What testing involves
A trained person takes a small piece of the suspect material, using dust controls and protective equipment, and seals it in a labelled bag. The laboratory examines it under a microscope and reports whether asbestos was found and which type. Results often come back within a few working days.
Testing identifies one material at a time. If a building has several suspect materials, or you are planning larger work, a survey can be more useful than a series of single samples.
What can be tested
Common samples are textured ceiling coatings, vinyl floor tiles and their adhesive, soffits and fascia boards, cement sheet roofs on garages and sheds, pipe lagging, and boards around boilers and flues. If you are not sure whether a material is worth sampling, send a photo and ask.
Why it matters before work starts
Drilling, sanding, scraping or breaking up an unknown material can release fibres. Knowing the result first lets you decide whether to leave it, seal it, or have it removed, and lets you tell builders and electricians exactly what to avoid.
Who does the work, and what the law expects
Kilnbrook Asbestos Surveys is an introduction service. We pass your details to an independent contractor, who provides the quote, takes the samples or carries out the survey, and holds the insurance and any competence they need. Samples are analysed by a laboratory and the result is issued in writing. Taking samples or surveying a building is work with real exposure risk, so it should be done by trained people with dust controls, and the sample should be bagged, sealed and labelled correctly.
What to send us
- Two or three clear photos of the material and where it is
- The room, roof or area, and roughly how much of it
- The age of the building if you know it
- What work is planned, and when, if any
- Whether the building is occupied or in use
Prices on this site are guides only. Only the contractor's written quote counts.
How it works.
- 1
Send details and photos
Say what the material is, where it is and the age of the building. Clear photos help.
- 2
Contractor replies
An independent local contractor reviews your enquiry and confirms in writing what they can sample and what it would involve.
- 3
Sample taken
A small sample is taken with controls to limit dust, sealed and labelled.
- 4
Laboratory result
The sample is analysed and you receive a written result you can show to builders.
What affects the price.
- Number and type of samples
- Access to the material (height, loft, roof)
- How quickly you need the result
- Whether the property is occupied
- Distance from the contractor's base
Good to know.
Can I take a sample myself?
It is not recommended. Taking a sample can release fibres if done wrongly. A trained person takes it with controls and the right equipment.
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.
Does a negative result mean the whole building is clear?
No. It covers only the material that was sampled. Other materials elsewhere are not covered.
What do I get at the end?
A written result for each sample, which you can give to builders and keep with your house records.
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.
Can I take a sample myself?
It is not recommended. Cutting, scraping or drilling can release fibres. Leave the material alone and have a trained person take the sample.
Where we cover.
Stoke-on-Trent, its neighbourhoods and the towns and villages around it.
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