Demolishing a Building? Why You Need an Asbestos Demolition Survey First
Before Demolition Starts, You Need to Know What’s in the Building
When a building is going to be demolished, everything eventually gets disturbed — ceilings, walls, flooring, roofing, service areas and materials that may have remained hidden for decades.
If asbestos-containing materials are present and haven’t been identified before demolition begins, they can be broken, crushed or disturbed during the work.
That’s why an asbestos demolition survey needs to happen before demolition starts.
Unlike a general visual inspection, a demolition survey is designed to be intrusive. The goal is to identify asbestos-containing materials throughout the areas being demolished, including materials that may be concealed behind or underneath other building components.
Finding asbestos before demolition allows it to be properly identified and dealt with as part of the demolition planning — rather than discovering it after work has already begun.
What Is an Asbestos Demolition Survey?
An asbestos demolition survey is a fully intrusive survey carried out before a building, or part of a building, is demolished .
The purpose is to locate and identify asbestos-containing materials that could be disturbed during the demolition work.
This means looking beyond materials that are immediately visible. Depending on the building, the survey may involve accessing areas behind wall or ceiling linings, beneath flooring, within roof spaces, around services and other locations where asbestos-containing materials may be concealed.
Suspect materials are sampled where required and sent to an accredited laboratory for analysis.
The completed survey provides the information needed to understand where asbestos is located, what materials contain it, and what needs to be addressed before demolition proceeds .
Why a Visual Inspection Isn’t Enough Before Demolition
Many asbestos-containing materials can be easy to see, but others may be completely concealed within the building.
A visual inspection alone may identify obvious materials such as fibre-cement cladding, soffits, textured ceilings or older vinyl flooring. However, demolition can expose materials that haven’t been visible or accessible during the normal life of the building.
Asbestos-containing materials can potentially be found beneath existing flooring, behind wall linings, above ceilings, around pipes and services, underneath roofing materials or within previously renovated areas .
Because demolition will ultimately disturb these areas, the survey needs to investigate them beforehand.
The more that can be identified before demolition begins, the less chance there is of an unexpected asbestos discovery bringing the project to a halt once work is underway.
What Happens During an Asbestos Demolition Survey?
A demolition survey is carried out systematically so the areas being demolished can be properly assessed before work begins.
The survey typically includes:
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Inspecting the exterior and interior of the building
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Accessing roof spaces, subfloor areas and other accessible voids where required
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Investigating concealed areas that will be disturbed during demolition
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Identifying materials that may contain asbestos
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Taking representative samples of suspect materials
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Having those samples analysed by an accredited laboratory
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Photographing and recording the location of identified or suspected asbestos-containing materials
Once the laboratory results are received, the findings are compiled into an asbestos demolition survey report .
The report gives the demolition contractor and other people involved in the project clear information about the asbestos-containing materials identified within the surveyed area, so they can be appropriately managed or removed before demolition work proceeds.
What Types of Asbestos Can Be Found During a Demolition Survey?
Older New Zealand buildings can contain asbestos in many different materials, and it isn’t always obvious just by looking at them.
Some of the asbestos-containing materials commonly investigated during a demolition survey include:
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Fibre-cement wall and ceiling linings
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Exterior fibre-cement cladding
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Soffits and eaves
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Textured or decorative ceiling coatings
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Vinyl sheet flooring and backing
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Vinyl floor tiles
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Adhesives and bituminous products
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Roofing materials, including fibre-cement and Decramastic-style roofing
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Electrical meter board and switchboard backing panels
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Pipework, insulation and service-related materials
Buildings that have been renovated or altered over the years can be particularly challenging, as newer materials may have been installed directly over older materials.
This is why the age or appearance of the visible surface doesn’t always tell the full story . A demolition survey is about investigating the building as a whole and identifying suspect materials before demolition exposes them unexpectedly.
What Happens If Asbestos Is Found?
Finding asbestos during a demolition survey doesn’t necessarily mean there is a major problem with the project.
In fact, before demolition begins is exactly when you want to find it .
Once asbestos-containing materials have been identified, they can be included in the planning for the project. Depending on the type, condition and location of the material, appropriate asbestos removal may need to take place before demolition work can proceed in that area.
This allows the work to be organised properly, including engaging the appropriate licensed asbestos removal contractor where required.
The bigger problem is discovering asbestos after demolition has already started .
If an unidentified asbestos-containing material is demolished, broken or disturbed, work may need to stop while the material and potentially affected areas are assessed.
Identifying asbestos beforehand gives everyone involved in the demolition a much clearer picture of what they are dealing with before the first wall comes down.
When Should a Demolition Survey Be Carried Out?
An asbestos demolition survey should be completed before demolition work begins and while the building is still safely accessible for a thorough inspection .
Ideally, the survey forms part of the early planning for the demolition project. This gives enough time for suspect materials to be sampled, laboratory results to be received and any identified asbestos-containing materials to be dealt with before demolition starts.
Leaving the survey until the last minute can create unnecessary delays — particularly if asbestos is identified and removal needs to be organised.
Having the survey completed early means the demolition contractor can plan the work with a clear understanding of where asbestos-containing materials are located and what needs to happen before those areas are disturbed.
The time to find asbestos is before the excavator arrives — not after demolition has started.
Do You Need an Asbestos Demolition Survey in New Zealand?
If a building that may contain asbestos is going to be demolished, asbestos needs to be considered before the work begins .
For buildings constructed or altered during periods when asbestos-containing materials were commonly used, assuming a building is asbestos-free based on appearance alone can create unnecessary risk.
A demolition survey provides documented information about asbestos-containing materials within the area being demolished. This information can then be used by the people planning and carrying out the work to determine what needs to happen before demolition proceeds.
It is particularly important that the survey covers the full scope of the proposed demolition work . Areas that will be disturbed should not simply be excluded because they are difficult to access.
The objective is straightforward: identify asbestos before demolition has the opportunity to disturb it.
Book an Asbestos Demolition Survey
If you’re planning to demolish a residential, commercial or industrial building, getting the asbestos survey completed early can help you understand exactly what you’re dealing with before demolition begins.
Asbestos Safe Consultancy provides independent asbestos demolition surveys throughout Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, Taupō and Manawatū.
Our demolition surveys include a thorough intrusive inspection of the areas being demolished, sampling of suspect materials where required, accredited laboratory analysis and a detailed report identifying the asbestos-containing materials found.
Whether you’re a property owner, developer, builder or demolition contractor, the goal is simple — find the asbestos before demolition does.
Planning a Demolition?
Contact Asbestos Safe Consultancy to arrange an asbestos demolition survey before work gets underway.
Phone:
0224607184
Email:
james@asbestossafeconsultancy.co.nz
Get in touch early so the survey, laboratory testing and any required asbestos removal can be factored into your demolition programme before work begins.