Asbestos Siding Removal in Little Rock, AR
Gray or painted cement shingles on a Little Rock house built before 1980, about 12 by 24 inches with a wavy or straight bottom edge and two nail holes, are very likely transite: cement mixed with asbestos. It is safe while it stays whole. It becomes a problem when it is cut, drilled, broken or pressure-washed, which is why re-siding, window replacement and storm damage are when people call. We test it, take it down whole, dispose of it properly, and leave the wall ready for the new siding, or, if the siding is sound, seal and paint it so it can stay. Call (501) 817-7825 for a written quote.
Remove it, replace it, or leave it
Remove and replace. The usual reason. You want new siding, or a window and door job means cutting into the wall, or a storm has broken shingles. The transite comes off first, whole, then the siding crew puts the new wall on. We do the removal; we can hand over to your siding contractor or tell you who to call.
Leave it and paint it. Transite siding that is intact is a good wall: it does not rot, burn or attract termites. If nothing is broken and you are not cutting into it, painting it with a good exterior paint seals the surface and it can stay for decades. Do not pressure-wash it, sand it, or use a wire brush. See asbestos encapsulation.
Cover it. Vinyl or fiber-cement siding can go over intact transite with furring strips, which seals it in place without a removal. Every nail hole is a small disturbance, so this is done wet and carefully, and it has to be disclosed when you sell.
Repair a few shingles. Broken shingles can be taken out and replaced with a modern cement-board shingle of the same size, so a storm or a ladder accident does not turn into a whole-house job.
How we remove asbestos siding
Test. A small piece from a broken shingle or the back of one goes to the lab, $50 to $75, two to three days. Most of this siding is positive, but the report is what the disposal site and a future buyer want to see.
Set up. Plastic on the ground along the wall, plants covered, windows and vents closed. Because this is outdoors and the material is not crumbly, the wall does not have to be tented.
Wet it and take it down whole. Each shingle is wetted, the nails are pulled or cut, and the shingle is lifted off in one piece. No breaking, no dropping, no throwing into a trailer. Shingles are stacked flat, wrapped in plastic and labeled.
Clean the wall. Fragments and old paper are picked up wet, the ground plastic is folded in on itself and bagged. The sheathing is left bare for the siding crew.
Disposal. The wrapped shingles go to a landfill permitted to take asbestos, with a manifest you get a copy of. A house is usually one to three days depending on size and how many stories.
What to tell a siding contractor
Most siding crews in Central Arkansas will not touch transite and will not quote until it is gone, which is the right answer. Tell them the asbestos siding is being removed first, ask them to quote the new wall on bare sheathing, and give them the disposal manifest for their file. If a crew offers to tear it off and haul it with the rest of the debris, that is the job that ends with fibers across the yard and a fine for the landfill load.
What asbestos siding removal costs in Little Rock
Taking the transite siding off a whole house and disposing of it usually runs $5,000 to $15,000. Height and the number of stories, whether the shingles are painted, how many are already broken and how the wall is built underneath move the price. Removing a section for a window job or a repair is priced by the area. Sealing and painting intact siding instead is far less. Every price on the site is on the asbestos removal cost page.
Prices on this page are estimates from previous work. We cannot quote an exact price. The actual cost can be lower or higher depending on the job. The person who knows is the professional who will do the work. You get a written quote after we see the house.
How to get started
Call (501) 817-7825 and tell us the size of the house, how many stories, whether the siding is painted and what you plan to do with the wall afterwards. We book the visit and you get a written price. If you would rather write, use the contact page.
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Asbestos siding questions
How much does asbestos siding removal cost in Little Rock?
Usually $5,000 to $15,000 for a whole house, depending on size, stories, whether it is painted and how much is already broken. A section for a window or a repair is priced by the area.
What does asbestos siding look like?
Cement shingles about 12 by 24 inches, gray when unpainted, often with a wavy bottom edge and a wood-grain or smooth face, each with two nail holes near the bottom. Brittle: it snaps rather than bends. A lab sample confirms it.
Do I have to remove asbestos siding?
No. Intact transite siding is not a hazard and can be painted and left. It has to come off when it is broken, when you are cutting into the wall, or when you want new siding.
Can new siding go over asbestos siding?
Yes, if the old siding is intact. Vinyl or fiber-cement on furring strips seals it in place. Nailing through it has to be done wet and carefully, and the asbestos has to be disclosed at a sale.
Can I pressure-wash asbestos siding?
No. Pressure washing, sanding and wire-brushing release fibers from the surface. Wash it gently with a hose and a soft brush, then paint.
Do you remove asbestos siding in Benton and Bryant?
Yes. Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood, Jacksonville, Cabot, Bryant, Benton and Conway. Call (501) 817-7825.
Re-siding, window job, or broken shingles?
Call (501) 817-7825. Test, written price, siding down whole and disposed of properly.