Asbestos siding removal questions, answered

Cost, rules, testing and timing

What is transite siding?

Transite was a brand name for cement asbestos board that became the common word for all of it. It is Portland cement reinforced with asbestos fiber, pressed into shingles, flat sheet, and corrugated panels, and sold from the late 1930s into the early 1970s as a fireproof siding that never rots.

Is asbestos siding dangerous?

Intact and undisturbed, no. The fibers are locked in cement and the EPA and the Southwest Clean Air Agency both treat intact cement siding as a low risk material that can be left alone. Cutting, sanding, drilling, breaking or pressure washing it releases fibers, which is why removal is regulated and done wet.

How much does it cost to remove asbestos siding in Vancouver, WA?

Most one story houses run $6,500 to $12,000 and most two story houses $14,000 to $26,000, including the SWCAA notice fee and disposal. The cost guide lists every range and every driver.

How long does it take?

Two to three weeks from the first call: a lab result in two to five days, the 10 day SWCAA wait, and one to three working days of removal.

Do I need a permit?

A removal notice to the Southwest Clean Air Agency, which we file, with a fee of $384 for nearly every house. No city permit for the removal. The new siding may need a building permit.

Can I remove it myself?

If you own the single family house and live in it before and after, yes, under a $39 SWCAA notice and the agency procedure: respirators, coveralls, wetting, plastic, labeled bags, and an approved landfill. Any rental, flip, house under contract, multifamily or commercial building must use a certified contractor.

Can my siding contractor remove it?

No. Only a Washington L&I certified asbestos abatement contractor may remove it for pay. We finish the day before your siding crew starts.

Do I have to disclose it when I sell?

Washington’s seller disclosure form asks about asbestos and other hazardous materials. Intact siding left on the house gets disclosed. Siding removed with a lab report, a filed notice, and a waste shipment record gets disclosed as removed, with the paperwork attached, which is a stronger position in a negotiation.

What do you do with the siding?

Double bagged or wrapped, labeled and hauled on our trailer to a landfill on the SWCAA approved asbestos disposal list, logged on a waste shipment record. You get a copy.

Is the wood under the siding reusable?

Often. On older houses the cement shingle was nailed through felt into original clapboard or drop siding that was painted and sound when covered. We lift nails instead of prying, and the original wood usually comes through with nail holes and little else.

Will the job damage my landscaping?

Plastic goes along the base of every wall and shrubs are tied back, not cut. The water we use runs onto the plastic and into the ground, not the street. We have worked around rhododendrons older than the crew.

Do you work in Longview and Kelso?

Yes. Cowlitz County is in the Southwest Clean Air Agency district with the same rules, and we batch those jobs into the same week so the drive is not a line on your quote.

Can you also remove popcorn ceilings or vinyl floor tile?

Our work is exterior cement asbestos siding and the matching sheet and panel on outbuildings. For interior materials we can point you to the right crew.