How Much to Remove Asbestos?
So, when was asbestos used?
In the past, asbestos was one of the most popular types of building material due to its fantastic ability to provide thermal insulation and absorb sounds.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t until later that we learned the dangerous side effects of the material.
Where can asbestos be found?
Now that we understand the dangers, it's no longer used in construction in the UK. However, it is still found hidden in many older buildings. Some other countries all still allow limited chrysotile usage.
Since it was often mixed with other materials, it can be hard to identify unless you’re a professional.
With this in mind, plus the dangers of it, you must hire a professional to remove asbestos safely.
If you suspect that there may be asbestos present in your home, you should reach out to a professional as soon as possible. They can then carry out a safety inspection and arrange for the material to be removed safely.
How much does asbestos removal cost in total?
The national average cost for removing asbestos is around £50-£60 per m² for low-risk removal, although more complex jobs may be charged at a higher rate.
If you live in London or the South East, prices are substantially higher, potentially starting from £160 per m².
You should also factor in the cost of hiring a professional contractor to complete a survey of the necessary work. This will usually cost around £200-£300 per day.
For larger removal jobs, it's worth getting more than one quote as prices can vary and costs soon add up, especially if any additional work is required.
Alternatively, it may be practical to go for the encapsulation method instead. This is a popular choice if there's a substantial amount of asbestos throughout the home, as it involves a cost-effective process of applying a protective adhesive (approximately £8-£15 per m2) rather than removing the asbestos altogether.
What can affect the cost of asbestos removal?
Several factors could affect the asbestos removal costs, including your location in the UK and the amount of asbestos that needs to be removed.
Asbestos Removal Price List
Although the prices differ greatly depending on the job, the table below highlights what you could expect to pay for asbestos removal at your home:
| TYPE OF JOB | DURATION | AVERAGE COST |
|---|---|---|
| Professional survey | 1-3 hours | £200-£300 |
| Asbestos removal | 3-5 days | £50-£60 per m² |
| Applying protective adhesive | 1-2 hours | £8-£15 per m² |
| Council removal (200kg) | 3-5 days | £45-£95 |
| Asbestos garage roof removal | 3-5 days | £380-£1800 |
| Re-boarding | 3-5 days | £400-£1000 |
What Additional Costs of Asbestos Removal Are There?
When it comes to removing asbestos, several additional costs may arise. Below is a table of the additional costs that you may wish to consider when it comes to this type of work:
| ADDITIONAL COST | AVERAGE COST |
|---|---|
| Roof Repairs | £200 – £2,000+ |
| New Roof Installation | £5,000 – £6,000 |
| Garage/Extension Roof | £1,000 – £2,000 |
| Scaffolding Hire | £200 – £1,000 |
| Plastering Patch Repair | £70 – £130 |
| Plaster Skimming | Up to £200 |
| Replastering Room | £500 – £700 |
| Plastering Ceiling | £150 – £750 |
| Painting & Decorating | Up to £800 |
Roofing Repairs
Given asbestos is often found in old roofs and loft spaces, there's likely to be a certain amount of damage during its removal. This can result in needing roof repairs (around £200 to £500 for tile replacements or in excess of £1,000 to £2,000 for anything more substantial.
In the event you need a whole new roof, the average repair cost in the UK starts from £5,000 to £6,000 or £1,000 to £2,000 for a garage or extension.
Scaffolding Hire
When it comes to roof repairs or asbestos found in other hard to reach areas, then scaffolding hire also has to be taken into consideration.
Scaffolding prices can range anywhere from £200 to £1,000 depending on how much is required and for how long.
Plastering and Skimming
With regards to internal asbestos, once removed (or sealed) a plasterer can fix the walls and ceilings to make them look as good as new.
If all that's needed is a patch repair, this can cost between £70 and £130 while skimming may cost up to £200 and replastering an entire medium sized room between £500 and £700. Plastering a ceiling is normally between £150 and £750, depending on the area covered and any intricate designs etc.
Painting and Decorating
Lastly, there's the finishing touches once everything asbestos-related has been completed. Interior painting and decorating can actually be a fun and rewarding result of any prior disruption and a chance to revamp a bedroom, bathroom or living area.
That said, costings can vary, ranging anywhere from £16 to £160 per roll of wallpaper, up to £800 to paint a large room.
Other Costs
Asbestos removal can be a large job that is often spread over a few days. With this in mind, it would be sensible for you to find alternative accommodation for this time.
This may mean that you’ll need to pay for hotel costs, which could add £200-£600 on average to the overall costs involved with the work.
Depending on where you are located, you may also need to pay for excess mileage. As asbestos removal is a very niche type of job, you may need to hire a company from far away to get it done.
If this is the case, you may need to pay the contractors an additional fee to cover the cost of getting to you.
Tradesmen Costs to Remove Asbestos
In this section, we will go over the costs that you can expect to pay for the labour of having asbestos removed from your home.
