What does asbestos removal cost in Ontario?

Why quotes vary so much

Two houses with “asbestos” can need completely different work. A short length of pipe wrap in an open basement and an attic full of vermiculite have little in common except the word. We do not publish prices because a single figure would mislead most readers. This guide explains what the price is made of.

The six cost drivers

1. The type of operation

Ontario Regulation 278/05 classifies asbestos work as Type 1, Type 2 or Type 3, in rising order of risk and of required precautions. The class is set by the material, whether it is friable and how much is disturbed.

• Type 1 work needs basic controls.
• Type 2 adds more protection and, in some cases, an enclosure.
• Type 3 requires a full enclosure under negative pressure, a decontamination facility, trained and certified workers, notice to the Ministry of Labour and clearance air testing.

Each step up adds labour, equipment and time.

2. Friable or not

Friable material crumbles by hand and releases fibres easily: sprayed insulation, pipe wrap, loose vermiculite. Non-friable material, such as vinyl tiles or cement board, is bound in a solid matrix. Friable material is costlier to remove.

3. How much there is

Quantity matters twice: for the labour, and because the regulation’s thresholds can move a job into a higher type.

4. Access

An open basement ceiling is easier than a crawlspace, a finished wall cavity or a low attic. Occupied homes need more protection of the living space and the ventilation system.

5. Testing and clearance

Laboratory analysis of samples before the job, and air testing afterwards where required or wanted. Using an independent consultant for clearance costs a little more and removes a conflict of interest.

6. Disposal

Asbestos waste must be sealed, labelled and taken to a site that accepts it. Disposal fees and transport are part of the price.

What a written quote should show

• The test results the scope is based on
• Which materials and quantities will be removed
• The type of operation
• How the area will be isolated and the furnace and ducts protected
• Whether Ministry of Labour notification is required
• Who does clearance testing
• Disposal, with paperwork
• What is not included, such as putting back insulation, flooring or drywall

Ways to keep the cost down, safely

• Test first. Removing a material that turns out not to contain asbestos is money wasted, and not testing a material that does is worse.
• Remove only what the work requires. Intact material that will not be disturbed can often stay.
• Combine it with the renovation schedule so the area is opened once.
• Do not start demolition yourself. Contaminating the house turns a small removal into a large cleanup.

Is it covered by insurance?

Not simply because it is there. Where an insured loss, such as a fire or burst pipe, damages a material containing asbestos, dealing with it safely is commonly part of the repair claim. Ask your adjuster.

Can I do it myself to save money?

The regulation does not apply to an owner working in their own occupied home, but it applies to anyone you hire, and the health risk does not change. Fibres released during a do-it-yourself removal stay in the house, in the ducts and on belongings. Health authorities advise against it.

Three typical jobs, compared

A few metres of pipe wrap in an open basement. Friable material, but a small quantity and easy access. Depending on the amount, this can fall within the lower operation types, often completed in a day.

Vinyl floor tiles in a kitchen. Non-friable while intact. If they can be lifted whole, the precautions are lighter. If they have to be broken, ground or sanded off, the classification and the cost rise.

Vermiculite throughout an attic. Loose, friable material across a large area, with difficult access. This typically requires the full Type 3 precautions: enclosure, negative air, decontamination and clearance air testing. It is the largest of the three by a wide margin.

How testing changes the picture

A laboratory result does three things. It tells you whether there is asbestos at all. It identifies the material so that the work can be classified. And it defines the quantity, so that the quote is for a known scope. Without it, a contractor either prices for the worst case or risks under-quoting and stopping halfway.

Sampling a suspect material is itself a disturbance, so it should be done carefully and by someone who knows how.

Costs that are easy to overlook

• Putting things back. Removal leaves bare pipe, open ceilings or an uninsulated attic. Re-insulating and refinishing is a separate cost.
• Alternative accommodation if the household moves out during a larger job.
• Clearance air testing by an independent consultant.
• Protecting the heating system, which may need to be shut down and sealed during the work.
• Disposal fees, which vary by region.

Renovating in stages

If you are renovating one room at a time in an older house, have the whole house surveyed once. It is cheaper than testing before every job, and it lets you plan removals alongside the work that requires them.

Workplaces and rental properties

The homeowner exemption in Ontario Regulation 278/05 applies only to an owner-occupied private residence. Landlords, employers and contractors are covered by the regulation, including the requirement to identify asbestos before work that may disturb it.

More: asbestos removal and abatement.