Asbestos Floor Tile Removal Cost: What St. Louis Owners Pay

HomeGuide puts asbestos flooring removal at $4 to $15 per square foot. A small room usually costs more per foot than that, because contractors set a minimum price for setup. Banner Environmental says small residential jobs often start at $1,500 to $3,500. These are national and New England figures. Your St. Louis price depends on the room, the glue under the tile, testing and disposal.

How much does asbestos floor tile removal cost per square foot?

Plan on $4 to $15 per square foot, then check the minimum. HomeGuide gives that range for removing asbestos flooring. Banner Environmental lists floor tile and mastic at $5 to $15 or more per square foot. Thumbtack says tile removal can range from $1,500-$5,000 or more.

Banner says its ranges reflect planning-level costs in New England and similar U.S. markets. HomeGuide’s guide is dated October 2023, so it is the oldest of the three. The sources agree on the shape of the price, not the exact number.

The table below is plain arithmetic on HomeGuide’s rate. It is not a quote. The last column shows where a small-job minimum can take over.

Banner explains the pattern this way: larger projects often cost more overall, but the cost per unit may decrease when setup costs are spread over more area. A tiny bathroom can cost more per foot than a whole basement.

Why does the glue under the tile change the price?

Because the glue can be asbestos too, and it often takes longer to remove than the tile. Banner Environmental says some mastics require careful removal methods that take more time than lifting tile alone.

EPA lists vinyl floor tiles, the backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives among products that may contain asbestos. AES says a wide range of black mastic products contain asbestos, so the glue under tile is a problem too. AES describes the method: warm the mastic with an infrared lamp or embrittle it with dry ice, then scrape it gently and double bag the debris.

Missouri DNR adds a wrinkle. It treats floor tile as a nonfriable material, but says any asbestos-containing vapor barrier on resilient floor coverings, such as sheet vinyl or tile, is considered friable asbestos. Friable material needs tighter controls and costs more to handle. A lab result tells you which case you have.

Ask each bidder one question: does the quote cover the tile, the glue, or both? Our post on whether old asbestos floor tiles are dangerous explains when tile becomes a risk.

What else adds to the bill?

Testing, labor, disposal and permits. HomeGuide lists these national figures, and each can move your total.

• Testing. HomeGuide says asbestos testing costs $250 to $850 on average, depending on area size, samples and turnaround. See what asbestos testing costs for the local view.
• Labor. HomeGuide puts the average labor cost at $75 to $200 per hour, and says it can reach $600 or more per hour on large, complex jobs.
• Disposal. HomeGuide lists $10 to $50 per cubic yard. Missouri DNR says leftover nonfriable material is solid waste that must go to an approved landfill or transfer facility. It also says leaving floor tile in place before a demolition may increase the amount of asbestos waste and the cost of disposal.
• Permits. HomeGuide says permits generally cost $50 to $100. Missouri and City of St. Louis notice fees are set locally, so ask your contractor what applies.
• A new floor. HomeGuide says a new floor costs $4 to $15 per square foot installed. Removal does not include it.

Banner adds a warning for anyone comparing bids: do not assume the cheapest proposal includes the same work as a more detailed one.

Do I have to remove it, or can I cover it?

Not always. Intact tile that nobody disturbs can often stay. HomeGuide lists encapsulation at $2 to $6 per square foot. Environmental Education Associates, a New York training company, says encapsulation runs about 40% to 60% less than full removal.

The catch is that the asbestos stays. Missouri DNR says most nonfriable materials are not regulated asbestos-containing material unless they are in poor condition or the work turns them into regulated material. A new floor that needs nails, sanding or grinding can do exactly that.

Read can you cover asbestos floor tile for the covering rules, and our encapsulation vs removal comparison for the trade-offs.

What do Missouri and the City of St. Louis require?

It depends on the building and the amount. Missouri DNR regulates demolition and renovation of residential structures, with one exception: a single residential structure that contains four or fewer dwelling units. That exception does not apply if the structure was ever used for another purpose, such as being converted from residential to commercial use or the reverse. Projects that involve two or more residential structures are not exempt either.

DNR also sets threshold quantities of 160 square feet, 260 linear feet or 35 cubic feet. Past those amounts, a Missouri registered asbestos abatement contractor must remove all of the regulated material. DNR requires notification at least 10 working days before a regulated project starts. Our post on the 10 working day notice walks through it.

The City of St. Louis has a lower trigger. The City says abatement projects over 10 square feet, 16 linear feet or 3 cubic feet of asbestos-containing material fall under Ordinance 71332. A bathroom floor is already ten times that. Ask your contractor how the job will be filed. Our City permits guide explains the steps.

Do not guess which side of the line your job falls on. A certified inspector settles it. See asbestos testing and the asbestos survey entry for what the inspector does. Our Missouri asbestos rules guide lists every condition.

How do I get a fair price on tile removal in St. Louis?

Test first, then bid, and compare scope instead of the total. HomeGuide advises hiring an inspector who is not affiliated with a removal company, to avoid bias.

1. Get a lab result for the tile and for the glue from a certified inspector.
2. Measure the floor area and note the subfloor, wood or concrete.
3. Ask each contractor for a written quote that lists tile, glue, containment, disposal, air testing and permits.
4. Ask whether there is a minimum fee for a small room.
5. Ask who files the notices, and which ones the job needs.
6. Ask what the floor looks like when the crew leaves.

That last question matters. A bare slab may need grinding or a new surface before the new floor goes down. AES also installs epoxy floor coatings and does concrete polishing, so you can ask for the new surface in the same bid.

Do not scrape the tile yourself to save money. Banner says not to scrape, sand, grind, break or remove suspect asbestos-containing materials on your own.

AES quotes each job; call (314) 865-2662 or use /contact.

Next step

For a written quote on asbestos tile removal, see our asbestos tile removal page. Call Advanced Environmental Services at (314) 865-2662 or use /contact.