The average labour cost that you can expect to pay for low-risk asbestos removal is around £50-£60 per square metre. If you have a lot of asbestos in your home, you may need to have more than one contractor to complete the job.
If this is the case, you will likely end up paying a little extra for labour.
Before you go through an asbestos removal job, you will need to bring someone in to survey the problem. This process should only take a few hours, and a contractor will usually charge around £200-£300 for this service.
Asbestos removal prices will increase if you live in London and the North West, or if the job is higher-risk involving friable materials such as spray applied insulation or contains loose asbestos dust and debris.
How Long Does It Take to Remove Asbestos?
You may be wondering how long it takes to remove asbestos from your home. The timescales can vary greatly depending on the type of job.
Before you have your asbestos removed, you will need to have it surveyed by a professional. This process should only take a few hours to complete. Then, if asbestos is identified, they will provide you with a quote and estimated timescales for the asbestos removal job.
The time it takes to get asbestos removed from your home will depend on the amount of asbestos being removed and the ease of access to the affected area. The average asbestos removal job will usually take around 3-5 days to finish.
However, simple low risk jobs can take less time (e.g., around 1 day for most asbestos garage roof removals). On the other hand, large asbestos removal jobs can take weeks to finish. It all depends on how much asbestos needs to be removed.
What are the Supply Costs of Removing Asbestos?
Since asbestos removal is a very dangerous job, it should never be attempted as a DIY job. With this in mind, there are no supply costs involved with removing asbestos. Any supplies needed to complete the job will be provided by the company that is carrying out the work.
When a surveyor comes to take a look at the work needed, they will usually provide you with a quote for the entire cost of the job, and this will include any supplies needed to carry out the work.
Asbestos Removal vs Asbestos Encapsulation
As an alternative solution to the expense of removing asbestos completely, there is a cheaper alternative that's sometimes a viable option that involves simply sealing the asbestos instead. See below for the pros and cons of each.
Asbestos Removal
Asbestos removal is carried out by fully licensed professionals in order to eliminate any risk of exposure.
Pros
- ✔ Completely eliminates asbestos from the property
- ✔ Removes future risk of exposure to asbestos
- ✔ Only option when asbestos is damaged or friable
Cons
- ✖ Usually more expensive than encapsulation
- ✖ Potentially time-consuming and cause disruption
- ✖ Can only be carried out by licensed professionals
Asbestos Encapsulation
Using a sealant, encapsulation prevents asbestos fibres from being released by sealing the materials in place.
Pros
- ✔ Provides a quicker and less expensive solution
- ✔ Suitable when the affected materials are in good condition
- ✔ Keeps any disturbance of the asbestos to a minimum
Cons
- ✖ Asbestos itself remains in place, requiring monitoring
- ✖ Unsuitable if the asbestos is damaged or friable
- ✖ Not all applications will pass regulations
Types of Asbestos
There are several different types of asbestos. Below is a list of the types of asbestos and some information about each type:
Chrysotile (white asbestos)
This is the most commonly used type of asbestos. It can usually be found in ceilings, walls, roofs, and floors.
Amosite (brown asbestos)
This type of asbestos was used mostly in pipe insulation and cement sheets. It can also be found in thermal insulation products, insulating board, and ceiling tiles.
Crocidolite (blue asbestos)
This type of asbestos was mostly used to insulate steam engines and boilers. However, it was also used in some pipe insulations, cement products, plastics, and spray-on coatings.
The above types of asbestos and the three most common variants are typically found in older homes.
The first step in an asbestos removal job is having a surveyor assess the work that needs to be done. They will then advise you on the best method of removal and what’s involved.
If a specialist assesses that complete removal isn't necessary, then it's commonly managed by encapsulating the asbestos. This involves applying a protective adhesive to the asbestos.
This is much cheaper than having the asbestos removed. This is the best option if there is a lot of asbestos present in areas of the home.
If there isn’t much asbestos present in your home, then a full removal will most likely be the recommended option.
FAQs
Q: What is asbestos?
A: Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibre which was previously heavily used to construct many buildings including commercial buildings and residential properties.
Q: When was asbestos banned?
A: The supply and use of all asbestos products have been banned in the UK since 1999.
Q: Do I need to remove asbestos in Artex?
A: It is fine to leave asbestos in Artex alone as long as it is in good condition and undamaged. If left alone, the asbestos will not cause a risk to your health.
Q: What is an asbestos testing kit?
A: An asbestos testing kit will allow you to sample materials on your property. You'll then need to send them to a UKAS-accredited laboratory to assess if there's any asbestos present.
Q: How do companies do safe asbestos disposal?
A: Asbestos must be disposed of in a very specific way. It must be packaged in approved asbestos waste bags with the correct hazard labels.
To transport asbestos waste, you must have a carrier’s licence, and it must be disposed of at a licensed disposal site.
