How Much Does Asbestos Abatement Cost?
How to Bring Dirty and Clean Demolition Under One Scope
When clients deal with dirty demolition, known as asbestos abatement demolition, the biggest pain point is the variability of costs. This is especially true when compared to non-asbestos-related demolition work, known as clean demolition.
Building owners tend to think of these two types of activities as different silos of work. They attempt to delineate asbestos abatement demolition from clean demolition and price them out separately with different vendors. But coordinating clean demolition in concert with asbestos abatement demolition could reduce project costs in the long run.
Building owners should consider working with a third-party asbestos consultant and an asbestos abatement contractor who is capable of performing both types of demolition. This will increase efficiency and lower the risk of mistakes, making it worth the cost of skilled asbestos abatement.
Watch GHP in action as it completes an asbestos removal project and find out why it’s better to hire trained professionals from the start.
Four Benefits of Budgeting for Skilled Asbestos Abatement Demolition
There are extra considerations when planning a renovation or demolition of buildings constructed from the 1920s through 1980. One necessity is an initial asbestos inspection.
If regulated asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are discovered, a project will benefit from a contractor capable of performing both clean demolition and asbestos abatement demolition. As part of the overall demolition process, a licensed asbestos abatement contractor should remove and dispose of ACMs in compliance with all regulations and oversight from a certified asbestos consulting company.
The benefits of working with a certified contractor and consultant include:
1. Reduce the risk of project delays
Streamlines the process: Demolition contractors who are capable of asbestos abatement work in combination with consultants trained in handling regulated ACMs can efficiently manage the entire process of asbestos abatement demolition and clean demolition, usually under one containment. This reduces the cost and time from coordinating between two separate entities. It also allows for more freedom to design an asbestos abatement strategy that fits the needs of the project.
Minimizes delays for the unexpected: If regulated ACMs are discovered during a demolition, it can cause project delays due to work stoppage. Additional asbestos testing would be required and the proper authorities would need to be notified of an exposure. This would then lead to demobilization of the clean demolition contractors and mobilization of an abatement contractor that can result in a cost increase and loss of workdays.
Minimizes confusion in scopes of work: If casework sitting on asbestos-containing floor tile needs to be removed, which contractor is responsible for removing the casework prior to abatement of the floor tile? Casework removal generally falls within a clean demolition scope, unless the asbestos-containing floor tile sticks to the bottom of the casework and comes up with that residue. In this case, the clean demolition contractor disturbed an asbestos-containing material. Encountering gray areas like this between scopes of work can cause project delays and additional mobilization and demobilization costs.
2. Ensure safety for clients, staff, and contractors
Minimizes exposure: A licensed asbestos abatement contractor follows strict and regulated protocols to minimize asbestos exposure for building occupants. Asbestos is a carcinogen associated with diseases including lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. It is crucial to minimize exposure to asbestos and to take proper precautions when working with or around materials that may contain asbestos.
Uses specialized equipment: A licensed asbestos abatement contractor uses specialized procedures and equipment, including negative air machines that have high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration. This maintains negative pressure within abatement spaces and prevents asbestos fibers from migrating away from the abatement work locations. During asbestos removal in a ceiling, the abatement professional may seal off the area with a plastic barrier and use a HEPA-filtered vacuum to remove any debris or dust generated during the process. This ensures that no asbestos fibers escape into other parts of the building.
3. Properly handle regulated materials
Prevents contamination: Working with a licensed asbestos abatement contractor reduces the risk for inhalation hazards and contamination in the surrounding spaces of demolition work. For example, it is required to set up containment barriers during abatement. These barriers can be constructed using polyethylene sheeting and tape to isolate the work area and prevent the spread of asbestos fibers.
Reduces risk of errors: A licensed contractor has the necessary equipment and training to safely handle regulated ACMs. Asbestos consultants often perform air monitoring before, during, and after abatement work to confirm the efficacy. Additionally, they will help plan and provide recommendations for the best measures to follow during an asbestos issue.
Properly undergoes asbestos disposal: Certified workers are trained in the proper disposal of regulated ACMs and follow strict regulations and guidelines to appropriately bag, label, and transport materials to a licensed landfill that can accept asbestos waste. A waste manifest should record these proper disposal activities.
4. Reduce future costs and headache
Complies with regulations: Asbestos removal companies are required to comply with federal, state, and local regulations related to regulated ACMs. They take safety measures to protect building occupants and the indoor environment.
Avoids future costs: If regulated ACMs are not properly removed and disposed of during a demolition project, it can lead to costs such as legal fees, environmental remediation, or fines. Under the federal Clean Air Act, violators of asbestos remediation and disposal rules can face fines of up to $37,500 per day per violation, up to a maximum of $250,000. Individual states can also impose their own fines, which can be significantly higher than the federal ones from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Using an asbestos consultant to manage your project helps avoid these fines.
Breaking Down the Cost to Remove Asbestos
Depending on your state, region, and city, the cost of asbestos removal will differ drastically.
Below are the average costs of unskilled, clean demolition labor and skilled, asbestos abatement labor based on wages scales and project square footage. These pricing ranges are based on the pre-COVID national average dependent on time of year, location, and union membership.
As you can see, hourly rates for skilled asbestos abatement can initially be higher because of the training, equipment, and proper disposal techniques that they bring to the project. On average, $20 of their hourly labor rate pays for all durable goods, equipment, and materials required for proper abatement. This includes negative air machines, edge guard wall protection systems, plastic sheeting, sticky matts, PPE, and more. Beyond those costs, a company will pay $2,500-$5,000 a year to keep a skilled asbestos abatement professional certified, trained, medically fit, and properly insured.
When estimating the cost for asbestos abatement demolition based on square footage of the building, there are many factors that can impact the project costs:
Square footage of ACMs: This can impact the number of labor hours required.
Type of ACMs and location: This can affect the accessibility of the materials and may make it more difficult to remove. For example, asbestos found in floor tile or mastic can be less labor intensive to demolish, while asbestos spray fire proofing can be much more complex to access and remove.
Type of building and level of occupancy: Performing asbestos abatement demolition in an active hospital requires a higher level of coordinator and scheduling than renovation in an empty building.
Keeping Your Project on Track
One of the biggest obstacles a demolition project can face is exposing unforeseen hazardous materials while the space is not in proper containment. This can lead to lost time and money during demobilization and mobilization between clean demolition crews and asbestos abatement crews.
Your team should have:
A contractor who is licensed to handle asbestos abatement and clean demolition: This type of vendor can have a more flexible scope that allows for transferring back and forth between clean and dirty demolition modes. They are more equipped to mitigate risks than a contractor who is only prepared for clean demolition services.
A third-party asbestos consultant: The abatement contractors will perform the scope of work while the asbestos consultant works as the owner's representative. This helps with the delineation of scope and coordination between the trades. Generally, the cost of hiring the consultant pays for itself due to optimized coordination and definitions of scope.
If you want the best chance for your project to stay on time and budget, it’s important to bring all demolition work — clean and dirty — under one scope with one trained team.