How much does it cost to remove asbestos?

How much does asbestos removal cost?

The average cost of asbestos removal is around $30-$150 per square metre. However, the cost is dependent on your location and the amount of asbestos. Several types of asbestos can only be determined through a lab inspection and audit report.

Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that are naturally occurring. Asbestos has been used as a building product from the 1940s to the 1990s, as it resists high temperatures and provides effective insulation.

Asbestos removal prices for different services

If your home or workplace is at risk of being built with asbestos, read below to determine how much asbestos removal can cost you, based on your location and the type of asbestos in your building. You’ll be one step closer to keeping you and your family or workplace safe. 

Removing asbestos from your home

Asbestos has been used in building materials since the 1940s. It is odourless, tasteless, and resistant to chemicals, heat, and fire. The first asbestos-related death occurred in 1961. Since then, all asbestos-related products have been banned. In 2003, it became illegal to sell, install, use or produce asbestos-related products. 

What makes asbestos dangerous is the size of the fibres that can be exposed to human lungs. The fibres are tiny, and when breathed in, the asbestos increases the risk of developing cancers of the lungs, ovaries, and larynx.

There are many places where asbestos can be found in your home, such as in your: 

• Flat and corrugated sheeting
• Cement
• Drywall
• Gaskets
• Fireproofing
• Insulation
• Floor tiles
• Adhesives
• Roofing
• Textiles
• Textured paints
• Rubber

If your home was built anywhere from the 1940s until the 1990s, it’s a safe bet to get your place checked out. Approximately 50% of homes built before 1954 contain asbestos.

Factors affecting the price of asbestos removal

Asbestos removal is a long-winded process. Many factors affect asbestos tile removal costs, asbestos popcorn ceiling removal costs, and asbestos siding removal costs: 

• Size of the area that asbestos needs to be removed from
• If your flooring has adhesive vinyl, as it may contain asbestos in the adhesive
• Removal of asbestos from premises
• Type of asbestos found
• The type of ceiling you have - cement sheet, insulation, ceiling tiles, popcorn ceiling, etc
• Obstacles that may cause further damage (i.e. trees, roots and rocks)
• Height and gradient of the roof
• The number of asbestos fibres found in your home - loose fibres are more time-intensive and might cost you more
• The travel distance from the job
• The condition of the asbestos
• The accessibility of the asbestos location

Other services from asbestos removers

Once the specialist removalist has rid your building materials of asbestos, they can do many other tasks for you. Some of which include:

• Asbestos disposal
• Asbestos testing
• Site inspections
• Site demolitions
• Site Advice
• Asbestos analysis

Asbestos disposal must be done by professionals or disposed of at a legal waste location. It costs between $13 - $15 per square metre to dispose of sheets of asbestos. Transport and disposal of asbestos waste must be under all relevant State legislation and guidelines. 

These services depend on the type of asbestos remover you hire, but learn what else your removalist offers so that you can take full advantage of their packages or deals!

Asbestos inspection prices

If you’re not sure if your home has asbestos materials in it or not, it’s a good idea to get a sample tested by a laboratory. Asbestos removalists tend to get discounts for asbestos analysis, but there may be extra costs depending on the tie frame you wish to determine.

Here are some prices based on the inspection service:

In general, it will take an inspector around five samples to determine the type of asbestos that has been found in your home or building. These prices may vary depending on the inspector or analyst that you hire. Be sure that they are fully trained, as the type of asbestos found affects the final removal price. 

Types of asbestos

Chrysotile (white asbestos)

This is the most commonly found asbestos in building materials. It is on flooring, ceilings, roofs, walls, and pipes.

Crocidolite (blue asbestos)

This asbestos is mostly found in steam engine insulation and some spray-on coatings, pipe insulation, and plastic and cement products.

Amosite (brown asbestos)

Brown asbestos is most commonly found in cement sheets and pipe insulation. It can also be found in the insulating board, ceiling tiles, and thermal insulation products.

Anthophyllite (grey or dull green asbestos)

This form of asbestos was used in limited quantities for insulation products and construction materials. It isn’t as common as those mentioned.

Tremolite and actinolite (transparent asbestos)

These two forms of asbestos were not used commercially. However, they can be found as contaminants in chrysotile asbestos, vermiculite, and talc. 

Depending on the type of asbestos found, your price will vary. The asbestos will be sampled, tested, and analysed in a lab before the removal, so it’s good to find out what types of asbestos there are and how common they are to find in materials. 

Average asbestos removal prices per Australian state or territory

Asbestos removal prices depend on your location in Australia. Typically, larger populated cities have lower rates for asbestos removal. Still, it depends on the amount of asbestos in the building and the type of asbestos that has been found. The rates are listed below: 

These rates are based on a per square metre basis, which won’t suit or apply to some specialists. It’s essential to have these figures on hand just in case, but every asbestos removalist has their own rates and regulations that they like to work with. Most asbestos removalists will add fees with the following inclusions:

• Travel expenses
• Asbestos disposal
• Asbestos testing / analysing
• Location of asbestos

Getting ready to hire an asbestos removalist

So do you need to free your building from asbestos? Here are some details to share when posting a task:

• Location 
• Time
• Budget
• Whether you have had previous asbestos testing
• Size of the building

The more information you include, the better the outcome. It makes it much easier for the removalist to help you. It’s also a good idea to have everything listed so that they can refer to it later. Here are some crucial questions you should ask before they get started:

• Are they licensed asbestos removalists?
• Do they test the type of asbestos?
• How do they dispose of the asbestos after it has been removed?
• What is their complete process of removal of asbestos?
• How much training do they have in asbestos removal?

Only those with specialised training are legally allowed to remove and dispose of asbestos. Asking a professional to do this job will be better for you in the long run than a DIY project.