The type of survey that is chosen may vary depending on the aim and purpose for which it is to be used. Surveys prior to demolition or major refurbishment will require a Type III Full Access Sampling & Identification Survey, however most surveys will be selected to comply with the current regulations to manage asbestos in the premises. In these cases the aim of an asbestos survey is to locate and assess all the ACMs in the building as far as reasonably practical, and its purpose is to present all the information collected in a way to manage the risks. Therefore the aim, purpose and type of survey required should be clearly established with the client before any works are carried out. Once this has been carried out a management plan can be put into effect.

Type I: Location and Assessment Survey (Presumptive Surveys)
An experienced well-trained surveyor familiar with the full range of asbestos products can usually by inspection alone, say that the material can be "presumed" to contain asbestos. This survey essentially defers the need to sample and analyse for asbestos (or the absence thereof) until a later time. All areas must be accessed and inspected, material suspected and or expected to contain asbestos must be presumed to contain asbestos, and where it appears highly likely to contain asbestos, there should be a strong presumption that it does. All materials that are presumed to contain asbestos must be assessed to determine the relevant risk that they present or what may occur.

Type 2: Standard Sampling Identification and Assessment Survey (Sampling Survey)
The purpose and procedures used in this survey are the same as type one, except that samples are to be gathered and analysed for the presence of asbestos. Samples from each type of suspected ACMs found, are collected, and analysed to confirm/refute the surveyors judgment, if the material sampled is found to contain asbestos, then other homogeneous materials used in the same way in the building can be strongly presumed to contain asbestos. Other less homogeneous materials and some materials which are non-asbestos will need to be sampled more frequently to confirm weather asbestos is present or not. Sampling may take place simultaneously with the survey, or as in the case of larger surveys can be carried out as a separate exercise, after the type 1 survey is completed.

Type 3: Full Access Sampling Identification Survey (Demolition/Refurbishment Surveys)
This type of survey is used to locate and describe, as far as it is practicable, all ACMs in the building and may involve some destructive inspection, (as far as it is necessary), to gain access to all areas in the building, some may be difficult to reach or are hidden from sight. A full sampling program is undertaken to identify possibly ACMs and estimates of the volume and surface area of ACMs. This survey has been designed for use as a basis for tendering the removal of all ACMs from the building prior to demolition or major refurbishment (the survey does not assess the condition of the asbestos).