Construction materials
Compressive and tensile strength of concrete, taking and testing cores, soil compaction, aggregate grading and moisture in masonry.
18 testsAccredited laboratory since 2005
A report that stands up in a dispute.
We test construction materials, electrical safety and noise, and we calibrate instruments. Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 means our reports are accepted by authorities, courts and customers abroad.
20years accredited
ISO/IEC 17025accredited system
42accredited tests
5 daysstandard report turnaround
What we test
Four areas we're accredited in
Accreditation doesn't apply to a laboratory as a whole, but to specific tests. For each one we'll tell you whether it's within our scope — and if not, who does it.
Electrical safety
Testing appliances and consumer units, measuring insulation resistance, loop impedance and the effectiveness of shock protection.
11 testsNoise measurement
Noise in the workplace and the environment, noise from construction sites and business premises. Reports for the Health and Safety Authority and for planning proceedings.
6 testsInstrument calibration
Length gauges, torque wrenches, pressure gauges, thermometers and scales. Calibration certificates traceable to national standards.
7 groupsSampling on site
We'll come and take the sample on the building site or at your premises. For concrete it's often the only proper way — a sample taken by a non-specialist is often invalid.
call-out €0.55/kmAdvice on the standard
The most common question: what exactly should this be tested to? We'll answer free of charge, even if you end up ordering the test elsewhere.
€0Accreditation
What it means that we're accredited
A company can't accredit itself — accreditation is granted by the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB), which checks it every year with a surveillance audit.
ISO/IEC 17025
The standard for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. It checks the method, the instruments, the competence of the people and the independence of the result.
since 2005Traceability to standards
Every instrument we use is calibrated against one that is calibrated to a national standard. Without that chain, a measured value is just a number.
documentedMeasurement uncertainty
Our reports give the measured value and the uncertainty. Without it you can't say whether a result really passed — and that's the part non-accredited measurements leave out.
always statedRecognition of reports
Accredited reports are recognised by building control authorities, inspectors, insurers and courts. In a dispute, the other side will challenge a non-accredited measurement.
IE and EUPrices
Prices for our most requested tests
Prices are per sample and exclude VAT. A series of more than ten samples gets a 15% discount. Express processing within 48 hours carries a 60% surcharge.
| Item | Basis | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete compressive strength150 mm cube, I.S. EN 12390-3 | per sample | €18 |
| Taking and testing a coreincluding call-out up to 25 km | per core | €95 |
| Soil compaction — plate load teston site, BS 1377-9 | per point | €78 |
| Aggregate gradingsieve analysis, I.S. EN 933-1 | per sample | €42 |
| Moisture in masonrygravimetric, sampled on site | per sample | €36 |
| Appliance testI.S. EN 60335, safety | per piece | €48 |
| Consumer unit test measurementsinsulation resistance and loop impedance | per consumer unit | €120 |
| Workplace noise measurementincluding a report for the HSA | per workplace | €180 |
| Noise from business premisesdaytime and night-time | per measuring point | €240 |
| Length gauge calibrationvernier calliper, micrometer | per piece | €22 |
| Torque wrench calibrationwith a calibration certificate | per piece | €34 |
| Express processingreport within 48 hours | extra | +60% |
How it works
Five steps from sample to report
You tell us what needs checking
If you don't know the standard, we'll tell you. The advice is free and saves the most time in the whole process.
You bring the sample, or we come to you
For some tests the laboratory has to take the sample itself — otherwise the report wouldn't be accredited. We'll tell you in advance.
We receive and register it
The sample gets a number and is traceable from then on. You get a receipt confirmation with the date.
We carry out the test
To the standard, on calibrated instruments and by qualified staff. With concrete we wait for it to cure — 28 days can't be shortened.
We issue the report
Within five working days of the test, or 48 hours express. In two copies and electronically; we archive it for ten years.
FAQ
What you ask us most often
What's the difference between an accredited and a non-accredited measurement?
An accredited measurement has a validated method, calibrated instruments traceable to national standards and a stated measurement uncertainty. A non-accredited one gives you a number — an accredited one gives you a number that stands up before an authority and in court. The price difference is usually smaller than people expect.
Can I take the concrete sample myself?
You can, and it's common, but the cubes have to be made and cured to the standard — the right mould, compaction, and storage in water at 20 °C. If that isn't followed, the result tells you about the sampling, not the concrete. In disputed cases we take the samples ourselves, and then we stand behind the sampling.
Why do you wait 28 days for concrete strength?
Because the standard strength is defined after 28 days of curing — until then the concrete is still gaining strength. We can do a 7-day test as a guide, but the report for building control sign-off needs the 28-day result. There's no way round this, not even for a surcharge.
How long does it take to issue a report?
Within five working days of the test, or 48 hours express for a surcharge. For concrete, add the curing time. We confirm the date when we receive the sample, and we stick to it.
What if the sample fails?
We write it in the report exactly as it is — including the measured value and the uncertainty. We don't round in the client's favour and we don't issue “corrected” reports. We'll advise you on the next options: an additional test, cores, or a structural assessment of the actual condition.
Do you also do tests you're not accredited for?
Yes, but we always state it explicitly in the report. There are cases where accreditation isn't needed — a guide measurement for your own use, a check before an official test. Passing off a non-accredited measurement as accredited would be deception, and we don't do that.
Contact
Get in touch
Tell us what you need to check and to which standard. If you don't know the standard, we'll tell you — it's the most common question people come to us with.
- Laboratory8 Gauge Street, Anytown
- Sample receptionMon – Fri 7:00 – 15:00
The business's phone and email are left out on purpose — this is an example website of a made-up business and we don't want anyone calling or writing to a stranger's number. A real website would show your contact details here. If you'd like a website like this, write to apoliak@apoliak.online.