If you need an asbestos survey, the first question your surveyor will ask is: what is the purpose? The type of survey you need depends on what you plan to do with the building. This guide explains the difference between a management survey and a refurbishment survey, and helps you decide which one is right for your situation.
The Two Main Types of Asbestos Survey
There are two primary types of asbestos survey under HSE guidance (MDHS100):
- Management survey — for buildings in normal use, to identify and manage ACMs safely
- Refurbishment and demolition survey — before structural works or demolition that will disturb building materials
| Feature | Management Survey | Refurbishment / Demolition Survey |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Manage ACMs in an occupied building | Identify all ACMs before works begin |
| Intrusiveness | Non-destructive — accessible areas only | Destructive sampling of hidden areas |
| Areas covered | All accessible, normally occupied areas | Entire building or affected areas |
| Sampling | Targeted sampling of suspect materials | Comprehensive bulk sampling |
| When required | Routine duty-holder compliance | Before refurbishment or demolition |
| Legal basis | CAR 2012 Regulation 4 (duty to manage) | CAR 2012 Regulation 7 (notifiable works) |
| Typical cost | £200–£1,500+ | £300–£3,000+ |
What Is a Management Survey?
A management survey is designed to locate, as far as reasonably practicable, asbestos-containing materials in a building that is in normal occupation and use. Its purpose is to help the duty holder manage asbestos in place, rather than automatically remove it.
Surveyors inspect all accessible areas — corridors, plant rooms, roof spaces where accessible, ceiling voids — and take samples of materials suspected to contain asbestos. The survey is deliberately non-destructive: surveyors will not break into walls or lift floor boards unnecessarily.
The result is a written report and asbestos register that records the location, type, condition, and risk of each ACM. You then use this to manage asbestos safely — for example, by labelling ACMs, scheduling inspections, and informing contractors before works.
When do you need a management survey?
- You own or manage a commercial building built before 2000
- You are a landlord with commercial tenants or housing association properties
- You are purchasing a pre-2000 non-domestic property
- You have never had an asbestos survey and have a duty-holder obligation
- Your existing asbestos register needs to be updated
Find a UKAS-Accredited Surveyor
Search our directory of verified asbestos inspection bodies across the UK.
Search Surveyors →What Is a Refurbishment Survey?
A refurbishment survey (often called an R&D survey or refurbishment and demolition survey) is required before any work that will disturb the fabric of a building — including refurbishment, renovation, fit-out, or alteration. Its purpose is to identify all ACMs in areas that will be affected by the works, so that asbestos can be safely removed before work begins.
Unlike a management survey, a refurbishment survey is intrusive and destructive. Surveyors will open up walls, lift floor coverings, remove ceiling tiles, and access roof voids and service risers to take samples from hidden materials. The building — or at least the areas affected — is typically unoccupied during the survey.
A demolition survey is the most comprehensive form of refurbishment survey, carried out before an entire building is demolished. It must locate all ACMs in the entire structure, including structural materials.
When do you need a refurbishment survey?
- You are planning a refurbishment, fit-out, or renovation of a pre-2000 building
- You are installing new services (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) in an older building
- You are undertaking structural alterations — moving walls, replacing windows
- The building is being partially or fully demolished
- You already have a management survey but the proposed works go beyond what was covered
Can You Use a Management Survey for Refurbishment Works?
No. A management survey is not sufficient to authorise refurbishment or demolition works. It is deliberately non-intrusive and may not have sampled the specific materials that will be disturbed. Carrying out works in an area covered only by a management survey is a breach of CAR 2012 Regulation 7 and could expose contractors and building owners to prosecution.
You can, however, use an existing management survey as a starting point — a refurbishment survey may only need to cover the specific areas affected by the planned works, not the whole building.