UK soft strip-out contractors · ASM · F&I Group
Soft Strip Out Services Across the UK
Professional soft strip and internal building clearance for commercial property, refurbishment, redevelopment, fit-out, industrial premises, public-sector estates and construction projects across England, Scotland and Wales.
Our teams complete more than 650 soft strip-out projects every year, removing non-structural fixtures, finishes, partitions, ceilings, floor coverings, redundant services and internal components to leave buildings ready for refurbishment, reconfiguration or the next construction phase.
Contractor assurance for soft strip and construction work
Experienced, insured and independently assessed delivery
Our soft strip teams operate within established F&I Group health, safety, environmental and quality systems. Projects are supported by appropriate training, competencies, insurances, supervision and work-specific qualifications for the activities being undertaken.
Preparing buildings for what comes next
What is a soft strip out?
A soft strip removes selected non-structural elements from a building before refurbishment, conversion, demolition or reoccupation, while retaining the structural shell and any components identified by the project design for retention.
The exact scope can range from removing a small number of internal finishes in an occupied commercial building to stripping several floors back to a defined shell ready for a complete refurbishment.
The work needs to be planned against drawings, retained elements, service isolations, asbestos information, access constraints, waste routes and the construction programme. A successful soft strip is therefore more than simply removing everything from a building.
Strip back to the required construction boundary
Remove obsolete internal finishes and fixtures while preserving the parts of the property identified for retention by the new design.
Prepare existing property for a new use
Office, retail, industrial, education and other properties can be cleared internally before conversion, reconfiguration or major building works.
Remove internal non-structural materials first
Soft strip can separate recoverable materials, reduce waste complexity and prepare a structure for the subsequent demolition phase.
Established delivery at scale
More than 650 soft strip-out projects every year
Soft strip is an established part of our construction and enabling-work delivery rather than an occasional add-on service.
Completing more than 650 soft strip projects annually gives our teams experience of different building types, project programmes, access arrangements, live-site constraints and client specifications.
Projects can range from individual commercial units and void properties to multi-floor offices, education buildings, healthcare estates, industrial buildings and larger refurbishment programmes.
Project-specific internal clearance
What can be included in a soft strip?
The final scope is agreed from the design, condition of the building, services information and the required handover standard. Typical soft strip packages can include:
Partitions & linings
Non-structural stud partitions, wall linings, decorative panels, doors and associated joinery.
Suspended ceilings
Ceiling tiles, grids, rafts, bulkheads and other agreed non-structural ceiling systems.
Floor finishes
Carpets, vinyl, raised-access floor components, timber finishes and other agreed floor coverings.
Fixtures & fittings
Cabinets, counters, shelving, sanitary fittings, kitchens, storage and redundant internal fixtures.
Redundant M&E
Agreed redundant mechanical and electrical components following suitable identification, isolation and competent trade input where required.
Doors & internal joinery
Internal doors, frames, trims, skirtings, timber features and other non-structural joinery within scope.
Washrooms & kitchens
Sanitary fittings, cubicles, kitchen units, worktops and associated non-structural finishes.
General internal clearance
Redundant fittings, loose items and agreed construction materials requiring removal before the next phase.
Clear boundaries reduce variation
We define what comes out — and what stays
Good strip-out planning protects retained fabric, reduces programme disruption and prevents the wrong services, finishes or building elements being removed.
A major advantage of integrated delivery
Soft strip and asbestos need to be planned together
Soft strip frequently disturbs walls, ceilings, floors, service routes and other parts of older buildings where asbestos-containing materials may be concealed.
A standard asbestos management survey may not be enough for intrusive strip-out works
Where the proposed soft strip will disturb the building fabric, the asbestos information needs to cover the actual work boundary and depth of intrusion before the work begins.
Do not allow strip-out teams to open walls, ceilings, floors, risers or concealed areas where the asbestos information is insufficient for that disturbance.
Review existing reports against the strip-out drawings and determine whether a suitably scoped refurbishment or demolition survey is required.
Refurbishment asbestos surveys →Where ACMs conflict with the strip-out scope, the asbestos package should be identified, classified and completed using the appropriate asbestos-removal route.
