stoke-on-Trent
Not sure what it is? Have it tested.
Asbestos testing and surveys for homes, landlords, farms and public buildings across Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Kidsgrove and the Moorlands. A local contractor takes a small sample, a laboratory analyses it and you get a written result.
What can be tested.
Asbestos hides in ordinary-looking materials in buildings from the 1950s to the 1990s. Pick the one closest to yours, or send a photo and ask.
How a test works.
A single sample is a short visit. The laboratory does the analysis and you receive the result in writing.
- 1
You send details
What the material is, where it is and roughly how old the building is. Photos help.
- 2
A contractor replies
An independent local contractor confirms what they can sample and quotes in writing.
- 3
Sample taken
A trained person takes a small sample with dust controls, then seals and labels it.
- 4
Written result
The laboratory reports what it found. You can give it to builders and keep it with your records.
Which service do you need?
Start from your situation. Each line goes to the page that explains the option.
Why people here ask before they start.
Stoke-on-Trent has a lot of older building stock: Victorian terraces built for pottery workers, interwar semis, large post-war estates in places like Meir and Bentilee, and former works that have been converted or reused. Most of it has been altered more than once, and each alteration may have brought in different materials.
The pattern is the same everywhere: someone plans a new kitchen, a loft conversion or a garage replacement, and the builder asks whether anyone knows what is in the ceiling, the floor or the roof. A sample before the job starts answers that cheaply, and it avoids a stopped job later.
Landlords and managers of non-domestic buildings face a stronger version of the same question, because the law expects them to find out and to keep a record. That is where a survey and a register come in.
How testing worksStoke-on-Trent and the places around it.
Each place has its own page with local detail on the kind of buildings and the usual testing questions.
The six towns and the city
Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove
Moorlands and the Cheshire border
What decides the price.
Every building is different, so the contractor's written quote is what counts. Figures below are placeholders and will be filled in before launch.
- How many samples are needed
- Access to the material: lofts, roofs and awkward spaces
- Whether one visit covers several materials
- How fast you need the laboratory result
- Whether you need a survey and report rather than a single sample
| Job | Typical from | Depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Single sample, one material | £ TBC | Access, laboratory turnaround |
| Several samples, one visit | £ TBC | Number of materials |
| Management survey, small premises | £ TBC | Size, age, number of samples |
| Refurbishment survey, one area | £ TBC | Size of area, intrusiveness |
| Farm, industrial or public building | On request | Area, access, occupation |
Plain-English guides.
Short answers to what people ask before they pick up a phone.
How to test for asbestos at home
You cannot tell by looking. A laboratory test of a small, carefully taken sample is the only way to know. This guide explains how it works and what to do first.
Is my Artex ceiling asbestos?
Artex and other textured coatings were popular for decades. Some contained asbestos. You cannot tell from the pattern, so here is how to get a definite answer.
Which asbestos survey do I need?
There are two main types of survey and they do different jobs. This guide helps you pick between them.
Questions we hear most.
More answers on the questions page.
How do I find out if something is asbestos?
A trained person takes a small, sealed sample and a laboratory analyses it. Looking at the material cannot tell you.
Can I take the sample myself?
It is not recommended. Cutting or scraping can release fibres. Leave it alone and have someone trained take it.
How long do results take?
Often a few working days once the laboratory has the sample, depending on the laboratory and the number of samples.
Is a negative result enough for the whole house?
No. It covers only the material that was sampled. Other materials need their own results.
What is the difference between a sample and a survey?
A sample answers one question about one material. A survey covers a building or an area and gives you a report and a register.
Do you do the testing yourselves?
No. We are an introduction service. We pass your details and photos to an independent local contractor, who provides the quote, takes the samples and arranges the laboratory analysis.
What should I send?
Two or three clear photos, what the material is and where it is, the age of the building if you know it, and a postcode. A phone photo is fine.
Tell us what needs testing.
A local contractor reviews your details and photos, then replies with a written quote for sampling or a survey. Free to ask, no obligation.
Prefer to talk?
01782 000 000