Was wondering if someone could give me a ballpark figure of how much it would cost to have asbestos removed. We are wanting to demo a house that was built in 1955 it is approx 1550 sq ft. I have received a few estimates on having someone test for asbestos (approx $500) but they could not give me an estimate on removal if they find it. Just trying to get ballpark figure? Hope someone can help. Thanks!

As you might imagine there are lots of variables here:

1.) Part of the country - depends on your State/municipality and how strict the regulations are enforced;

2.) Time of the year - summer and Christmas is usually most expensive since many contractors are extra busy;

3.) Type of material - this is the biggie. Floor tile is probably the cheapest to remove (in Michigan around a dollar a square foot) whereas spray on and plaster material can be the most expensive (again, in Michigan, can be $3 to $5 per foot).

4.) Quantity of material - small jobs are going to cost more per sq foot than big ones. A small bathroom floor job may only be a few square feet but because of the mobilization required to get the crew there, the company will likely tack on a surcharge.

5.) Cost of air clearances - on certain types of removal jobs, a contractor will be required by law to have what is called an "air clearance" at the end of the job to make sure they did it right and there are no stray fibers flying around. The price of this air clearance varies widely.

So, as you can see, there are a ton of variables. I don't know how specific you want to be in this forum but if you provide more details, I'll see if I can give a better answer.


Fortress Environmental Solutions
www.fortressusa.com

Your location is also important to determine applicable regulations. I many parts of the country, single family homes are not regulated for demolition and renovations involving asbestos. If you do not know of the presense of asbestos, most individuals do not hire inspectors to find it prior to demolition. Is there a specific requirement where you live to perform this inspection prior to issuance of a demolition permit?

We live in Pueblo Colorado. When we were getting bids on the demo project we were told by the contractors that before they could obtain a demo permit we would have to have the absteos inspection/removal if found before they could start the demo.
We have no idea if there is absteos. We are assuming that since the house was built in 1955 it more than likey does.
I know there are a lot of variables here, just was wondering on average how much this could cost so we can decide if we want to procede with the demo. Thanks for the info.

Just for information, here in Michigan the Department of Environmental Quality is clamping down on ALL demolitions--residential/commercial and even fire department training burns. They require an asbestos inspection before they will approve the demo/burn.

Fortress Environmental Solutions
www.fortressusa.com

We were just told by the person that built the house in 1955, that there is absteos under the flooring in the house and in the wall behind the laundry room. So given this info, is there a guess on what type of absteos it is and about how much I'm looking at to remove it? Thanks.

The State of Colorado does not include residential structures with fewer than 4 units in their definition of a "facility". That means the State does not apply asbestos demolition or renovation regulations to your home. Demolitions contractors often are confused that these asbestos standards are not applicable to single family residences. If you want to demolish the structure with the asbestos (if any) in place, you can probably get a letter from the State showing you are exempt.

In addition to the fact you are not demolishing a "facility" you may not have the kinds or quantities of materials that would be required to be removed, even if it was a facility. It appears you are exempted from the law that might otherwise require you to remove asbestos prior to demolition. You may need to satisfy the demolition contractor of that fact, or remove materials that could pose an exposure hazard to his workers.

The real question here is first, is there asbestos containing material? Secondly is that material friable, or potentially friable such that it could cause a hazard during demolition. An expert can make those assessments and report them to you, making a recommendation and cost estimate for abatement. Just like any other contracting; you should contact several local companies that do inspection and removal services and get a report and estimates. In your case, the cost will be minimized because there is no concern about clearing the house for occupancy or consequential damages; you just want potentially friable asbestos removed for demolition. The amout will vary based on square footage, and how difficult the material is to reach. Get estimates locally. State regulations applicable to you are here: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/ap/down/asreg8partB.pdf

Thanks a million...
September 19th, 2005 07:36 PM
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Thanks a million for the info. I am going to follow up on this. I had sceduled an inspection for tomorrow so will call and cancel until I find out for sure if I need one. I will keep you posted. Thanks again!

Just got the results of the asbestos inspection. Found asbestos in all the floor tile and bathroom tile (was told we could remove that ourselves). Also found asbestos in insulation around water heater, hallway celing and all plaster walls but not in the drywall.Im not real sure what that means. Does that mean the abatement contractor will remove just the plaster from the walls or the entire wall? Any estimates on how much I could be looking at here to have it removed? Thanks.

Asbestos was identified in many materials. A few questions... Who did the inspection?
Are the results based on laboratory analysis using polarized light microscopy (PLM)?
What percentage asbestos was determined for the plaster? How many square feet? Is this a skim coat on drywall, the drywall compound on joints, or full plaster and lath? (unclear from your post).

Floor tile generally does not release asbestos fiber because the fiber is encapulated in the asphalt or vinyl matrix. Many times it is not required to be removed prior to demolition. If it must be removed, it is relatively safe to remove, especially using wet methods and removing tiles in as complete pieces as possible.

The small amount of insulation around the water heater should be dealt with by the pro. It will probably be removed using a glove bag enclosure and will be fairly inexpensive. Fortress can suggest prices applicable in his part of the country, or you can ask a contractor to estimate.

The plaster is bad news. If there is a lot of square footage, this could get expensive. Will reserve comments till you respond to questions above.

Your questions are best answered by the state agency here (303) 692-3150. Call them. Explain you are a homeowner of a single family residence to be demolished. Tell them your results and ask them what your legal oblications (if any) are to remove this material prior to demolition. If you are exempt, ask them to send you a brief memo acknowledging your conversation.

For information on waste disposal http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/asbestos.pdf
Compliance, contractors and guidance including county inspectors: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/ap/asbeshom.asp


Good luck.