Testing · Dublin
Asbestos testing in Dublin.
Most of Ireland\'s qualified asbestos surveyors operate from or around Dublin. Here is how testing works, when a survey is required by law, and what to ask for in a quote.
- Survey required (pre-2000 refurb)
- S.I. 632/2025
- Lab analysis method
- Polarised light microscopy
- Lab accreditation
- UKAS
- Local authorities
- DCC, Fingal, SDCC, DLR
Verified — May 2026
When testing is required
Under S.I. No. 632/2025, a refurbishment/demolition asbestos survey (RDAS) is required before any refurbishment or demolition of a pre-2000 building in Dublin (and elsewhere). Where information is missing, materials must be presumed to contain asbestos until tested.
Specific Dublin scenarios that typically trigger a survey:
- Pre-purchase due diligence on a Victorian, Edwardian, mid-century or 1970s–80s Dublin property
- Refurbishment of a vacant property under the Croí Cónaithe grant — see the grants guide
- Solar PV install on a pre-2000 roof (most installers refuse to work on asbestos cement)
- Internal insulation or extension work on pre-2000 housing stock
- Council-housing refurbishment by DCC, Fingal, SDCC or DLR contractors
Which survey type
Two survey types cover most Dublin scenarios:
- Management survey — non-intrusive, identifies materials in accessible locations. For ongoing-use assessment.
- RDAS (refurbishment/demolition) — intrusive, identifies all materials that will be disturbed by planned works. Required by S.I. 632/2025 before refurbishment of pre-2000 buildings.
See the survey types guide for detail.
What does it cost in Dublin?
We do not publish typical Dublin survey prices because there are none we can verify. Asbestos survey work in Dublin is quoted per job by the surveyor against the property and the survey type. Ask for a written quote. The survey is your responsibility and your cost — don\'t commit to a refurbishment budget before you have it.
Finding a Dublin surveyor
Send us a brief description of the property and what you need surveyed — pre-purchase assessment, pre-refurbishment RDAS, suspected material confirmation. We pass your enquiry to a competent surveyor working in your part of the Dublin region. One firm at a time, no bidding war, no marketing follow-up.
Free · no obligation · permit-verified
Request a Dublin asbestos survey quote
Tell us your area within Dublin, the property type, and what you need surveyed. We pass your enquiry to a competent surveyor. Reply times depend on availability.
- Permit-verified. We only forward enquiries to contractors with a valid HSA permit for the work.
- One contractor, not a list. Your enquiry goes to one matched firm — no bidding war, no five phone calls.
- Your details aren't sold. No marketing, no follow-up, no list. Decline the quote and your enquiry is closed.
- Honest about timing. Specialist supply in Ireland is limited (3 ARCA-registered firms in the Republic) — reply times depend on availability.
Frequently asked questions
How many asbestos surveyors operate in Dublin?
Most of Ireland's qualified asbestos surveyors operate from or around Dublin. Several firms hold relevant competence (BOHS P402 or equivalent) and use UKAS-accredited laboratories for sample analysis. Dublin has the densest supply in Ireland, but the absolute number is still modest.
What does an asbestos survey cost in Dublin?
There is no published price list for asbestos surveys in Dublin or anywhere in Ireland. Costs vary by property size, the type of survey (management vs RDAS), and how intrusive the sampling needs to be. Ask the surveyor for a written quote against your property and the type of survey you need.
Which Dublin local authority handles surveys?
None. Asbestos surveys are commissioned by the property owner from a competent person (a qualified surveyor) — they are not arranged by the local authority. The four Dublin local authorities (Dublin City Council, Fingal, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown) are involved if your works require planning permission or if you are using a local-authority grant scheme such as Croí Cónaithe.
Where do Dublin samples get analysed?
Samples taken in Dublin go to a UKAS-accredited laboratory for analysis under polarised light microscopy. Most surveyors use UK-based labs because of the concentration of UKAS-accredited asbestos analysis facilities in the UK. The lab returns a written result identifying whether asbestos is present and the fibre type if so.