Asbestos removal services →Once the relevant asbestos risks, isolations and other pre-start constraints have been resolved, the agreed strip-out sequence can proceed.
Fewer interfaces · clearer responsibility
Soft strip with asbestos expertise already within the wider Group
One of the biggest project risks during strip-out is discovering that the construction team and asbestos information do not match. ASM's position within F&I Group helps us identify those interfaces before the programme reaches the affected area.
Survey-to-strip coordination
Existing asbestos information can be reviewed against the planned strip-out boundary so gaps are identified before intrusive work reaches them.
Removal-to-strip sequencing
Where asbestos removal is required, the asbestos package can be sequenced ahead of the affected soft strip works to reduce programme conflict.
Wider construction support
F&I Group resources can support associated access, construction and project requirements where these form part of the agreed package.
Commercial, public-sector and construction delivery
Soft strip-out projects across different building types
Offices
Floor-by-floor strip-outs, redundant fit-outs, partitions, ceilings, floor finishes and services ahead of workplace refurbishment.
Retail & hospitality
Shops, restaurants, leisure, hospitality and commercial units being refitted, handed back or repurposed.
Education
Schools, colleges and other education buildings requiring controlled internal clearance around programmes, access and retained areas.
Healthcare
Planned strip-out in healthcare property with particular consideration for segregation, access, noise, dust and retained operation.
Industrial
Workshops, warehouses, factories and industrial buildings undergoing refurbishment or repurposing.
Residential blocks
Void blocks, communal areas, conversion projects and larger residential refurbishment programmes.
Public buildings
Civic, community and public-sector properties requiring documented and controlled internal strip-out works.
Pre-demolition works
Internal soft strip ahead of structural demolition where it forms part of the planned demolition and waste-management strategy.
From project information to clean handover
How an ASM / F&I soft strip project is managed
Review the project
Review drawings, specification, building use, asbestos information, programme, access and required handover condition.
Define the strip boundary
Confirm what is removed, what is retained, service isolations, protected areas, exclusions and waste routes.
Plan & mobilise
Prepare RAMS, labour, supervision, equipment, segregation, welfare, waste arrangements and project controls.
Strip, clear & hand over
Complete the agreed removal, segregate waste, maintain housekeeping and hand the defined area to the next project phase.
Planned construction activity
Safe soft strip starts before operatives enter the work area
Every project is assessed around its actual hazards, building condition, occupation and scope. Project controls can include:
RAMS & supervision
Task-specific risk assessment and method statements, competent supervision, workforce briefings and site sign-on arrangements.
Service isolation
Electrical, mechanical, gas, water and other services identified and isolated by competent persons where required before strip-out reaches them.
Structural protection
Soft strip does not authorise uncontrolled removal of load-bearing or stability-critical elements. Structural uncertainty is escalated before removal proceeds.
Dust & noise controls
Work methods, segregation, extraction, housekeeping and programme controls selected according to the site and neighbouring occupation.
Access & work at height
Appropriate access equipment, competent users and project controls selected according to the task and working environment.
Fire & emergency arrangements
Fire routes, temporary conditions, hot-work interfaces and emergency arrangements considered as the building changes during strip-out.
Competent people · controlled delivery
Training, qualifications and insurance matched to the work
Our soft strip operations are supported by the training, qualifications, competency records and insurance arrangements necessary for the works being undertaken.
The precise competence requirement depends on the project. Plant, access equipment, electrical isolation, manual handling, specialist tools and other activities are allocated to suitably trained or qualified personnel rather than assumed to be covered by a generic strip-out role.
Competent site teams
Workforce competency is matched to the tasks, tools, plant and access methods used on each project.
Project supervision
Site supervision supports scope control, housekeeping, sequencing, safety standards and coordination with other trades.
Appropriate insurance
Our soft strip activities are supported by the insurance arrangements required for the works and contractual scope.
Waste is part of the project — not an afterthought
Soft strip waste management
Our soft strip operation maintains its own registered waste-carrier licence and manages the removal of project waste through appropriate authorised routes.
Where practical, the strip sequence can help separate different materials at source rather than mixing all materials into one waste stream. This improves site control and supports recovery and recycling opportunities where suitable routes are available.
