Asbestos Siding Removal Cost: Prices, Factors and Options

Angi reports a national average of $2,900 to remove asbestos siding, or $5 to $15 per square foot. HomeGuide says $7 to $10 per square foot, which comes to $14,000 to $20,000 for 2,000 square feet. HomeGuide’s rate includes disposal; Angi’s disposal charge applies when billed separately. Testing, permits and new siding are extra. These are national figures. A St. Louis quote follows a test of your siding.

How much does asbestos siding removal cost?

Angi says most homeowners pay $1,300 to $3,900, with a $2,900 national average, priced at $5 to $15 per square foot. HomeGuide says $7 to $10 per square foot, including disposal. Banner Environmental, writing for New England and similar markets, plans $8 to $20 or more for siding or roofing.

The sources do not agree, and Angi’s own numbers do not line up. Its headline average of $2,900 is far below its own table price for a 1,000 square foot job. For a whole house, read the per-foot rates, not the average.

Both columns are removal only. Angi says its range does not include the cost of new siding. Measure your walls before you read the table, and count the gable ends.

Angi also says many contractors set a minimum charge for small jobs, while larger projects often benefit from bulk pricing. A single gable or a small addition may cost more per foot than a whole house.

What can make the bill higher?

Four extras show up on Angi’s page. Ask each bidder to price all four, or to say they are included.

• Disposal. Angi says siding disposal must follow EPA guidelines and not every contractor includes it in the base fee. If billed separately, Angi expects $10 to $50 per cubic yard. HomeGuide’s price already includes disposal.
• Testing and inspections. Angi says you may pay additional fees for asbestos testing and follow-up inspections.
• Preparation. Angi says prep covers sealing off the work area, setting up containment, and pre-removal inspections and testing. It also says permits and regulatory documentation are often required before work begins.
• Repairs. Angi says removing siding may reveal underlying damage that needs structural repairs.

Then add the new wall covering. Angi puts new vinyl, fiber cement or wood siding at $4 to $16 per square foot, and air quality tests before and after removal at $220 to $725. HomeGuide puts new siding at $4 to $13 per square foot, and says that does not include removal. HomeGuide also lists labor at $175 to $250 per hour for asbestos abatement.

What siding contains asbestos?

Cement siding made with asbestos, often called transite, is the usual suspect. AES lists the products it checks for. Transite is a cement-asbestos product. Slate siding is a cement board that used asbestos as a binder, made to look like wood shingles. AES says asbestos has not been used in siding materials since the 1980s, but the siding is still on many older homes.

HomeGuide says you know only by testing, and that a small one-inch sample can do it. A lab test tells you for certain. Our guide to asbestos in older St. Louis homes shows where else it hides. Angi says 8.7% of its customers who need asbestos removed need it from siding. Flooring is the bigger share, so check floors too.

Missouri DNR calls asbestos cement wall or roof shingles Category II nonfriable material. Non-friable asbestos is bound in a hard material, and it is a lower risk while it stays whole. AES says the danger comes during renovation, remodeling or significant damage, when fibers can become airborne.

Should I remove the siding or cover it?

It depends on condition and plans. Angi says a pro can advise when it is safer to encapsulate the siding, which can save quite a bit of money. HomeGuide lists encapsulation at $2 to $6 per square foot, by coating the siding with special paint. AES says you can remove the risk by taking the siding off or covering it with a protective covering.

HomeGuide adds two cautions. Adding siding over asbestos siding is either illegal or uncommon, because drilling through it can release fibers. And most states require complete removal, though some allow encapsulation. Check local rules first. Our post on covering asbestos siding walks through the legal question.

Covering leaves the asbestos in place, so it stays your problem when you sell, remodel or demolish. Our asbestos encapsulation vs removal comparison explains the trade-offs.

What does the removal itself involve?

AES describes the steps. The crew sets up an exclusion zone with barricades, which works like containment, and wears personal protective equipment. They wet the siding where it is fastened to avoid breakage. They cut the fasteners with a special saw without damaging the shingle. Then they dispose of the debris in a safe, environmentally responsible way.

That is why DIY is a poor trade. Angi says never to do it yourself, even though it would save $1,000 to $3,000. AES warns that removal becomes risky when the siding breaks off in pieces instead of coming off whole, and says never to drill or saw it. Angi also says many municipalities only allow licensed and certified professionals to handle asbestos removal and transportation.

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. A structure that has ever been used for another purpose is not exempt. Projects that involve two or more residential structures are not exempt either.

For regulated jobs, DNR sets threshold quantities of 160 square feet, 260 linear feet or 35 cubic feet. At or above those amounts, a Missouri registered asbestos abatement contractor must remove all of the regulated material. DNR also says that when threshold quantities of Category II materials will be impacted, they must be removed before demolition or renovation.

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 house wall is far past that. Read our City asbestos permit post and the 10 working day notice. Our Missouri asbestos rules guide lists the exceptions and their conditions.

How do I compare siding quotes?

Use the same checklist with every bidder:

1. Test first. Get a lab result from a certified inspector, as part of an asbestos survey, so every bid starts from the same facts.
2. Give each bidder the wall area, the number of stories, and photos of any damage.
3. Ask whether the quote includes containment, disposal, testing, permits and clearance.
4. Ask whether it covers removal only, or removal and new siding.
5. Ask how the crew handles landscaping and utilities near the walls.
6. Ask for the plan in writing before you sign.

HomeGuide also suggests asking whether the estimate covers removal and disposal, what other costs might come up, and what the warranty covers. Our asbestos testing page explains the lab step.

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

Next step

Read our asbestos siding removal page, then call Advanced Environmental Services at (314) 865-2662 or request a quote at /contact.