Inspection
Asbestos Survey
Before most renovation or demolition work can legally begin, the building has to be surveyed for asbestos by somebody accredited to do it. We are accredited, we work for other contractors as readily as for our own jobs, and we turn the report around fast enough that it does not hold your schedule up.
The Problem
You cannot legally start without one.
Federal rules require a thorough asbestos inspection before most renovation and demolition work, and a visual walk-through does not satisfy them. Taking even a single sample without AHERA accreditation is not permitted, which is why most contractors have to stop and hire this out before they can start.
What the job includes
- AHERA-accredited inspection, sampling and written report
- Good Faith Inspection suitable for permits and NESHAP compliance
- Samples analysed by an accredited laboratory
- Scope matched to the job, so we survey what your project will actually disturb
- Report written to be kept on site for the duration of the work
- Available to other contractors, property managers and agents, not only our own jobs
How It Goes
Step by step.
- 01
Agree the scope
A survey is priced and planned around what the project will actually touch. A single-room remodel and a whole-building demolition are very different jobs, and surveying more than you need to costs you money for no benefit.
- 02
Walk and identify
A systematic inspection, not a spot check. In older buildings the usual suspects are textured and popcorn ceilings, vinyl floor tile and its adhesive, pipe and duct lagging, some wallboard joint compound, roofing and siding products.
- 03
Sample
Suspect materials are sampled under controlled conditions and logged by location and material type. Sampling is itself a regulated activity. It is the part that legally requires the accreditation.
- 04
Laboratory analysis
Samples go to an accredited laboratory for analysis. We do not analyse our own samples, and no reputable inspector does.
- 05
Written report
You get a report setting out what was sampled, where, what the laboratory found and what condition the material is in. That document is what a building department wants to see and what has to stay on site while work is underway.
- 06
If it comes back positive
We tell you what was found, where it is, and what it means for your scope. Removal is a separate licensed trade and we will refer it rather than carry it out, which also means we have no stake in the result coming back positive.
Questions
Asbestos Survey: what people ask.
Do I actually need a survey, or is this optional?
For most renovation and demolition work it is a federal requirement under the asbestos NESHAP, and the responsibility sits with the property owner as well as the contractor. Age is the usual trigger: anything built before the 1980s should be treated as suspect until it has been checked, and popcorn ceilings, old vinyl floor tile, pipe lagging and some textured coatings are the materials that most often come back positive. If you are unsure whether your particular job needs one, ask us and we will give you a straight answer rather than sell you an inspection you do not need.
Can I just do it myself, or have my own crew look?
No. With only narrow exceptions it is illegal to take even one asbestos sample without AHERA accreditation, and a visual inspection alone does not satisfy the regulation. That is exactly why this is a service worth buying rather than a box to tick.
How long does it take and what does it cost?
Most residential surveys are a half-day on site, with laboratory turnaround on top. Pricing depends on the size of the building and how many distinct materials need sampling, so we quote on the specifics rather than publishing a flat rate. Ask and you will get a number before we book anything.
Can you remove the asbestos if you find it?
No, and that is deliberate. Surveying and abatement are separate accreditations, and we hold the survey one. An inspector who also profits from removal has an obvious incentive to find something, so keeping the two apart is better for you. If the survey is positive we will point you to a licensed abatement contractor.
Do you do surveys for other contractors?
Yes, and a good share of this work is exactly that. If you are a remodeller, demolition contractor, property manager or agent who needs a pre-demolition or pre-renovation survey, this is available as a standalone job with no obligation to use us for anything else.
Will the building department accept your report?
The report is produced to AHERA standards and sets out sample locations, material types, laboratory results and condition, which is what permit offices and NESHAP notifications ask for. If your jurisdiction wants something in a particular format, tell us before we start and we will match it.
Free Estimate
Get a price for asbestos survey.
Tell us roughly what you are dealing with and we will come back with a real number, not a placeholder.
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