Two surveyors in full RPE and PPE undertaking some asbestos sampling

What Surveyors Wish Dutyholders Understood About R&D Surveys

Knowing what surveyors wish dutyholders understood about R&D surveys helps projects run safely, efficiently, and without costly delays. Refurbishment and demolition (R&D) asbestos surveys play a critical role in identifying hidden asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) before work begins. However, surveyors often rely on dutyholders to provide the right information, access, and expectations to make these surveys effective.

It also helps to understand how the industry defines R&D surveys. The Health and Safety Executive groups refurbishment and demolition surveys together in HSG264 Asbestos: The Survey Guide. However, many survey companies including UKAS-accredited organisations will separate them based on the scope and scale of works. Surveyors will often tailor their approach accordingly, meaning you might receive a Refurbishment Survey report when you asked for an R&D for example.

Define the scope of the survey clearly and early

Surveyors need a precise scope of work to target the right areas. When dutyholders provide vague or incomplete details, surveyors must make assumptions, which can lead to missed ACMs or unnecessary disruption.

A classic example of this is “full refurbishment survey throughout property”. Will the roof covering be replaced? Are walls being demolished and rebuilt? Will plant and equipment be altered? All of these factors will impact the level of intrusiveness that will be required from the survey, as well as specialist assistance such as high-level access, isolation of services, access into confined spaces and so on.

You can improve outcomes and avoid follow-up survey work and revisits by supplying:

  • Detailed descriptions of planned works
  • Drawings or marked-up plans showing affected areas
  • Proposed mechanical and electrical (M&E) installations
  • Structural alterations, including openings and removals
  • Finishes to floors, walls, and ceilings that will be disturbed

Clear information allows surveyors to focus intrusive inspection where it matters most. There is no such thing as too much information! What you might consider to be an insignificant element, may mean the difference between an accessed area or a frustrating caveat on the report.

Plan for access and accept controlled damage

You must provide full access for the survey. Surveyors cannot complete an R&D survey properly if occupants, furniture, or stored items block key areas. Again, these will result in avoidable caveats and ‘No Access’ statements within the report.

Prepare the site by:

  • Relocating occupants from affected areas
  • Decanting furniture, and stored items
  • Isolating services where required
  • Allowing safe, uninterrupted access for intrusive work
  • Ensuring keys and codes are available for locked rooms, risers, cupboards etc

Surveyors will actively open up building elements to locate hidden ACMs. They will lift floor finishes and subfloors, inspect within wall cavities and access above fixed or suspended ceilings where necessary. This process will cause likely controlled damage.

You should expect this and plan accordingly. Surveyors will:

  • Use control measures to mitigate damage and creation of mess where possible
  • Work methodically to minimise unnecessary damage
  • Leave areas in a safe condition wherever possible
  • Clearly communicate any areas that remain unsafe

However, surveyors do not typically carry out reinstatement. If you need to reoccupy areas before refurbishment or demolition begins, you must arrange making-good works separately; this could take the form of re-fixing a window board down and applying mastic to any sharp edges, patching an access hole in a plasterboard wall, gluing a carpet tile back down, or having a core sample through a flat roof patched over and made watertight, for example. Using approved contractors for these works ensures that the reinstatements are completed to a good standard and in line with your building insurance policies.

Use surveys to support compliance and project delivery

You must treat R&D surveys as a core part of your project planning. They form part of the Pre-Construction Information required under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. Designers and contractors rely on this information to assess risks and plan safe systems of work – and most importantly they should have the survey report long before work starts on site.

You should also consider R&D surveys for maintenance activities. If your existing management survey does not cover specific areas, or if it did not include intrusive inspection, you must arrange further survey work before accessing those areas and potentially disturbing concealed ACMs.

Refurbishment and demolition surveys help you:

  • Protect workers and building occupants
  • Prevent uncontrolled asbestos disturbance
  • Avoid project delays and unexpected costs
  • Demonstrate compliance with legal duties

When you provide clear scope, enable access, and plan for disruption, you allow surveyors to deliver accurate, reliable information. That information underpins safe construction and effective asbestos management.

To book in a refurbishment or demolition survey ahead of any work you have planned, or if you are unsure about which survey type you require – contact us and one of our friendly team will help you work out what needs to be done.