Are you concerned that your property might have asbestos? If you have an older property, there’s a good chance that you could have the material somewhere in your property which can be a cause for concern, mainly for your health – but also the cost associated with its removal.
In this article we’re going to go through the average cost of removing asbestos, the cost of some of the most common jobs and what may affect the overall removal price, as well as looking into some alternative options you may have.
The average cost of Asbestos removal
If you’ve done some research on asbestos removal, you may have seen some scary prices quoted upwards of £2,500+, but don’t worry that’s not an average. It’s hard to give you an exact figure of average cost as it is area dependent and a lot of the cost comes down to the disposal of the material, keeping that in mind the average price of asbestos removal per square metre is £60.
Now that’s great, but what does that mean in terms of average cost of an asbestos removal job? Well, it really depends upon the size, but if we apply this to a real world example – the most common removal job is artex ceilings, and the average size of a double bedroom in the UK is 11.5 metre squared so the average cost of an asbestos removal job is £690.
Common asbestos removal jobs & their costs
We want to reiterate that asbestos removal varies in cost significantly depending on several factors, like your location, the asbestos location and size of the job to name but a few – that’s why if you research online you’ll find every source says a different range of prices.
We’ve picked out some of our most common removal jobs and provided a range, based on their size by the square metre cost of £60.
- Artex ceiling (£420 - £900)
- Garage roof (£705.60 - £1098)
- Soil pipe (£360 - £480)
An asbestos soil pipe is actually one of the few asbestos products that you aren’t required to have a licence for, due to their being a low amount of fibres released but it still needs to meet strict health and safety requirements so we still recommend using a professional if you aren’t proficient.
What affects asbestos removal price?
As we’ve touched on, if you’re trying to find out how much the removal of asbestos will cost it can be a tricky task – you’ll find different averages on several different websites, and the main reason is because it’s next to impossible to provide you with a quote without knowing the full details of the job.
There are several factors that can affect the cost of removing asbestos, which includes, but isn’t limited to:
The extent of the contamination
The simple largest determining factor of the cost is how much material needs removing, the more widespread the higher the cost is going to be. This increases the cost of time, labour and disposal.
The type of asbestos
Chrysotile is the most common type of asbestos and is the less expensive to remove, amphibole is much more rare and dangerous - it requires specialised handling and disposal which increases the cost.
Location & accessibility
Labour costs vary, and that is reflected in asbestos removal prices too, for instance it will cost more in London than it will in northern cities. Accessibility can be another consideration too, if the space is confined or if it’s considered to be in a high risk area then it may add complexities and increase the removal cost.
Regulation requirements
Some areas can vary in cost due to the regulations, permits and licences required mostly to handle and dispose of asbestos.
Your Asbestos Removal Options
When it comes to asbestos removal you actually have a few options of what you can do – each of which comes with its own advantages and disadvantages.
If you’re worried about cost, then this could be a good option for you as it’s far cheaper. It’s the process of sealing the asbestos containing materials with a durable coating which prevents the fibres from being disturbed.
The advantages of this method is the reduction in cost, and the fact it’s less disruptive. The downsides are that it doesn’t work for all types of asbestos and in high traffic areas wear and tear may not make it a suitable solution.
We’ve gone through this in a lot of detail, so we won’t go too much further into it, but it ensures the complete removal of the hazard. It can be costly and disruptive, but is the best long term solution for your health.
Asbestos, if in a relatively good condition and undisturbed, isn’t a direct risk to your health. You can regularly monitor the asbestos material and prevent them from deteriorating. This requires ongoing maintenance, but can buy you time to save for the removal.
How do you identify & assess asbestos?
A crucial step in ensuring that your property is safe is identifying and assessing the asbestos. We strongly advise contacting a professional, such as ourselves to identify.
It can be quite difficult to know whether a product contains asbestos as the fibres can’t be seen by the naked eye. One of the easiest ways to identify asbestos is by looking at the pattern, most asbestos material has a dimpled or swirling pattern on its surface – but don’t just rely on visual methods.
You can actually buy your own asbestos testing kit, which is available at a variety of different retailers for roughly £20. This allows you to take a small sample and send it to a laboratory for analysis to confirm whether it’s asbestos.
Just answer a few short questions & we’ll provide you with a completely no obligation quote
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral and it was once widely used in various building materials mainly due to its heat resistance, insulation properties and strength – but they weren’t aware of the associated health risks at the time. After this was found out, it was banned for use in construction in the United Kingdom & the removal of the material began.
It is particularly common in buildings that had been built from the mid-19th century up until the late 1970s. If your home was built during this time, or renovation took place then there could be a pretty high chance that your property contains asbestos.
Where is Asbestos usually found?
There are a lot of places inside and out of your home that you can find asbestos, especially if you have an older home. Here are a few of the more common areas in UK properties that you may find the material:
- Bath Panels
- Garage Roofs
- Vinyl Floor Tiles
- Wiring Insulation
- Old Boilers
- Textured Paint
- Popcorn Ceilings
- Tiled Ceilings
- Insulation Boards
Do keep in mind, if your home is constructed after the mid 1980s, it’s very unlikely that you will have asbestos.
Why is it important to remove Asbestos?
If asbestos is left and deteriorates then exposure to it can lead to serious health problems which include cancer and lung disease. It’s a huge safety risk having asbestos in a home, as if it gets damaged or disturbed you need to remove it immediately. Removing asbestos gives you peace of mind knowing that your health isn’t at risk.
Not to mention, the presence of asbestos can significantly reduce the value of your property and removing it, can do the opposite.
