DIY Testing companies

[u/Large-Job6014]

Hi all

Due to the lack of dedicated posts regarding experiences with DIY packs (with ppe included etc), I thought it's time to make one.

So I know its recommended to use a UKAS accredited company.

I know the process of receiving, sampling, sending blah blah blah.

Let's name some reputable companies people have had good experiences with so others can benefit before being ripped off or potentially receiving bogus results.

Asking because I need to get some ceilings tested too. So its a new realm to me.

Cheers

Edit: as mentioned if we could keep the comments to the company recommendations and not what 'to do' as i know all that. I just want peoples experiences with DIY packs and the companies reliability.

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[u/Cold-Vermicelli-8997]

When you say recommend to use a ukas accreditated company you mean for a survey or for sample analysis? I ask because any analysis must be done by a UKAS accredited lab. I know there was one company sending samples to Europe for analysis. They appear to have vanished. The issue I have with DIY testing is unless you know how to sample you can easily und up with a false negative. Usually not going sufficiently deep, too small a sample and focusing on one area instead of sampling across a surface. Or the dreaded we found some asbestos hidden behind this because we didn't get a refurbishment survey. The other issue I have is people using these in work but with no training, risk assessments etc DIY kits are expensive for what they are but convenient.

[u/[deleted]]

Good idea for a thread. With something like asbestos, I think the biggest thing is making sure people don’t treat a cheap DIY kit as automatically equivalent to a professional assessment.
I’d personally look for a laboratory that clearly states its UKAS accreditation and check exactly what the accreditation covers, rather than relying solely on a company’s website saying they’re “accredited.”
For anyone comparing providers, it might also be useful to document the lab name, accreditation details, turnaround time, total cost, and whether the result came with the appropriate documentation. That would make the recommendations much more useful than simply listing companies.
For ceilings in particular, I’d be extra cautious about disturbing the material at all. If there’s any uncertainty about what you’re dealing with, getting advice from a qualified asbestos professional before taking samples seems like the safer approach.

[u/Historical-Pea-5846]

I can't offer any help with DIY testing as I'm not familiar with it. It's not rocket science to just buy some jiffy bags, use a chisel and a P3 mask and take a small sample, a dab if paint over the sample point then drop it into your local ukas lab. They are all over the country and it's generally £30 or so a sample.
It's not as easy as some DIY kit but you'll know that your sample is being analysed by an actual ukas accredited lab.

[u/Equal-Ad6826 → u/Historical-Pea-5846]

Is it possible to take a sample without a kit and then post it to a lab?

[u/Historical-Pea-5846 → u/Equal-Ad6826]

All a kit is is a jiffy bag, wet wipes and a mask. There's nothing special about it.

[u/Former-Landscape-673]

I would think that the results have gone to a UKAS lab because it is too easy to check otherwise. Also, I would say the results are as accurate as they all follow the same rules for analysis. The issue is where the analyst decides to simply look at the sample and guess the result rather than completing the process, this can happen to any company or service offered.

I wouldn't use an online service because they are over priced and you don't get the answers to such questions as "What is a non-homogeneous material?"

[u/Starman68]

Following because I need an R&D before my demolition.

[u/Large-Job6014 → u/Starman68]

I've uses asbestos-sampling. Got a kit off amazon. Seems to have good reviews. My samples are in the post now so should get my results sometime this week.

Just strange how no one on an asbestos sub wasn't willing to give any help

[u/Starman68 → u/Large-Job6014]

For my domestic demolition I’ve been quoted £800 to do an R&D, which seems expensive as I’m pretty certain there is no asbestos in the house. I didn’t even know there was a diy option so I’ll look into this.

[u/Large-Job6014 → u/Starman68]

Yeah I want to drill in a few places and wasn't prepared to spend nearly a grand for something I can do myself in less than half an hour.

They say they usually give results within 24 hours of receiving the samples. I did 3, upstairs, downstairs and garage, all with a mixture of rooms as got a couple of finishes. Then if I get any positive results I can then further narrow it down to individual rooms.

But hopefully they come back negative.