Armco Asbestos Surveys
Contact us 0161 763 3727
Armco Asbestos Surveys
Last Updated on 21st November 2025 by Phil Collins
You have had an asbestos survey done, great! But when that report lands on your desk, do you actually know what you are looking at? Is it comprehensive, or have you just paid good money for a surveyor to have a quick wander around with a camera?
We have been doing this for over 20 years, and honestly, some of the reports we have seen make us wince. Here is what you should actually be getting for your money.
Your report needs the correct identification. Sounds obvious, but you would be surprised:
If any of this is missing, you have got to wonder what else they have skipped.
Right at the beginning, you want to see what matters. The good reports split everything by risk:
High Risk (Score 10-12)
This is the “deal with it now” stuff. Materials falling apart, visible debris, things that need sorting urgently. The report should tell you exactly where these are and what the regulations say you need to do about them. Air monitoring might be needed.
Medium Risk (Score 7-9)
Materials that are not sealed correctly or have some damage. You need a plan to seal, repair or remove these not immediately, but soon.
Low Risk (Score 1-6)
In decent condition but still needs managing. Annual checks are necessary, and you need to know where everything is.
This is the important one. Every surveyor will investigate as far as reasonably practicable, taking into account the type and scope of the survey, however they should note down any areas they were unable to gain access to and give reasons for it. Buildings have voids, locked rooms and areas behind services. What matters is whether they have been honest about what they could not see.
A report explains the method. Not in mind-numbing detail, but enough so you know they have done it to the correct standards:
The phrase “in the surveyor’s professional opinion” should appear a fair bit. That is someone thinking, it’s not just ticking boxes.
Every bit of asbestos gets scored on four things:
Add it all up and you get a number between 2 and 12. That tells you what risk the material poses to you. A decent report shows you these numbers, not just the final score.
This is where you find out if they have actually done the job. Each material should have:
If you are seeing recommendations like “manage in accordance with regulations” without anything more specific, they are being lazy. What does that actually mean for this particular bit of asbestos in this particular place? A good surveyor tells you.
Asbestos Register
This is everything they found, in a table. This becomes part of your working document for actually managing the asbestos materials found.
Non-Asbestos Register
This is often forgotten but really useful. This lists what they tested that came back negative, so you are not paying someone else to test it again in six months.
No Access Areas
Photos (If possible) and explanations of why they could not get somewhere. These areas get presumed to have asbestos until you can prove otherwise – that is just how it works.
Plan Drawings
Floor plans with everything marked on. Your contractors need these, so they know what they are dealing with before they start drilling holes.
Lab Certificates
The actual test results from a UKAS-accredited lab. Check the sample numbers match what is in the register – if they do not, someone has made a mistake.
Being Honest About Limits
A good report tells you what it does not cover:
These are not failures – they are honesty. Anyone promising you absolute certainty about every inch of a building is having you on.
Generic waffle is useless. You want:
The report should also be clear that it is not itself a management plan – it is the starting point for making one.
Someone Should’ve Checked It
Look for evidence that someone else reviewed the work:
One person doing and checking their own work? It’s not good enough.
Walk away if the report:
You are not being picky, you are being sensible.
Why This Actually Matters
A bad survey is not just poor value, it is dangerous. You could end up:
We have done thousands of these surveys. Our reports run to dozens of pages because that is what thorough documentation looks like, not because we like paperwork.
What You Need to Do Next
Getting the report is just step one. You have got to:
This is not optional; it is the law.
An asbestos survey report is detailed, honest about what it does not cover, gives you specific advice and shows someone has checked the work.
If yours does not stack up, you have got to ask whether you have got your money’s worth and more importantly, whether you have got what you need to keep people safe.
Asbestos kills people, corners do not get cut.
Need a survey that is actually worth having? Give us a call.
Published Nov 07, 2025
