Preparing for a demolition project involves a lot of work, and having your project halted because of a safety hazard such as asbestos can be extremely frustrating and time-consuming. Finding asbestos in your demolition site before beginning is crucial since it brings many health hazards and safety risks that could easily be avoided with the removal of asbestos. When you hire a demolition company for your project they’ll be surveying the site beforehand, and if any safety hazards such as asbestos are found then asbestos removal is required. The cost of asbestos removal can vary so let’s look at the baseline of how much asbestos removal costs and how the price can change.
How To Know If You Have Asbestos
Wondering if you have asbestos is a common worry if your structure was built in 1985 and prior, before the ban of asbestos use in common building materials. How to know if you have asbestos is a simple phone call and appointment set up with either your local environmental health service company or a local demolition company.
Demolition companies checking for asbestos is much more efficient than if you were to do it yourself. When you employ demolition services, the demo team will often check beforehand for any safety/health hazards and this includes asbestos. Finding the area has any hint of asbestos leads to the demolition contractor bringing in an inspector or asbestos abatement company.
Finding asbestos in large quantities on the demolition site means a full asbestos removal is required. Although it’s possible to work in this environment with the proper PPE (Personal protective equipment), it’s less than ideal and can still leave many dangers to the public with the material being exposed out into the environment. Removing as much of the asbestos as possible should be and will be done. Putting oneself in dangerous situations that can be easily avoidable is never done by a demolition company. Professionals will always make sure to work in the safest conditions possible.
Regardless of your suspicion of asbestos in the area, a safety inspection and permits are required before a demolition company can do the job. When the inspection takes place, any safety and/or health risks are found and then dealt with. A professional demolition company will always make sure to acquire safety permits beforehand to do the job properly.
Why You Need Asbestos Removal
If you’re thinking that you don’t need asbestos removal and would rather have the demolition company use PPE to stay safe then you need to understand the dangers and risks asbestos presents to your health and the environment.
When you are exposed to asbestos fibers through your respiratory system, it can bring very serious health risks. You need asbestos removal before demolition due to serious health risks such as:
- Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Asbestosis
All these health risks won’t happen overnight, however, repeated exposure to asbestos can lead to these diseases. This is why proper removal of asbestos is necessary. If any asbestos lays within the atmosphere within the structure, then any occupants will be possibly breathing in the fibers which can lead to these diseases. This risk is even further substantial if you’re a smoker since asbestos is brought into the body through inhalation.
How Much To Demolish A House With Asbestos
The cost to demolish a house with asbestos ranges from $400 – $3000 extra on top of demolition costs. This is an average and can change depending on different factors such as location, the quantity of asbestos, and company prices.
Your local demolition company finding asbestos in small quantities and being approved for a safety permit means they can work within the environment without any need for asbestos removal. Working in an environment with asbestos means proper PPE is required and proper safety procedures are followed to lower the risk of asbestos being exposed to the atmosphere. A demolition job involving asbestos will cost extra since the demolition company needs to take further safety practices to secure the area of the material and reduce any exposure to the public or environment.
Although this job includes a large price hike, keeping the environment and public safe is extremely important to professional demolition companies. If you’re hesitant about such a price hike, compare the price of the demolition job with the price of your health in the future. $5000 can be a lot but it’s nothing compared to your health and safety.
How Much To Demolish A Commercial Building With Asbestos
Commercial buildings being larger means a larger price tag on asbestos demolition, which leads to the average price of a commercial building demolition with asbestos being from $2000 and upwards. This is an average, and it can change drastically depending on the location of the structure (urban or rural area), the quantity of asbestos, the location of asbestos within the structure, and the companies’ prices. These factors are all very similar for residential demolition containing asbestos but change significantly with a commercial structure demolition.
With commercial buildings being much larger, they can contain an extreme amount of asbestos depending on the year the structure was built. An older building would have many materials that contain asbestos and would require asbestos removal instead of demolition in this type of environment. This can be a guarantee if the commercial building is in an urban area with many people and structures surrounding it. As many safety/health risks as possible will be eliminated and a professional demolition company will refuse to let any safety/health risks be exposed to the public and environment due to their negligence. Asbestos is a serious health and safety risk, and they treat it as such.
Asbestos Removal Cost Per Square Foot
Deciding to have asbestos removed is the best route for your demolition project. It may cost extra but it’s worth the health and safety risks being eliminated. The cost of asbestos removal can change by region, company, the quantity of asbestos, and location of structure. However, there is an average that’s useable for a rough idea of the price.
The average cost of asbestos removal can cost from $7 to $25 per square foot in Ontario. It all depends on multiple factors that your local demolition company can give you, as they’ll be hiring the asbestos abatement on your behalf. This average should be used as a rough estimate of your asbestos removal job. Contacting reputable companies in your area for a free quote on your demolition project should be done, as they can give you a further accurate quote on the work. Keep in mind it would still be an estimate as they need to inspect the area and consult with the asbestos abatement company.
How To Employ An Asbestos Abatement
Hiring an inspector for asbestos abatement is made simple if you’re doing it with the intent of demolition. Once asbestos has been found by the demolition company you’ve hired, they’ll have connections they will contact to remove the asbestos. Either this or they’ll remove it themselves if they have asbestos removal services and proper permits to do so. The charge of an asbestos abatement will be added to your total price, so you have a full bill to pay with one company instead of having to pay multiple companies for different services.
Employing demolition services is best sought out when a structure being demolished is older and may contain asbestos. The contractor will inspect at the beginning for the safety permit. Any hint of asbestos will lead to an inspector being brought in. Asbestos being found means an asbestos abatement, which the demolition contractor will take care of for you. It’s an easy process if you hire the right company.
How To Hire The Right Demolition Company
If you’re wondering which demolition company is best to hire for your residential or commercial demolition needs, specifically your demolition needs that may involve asbestos being present, then here are 4 steps that you can take from the beginning to hire the right demolition company.
- Create a project plan (optional)
- Check their previous work and client testimonials
- Verify their insurance, & license
- Provide your project plan to get an estimate and/or quote on your project
Following these 4 steps can help you out with hiring the best local demolition company for your needs. Make sure you follow each step thoroughly. Layout what the project is and what safety/health risks it may entail so you can get the best demolition services for your project and needs.
Understanding the costs of asbestos removal is a difficult task as many factors need to be considered, however, going off an average gives a good estimate on the price increase for your demolition project. If you’re looking to hire a local demolition company for your next project, contact RKS Services Group Inc. RKS Services Group is located in Windsor, ON, and offers demolition services in London, Ontario, and upwards of Southern Ontario. Contact RKS Services Group Inc today for a free quote on your next project.