Identify
Understand the materials likely to arise from the agreed strip-out scope.
Segregate
Separate appropriate waste streams where project space, logistics and routes permit.
Remove
Use the appropriate waste containers, loading arrangements and registered carrier route.
Document
Maintain the applicable waste-transfer and project records associated with the work.
Better information produces a better quotation
What to send us for a soft strip quote
A site visit may be required for larger or more complex work, but the following information helps us establish the initial scope:
Property & scope
- Full site address and postcode
- Building type and current use
- Plans, drawings or room schedules
- Strip-out specification
- Items to remove
- Items and finishes to retain
- Approximate floor area
- Required handover condition
Pre-start information
- Existing asbestos survey information
- Structural information where relevant
- Known live services and isolation arrangements
- Access and loading restrictions
- Occupation or neighbouring-use constraints
- Working-hour restrictions
- Programme and required completion date
- Site logistics and waste arrangements
Connect the enabling works
Services commonly linked to soft strip
These are separate services with their own scopes, but coordinating them at the planning stage can reduce gaps between survey information, asbestos work and the construction programme.
Frequently asked questions
Soft strip-out FAQs
What is a soft strip out?
A soft strip removes selected non-structural elements such as internal partitions, ceilings, floor finishes, fixtures, fittings and redundant components before refurbishment, conversion or demolition. The structural shell and any specified retained elements remain.
How many soft strip projects do you undertake?
Our teams complete more than 650 soft strip-out projects each year, covering commercial, public-sector, industrial, residential and construction environments.
Do you work across the UK?
Yes. Soft strip projects can be supported across England, Scotland and Wales through ASM and wider F&I Group resources, subject to scope, programme and project requirements.
What can you remove during a soft strip?
Typical scopes can include non-structural partitions, wall linings, suspended ceilings, floor coverings, raised-floor components, kitchens, sanitary fittings, internal joinery, fixtures and redundant services following appropriate isolation. The precise scope is agreed before work begins.
Do you remove structural walls during a soft strip?
Not as an uncontrolled soft-strip activity. Any element that may be load-bearing or affect structural stability must be identified and assessed before alteration or removal.
Do I need an asbestos survey before soft strip?
Where the work will disturb building fabric in a property where asbestos may be present, the asbestos information must be sufficient for the actual strip-out boundary. A management survey may not cover intrusive refurbishment work, so a suitably scoped refurbishment or demolition survey may be required before disturbance begins.
What happens if asbestos is found during the project?
Work in the affected area should stop and the material must not simply be treated as normal strip-out waste. ASM can review the asbestos information and determine the appropriate survey, sampling or asbestos-removal route before soft strip resumes in the affected area.
Can you carry out the asbestos removal as well?
Asbestos work is treated as a separate controlled service. ASM directly undertakes appropriate non-licensed and notifiable non-licensed asbestos work, with the appropriate F&I Group route available for licensable asbestos projects. The asbestos scope is separately assessed and documented.
Are you a registered waste carrier?
Yes. Our soft strip operation maintains its own registered waste-carrier licence and uses appropriate authorised waste routes for project materials.
Do you recycle soft strip waste?
Where suitable facilities and waste routes are available, project planning can include segregation of recoverable materials rather than unnecessarily mixing all materials into one waste stream. The achievable approach depends on the materials, site logistics and local disposal or recovery routes.
Can you work in occupied buildings?
Some soft strip projects can be phased around retained or occupied areas, subject to the work scope and appropriate segregation, access, noise, dust, fire and service controls. More intrusive work may require areas to be vacated.
What accreditations support your soft strip work?
Our general contractor assurance includes CHAS, SMAS, Achilles, Constructionline Gold, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Project teams also hold the training, competencies and qualifications required for the activities allocated to them.
What information should I send for a quotation?
Send the project address, drawings or room schedules, strip-out specification, asbestos information, items to retain and remove, service-isolation information, access restrictions and required programme. Photographs are also useful for initial review.
Soft strip-out enquiries
Send us the scope and let us plan the strip-out properly
Send the site address, drawings, strip-out specification, asbestos information, photographs, access constraints and required programme. We can review the proposed work and provide a project-specific written quotation.