How much does asbestos removal cost per square metre? [2024]

When homeowners realise they’ve got asbestos in their home, they’re often hesitant to have it removed. While it's true asbestos removal can come at a high cost, having asbestos in the home is dangerous and it should be removed. How much does asbestos removal cost per square metre and why is it a home improvement worth investing in?

• How much does asbestos removal cost per square metre?
• Some typical costs for asbestos removal
• How much does an asbestos inspection cost?
• The hazards of asbestos exposure

There is no single answer to how much asbestos removal costs per square metre. The answer depends on where the asbestos is and how hard it is to remove. Asbestos can be anywhere, from fencing to roofing and internal walls. You can find asbestos on external cladding, eaves and elsewhere around a house.

How much asbestos removal costs per square metre?

The cost of asbestos removal per square metre depends on where it is found. These are the costs of having asbestos removed from some typical places around the house:

• Removing asbestos fencing costs $90 to $160 per metre
• Roofing costs between $80 and $110 per square metre
• Ceilings cost between $40 and $100m2
• External cladding costs between $80 and $110 per square metre
• Internal cladding costs between $70 and $100 per square metre
• Eaves cost $50 to $80 per metre
• Vinyl flooring costs around $100 per square metre

The cost of asbestos removal goes down for bigger jobs. For example, removing roofing might cost:

• $80 to $150m2 for a small job
• $60 to $100m2 for a medium sized job
• $50 to $80m2 for a large job

The reason for the price difference is because of the time it takes to do a small job versus the time it takes to do a larger job. A small job will take longer because of travel and setup time, while a large job does not require extra travel time or setup time. A large job can be done more quickly than a small job. The same is true for external or internal cladding.

Some typical costs for asbestos removal

The linear or square metre rate cannot give you an accurate price for emergency asbestos removal. Prices vary depending on the size and complexity of a job. However, some average costs for asbestos removal may be:

• Internal cladding may cost between $1000 and $1500 per room
• External cladding may cost between $4000 and $6000
• Eaves typically cost between $1500 and $2500
• Roofs cost between $3500 and $5500

These are a few typical costs and they can vary. You can calculate the square metres of material that needs to be removed, but use both the high and low costs when you do your calculations. Your cost may be somewhere in the middle or at the low or high end of the scale. 

How much does an asbestos inspection cost?

Asbestos is studied in a laboratory and they charge anywhere from $25 to $200 per sample, but asbestos inspection companies usually get discount rates. An asbestos inspector will take samples from your home and send them to a lab for analysis. They charge different rates for faster service:

• $50 for a five day service
• $70 for a three day service
• $100 for a 24 hour service
• $120 for same day service

In general, inspectors will take at least five samples and the cost may be $950 for a report after the samples have been analysed. If you insist on same day service, the cost will be higher.

According to the Australian Government Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency, only hire inspectors who are:

• Trained and experienced at taking asbestos samples
• Knowledgeable in identifying asbestos
• Able to determine the risk and action that must be taken

Asbestos comes in two forms. Some is in solid sheets (non-friable) and won't be a hazard unless the sheets are cut, drilled or otherwise disturbed. Friable asbestos is easily disturbed and an asbestos inspector will take precautions to make sure no asbestos is released into the air.

The hazards of asbestos exposure

While asbestos removal can come at a relatively high cost, not having it removed can pose greater dangers. It can cause various cancers and respiratory disorders.

Asbestos hazards can cause a variety of cancers and respiratory problems are not uncommon. The chance of having an asbestos related disease increases due to:

• The length of time you are exposed to asbestos
• The number of asbestos fibres in the air
• Frequency of exposure to asbestos fibres
• The type and size of the asbestos fibres
• Age at which exposure occurred
• Time since exposure occurred

Since many homes built before 1989 contain asbestos and many fibro houses still exist in Australia, it's not worth taking a chance with asbestos. This can be especially true if you have children, who will be exposed to asbestos throughout their young lives. It's worth having asbestos removed or encapsulated to save your family from being another asbestos statistic.

If you're unsure about the amount of asbestos in your home, remember that homes built before 1989 will have some asbestos in them and older homes may have asbestos cladding and roofing. Old vinyl floors also contained asbestos and many other products were made from asbestos. If you have an older home, have it inspected by an asbestos inspection company and if asbestos is found, have it removed or, if the inspector says it can be encapsulated, have it encapsulated. Don't let your family be exposed to asbestos. It's just not worth the risk.

*Costs and prices in this article are indicative and should only be used as a guide. They also vary locally and are subject to market forces.