Asbestos Floor Tile Removal Cost Guide for 2024

Why should I remove asbestos floor tiles?

Asbestos floor tiles prior to the year 2000 were considered to be a miracle product. Fire and water resistant with a very long-life span. Floor tiles were either vinyl based or thermo plastic. Both were very tough and lasted a long time.

From around the 1930s through to the year 2000 asbestos vinyl or thermo plastic floor tiles were the standard option. As well as being a great product they were inexpensive and had an abundant supply. This made them very popular.

The downside was that these flooring products contained asbestos. A product that if inhaled can cause fatal disease.

If your asbestos floor tiles are damaged, looking worn or old it will be very difficult to undertake repairs of a potentially deadly material. This is why people are now choosing to have their asbestos floor tiles and coverings removed and replaced with a more modern and safer alternative.

In addition, it is usual over time to update the look of a room by changing the floor tiles to a more modern look that matches the local decoration.

How much does asbestos floor tile removal cost?

How much an asbestos floor tile covering will cost to remove will depend on its size. Your first job is to measure the size of your floor tile covering.  Then you need to check if your asbestos floor tiles have more than one layer.

It is very common to find multiple layers of asbestos floor tiles as they may have been added over time. Its easier to lay asbestos floor tiles onto another layer of asbestos floor tiles than to remove the old ones first. In some instances, we have seen up to six layers of asbestos floor tiles.

The following are standard square metre costs for safe removal and disposal of asbestos floor tiles. There maybe a minimum call out charge so you should check by speaking to a member of the team.

Each asbestos tiled floor will be slightly different and may have things that could affect the cost of removal. For example, your asbestos floor tiles may have been built on and can run beneath kitchen units, skirting boards and even partition walls.

These are minimum costs based on standard asbestos floor tile removal with no asbestos floor tiles running beneath constructed items. The costs are also based on any asbestos containing glue or bitumen beneath the asbestos floor tiles being scraped back as far as practicable. Not being fully removed.

Most asbestos floor tiles are fixed in place with a black bitumen type glue which usually contain asbestos. This asbestos floor tile glue is very difficult to remove in full and can be very expensive. The usual approach is to clean it back as far as reasonable and then leave in place for the new non asbestos floor covering to be laid over. If you are interested in a cost for removal of this glue, then look at our asbestos bitumen and glue removal cost guide.

Do I need an asbestos survey?

Asbestos floor tiles are quite difficult to visually identify due to their appearance being very similar to more modern non-asbestos floor tiles.

Therefore, it is essential that as a minimum the suspected asbestos floor tiles are sampled for identification. This will usually include sampling the floor tile glue. This way you will know exactly what you are dealing with and what you need to have removed.

Specific sampling is usually enough to be able to identify basic requirements when it comes to the safe removal of asbestos floor tiles. However, if it is a larger building or part of a larger project then an asbestos survey may be needed. If you are not sure speak to a member of our team who will be happy to advise you.

What does an asbestos floor tile removal include?

You should check to ensure that the company you are using is an asbestos professional. The easiest way to be sure is to only use an HSE licensed asbestos removal company. If you do this then the asbestos floor tile removal will include:

• A trained asbestos team with the right protection
• Covering of any areas that need protecting
• Barriers to keep people out of the work area
• Usage of sprayers with special liquid to control asbestos dust
• Careful removal of the asbestos floor tiles
• Appropriate storage and transport of asbestos waste
• A final detailed clean of the work area
• On completion an asbestos waste certificate

There is much more to the asbestos floor tile removal than those listed. Therefore asbestos floor tile removal should be carried out by professionals.

Can I remove the asbestos floor tiles myself?

Asbestos is hazardous and only those with the correct training and safety equipment should attempt to remove it.

All in all, it is not recommended that you try and remove an asbestos tiled floor yourself. You will not have the training or the safety equipment. You could potentially put yourself and others at risk. That could be a legal concern. If you did decide to do it yourself, if you were for instance fully trained and had the correct equipment, you would still have to legally dispose of the asbestos waste.

Asbestos waste disposal is very expensive. Just the waste from the removal of your asbestos tiled floor is a big part of any professional’s cost. In fact, if you work out your own time and the cost of equipment, tools etc. it would be more cost effective to let a professional who is geared up for the work to do it. It is safer and easier to leave it to the professionals.

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