Price of a decontamination project

For any homeowner, a contaminated property can become an obsession. No one wants to hear that their home has asbestos, radon or mould problems. Yet hundreds of thousands of homes in Canada face this problem. In the long term, this type of contamination can seriously impact the structure of the house and cause serious illness to the residents. 

It’s not uncommon to see decontamination ads out and about. Some contractors even go door-to-door to offer in-home analysis. However, do be wary of this practice. Instead, look for a contractor who you’ve had time to verify their qualifications and certifications for this type of project. 

By requesting quotes for a diagnosis or for decontamination work itself, you’ll be able to compare contractors to get the best value for your money. Do you suspect a mould, radon or asbestos issue in your home? This article will give an overview of prices regarding home decontamination projects.

How much does a decontamination project cost?

Eliminate mould in your home

Mould is a type of fungus that affects the damp parts of the house. It will tend to increase during the rainy months when the humidity is high enough. This parasite will appear on the inside or outside of your home and can be accompanied by unpleasant smells, though these can allow you to detect the problem. 

Mould will affect the indoor air of your home, it’s especially harmful to people with asthma, chronic respiratory diseases, allergies, or weakened immune systems. 

If the area affected by the mould if small enough, then you can clean contaminated surfaces yourself using suitable products and equipment. It’s strongly recommended that you treat this problem as soon as possible, as this will avoid the risk of the mould spreading and becoming uncontrollable. Dealing with this issue can be costly, and it will be necessary to call a contractor who specializes in decontamination.

Price of a mould decontamination project

A specialist in decontamination and sanitation will solve your mould problem, regardless of magnitude. Of course, before starting the decontamination work, it’s necessary to have a home inspection completed that looks directly at the contaminated surfaces.

For this inspection, expect to spend between $240 and $720. Do bear in mind that the price can be higher depending on where the problem lies in the home. However, some decontamination contractors offer their initial inspection for free, hence the reason why doing ample research to find the right professional is worthwhile.

With respect to the cost of decontamination work, several factors come into play when defining the price. This includes the part of your home that’s affected as well as the level of infestation, among others.

For example, the price to decontaminate a crawl space is between $600 and $4800. If the attic or ducts are also affected, the cost will be between $2,000 and $6,000 Costs can be higher if mould is a result of a flood problem. In this case, the cost of sanitation will be in the range of $10,000 and can go up to as much as $30,000 depending on the surface in the home where it’s found. 

Radon, an invisible and deadly threat

In Canada, radon is responsible for 3,000 lung cancer cases a year. In fact, 16% of deaths related to this disease are a result of radon exposure. Yet, this percentage could be reduced if residents took the initiative to perform the necessary tests and moved forward with decontamination work.

Radon is a natural radioactive gas that is colourless and odourless. It comes from the disintegration of uranium found in stone and soil. At low doses, radon is not harmful. At higher doses, it can have disastrous consequences on your health and significantly reduce the resale price of your home. After all, who would want to purchase a house where the risk of developing cancer is relatively high?

Cracks in walls, foundations, poor ventilation, or excessive tightness in the structure of your home are all factors that promote the penetration of radon. In Quebec thirty years ago, it was estimated that nearly 20,000 homes were affected by this phenomenon.

Presence of radon: the price of decontamination

Winter is the best season to detect radon. This is because as a result of the cold, windows and doors will stay closed. There are various tools that will allow you to measure the amount of radon in your home. The cheapest option is an activated carbon detector for a short-term test (2 to 3 days). The price of this will be $18 plus an analysis fee. 

The concentration of radon can also be measured using a small detection device called a dosimeter. It will be installed in the basement of your home for a period of 3 months. The Quebec Heart and Lung Association can provide this for any citizen who requests it for around $50. It’s also available from CCA, some hardware stores and specialized companies.

For the cost of approximately $200, you can buy an electronic radon detector that will allow you to quickly and easily measure radon concentration in your home quickly. The device is programmed to make a series of 3 consecutive measurements and manages to collect the data within a 48-hour period.  

If your tests indicate a radon concentration of 200 becquerels, then it will be necessary to contact a decontamination contractor. Depending on the amount of radon in your home, corrective measures can range from the simple clogging of cracks to the installation of a depressurization system under the foundation.

Radon decontamination work involves improving tightness and ventilation in the lowest part of your home. In order to reduce the radon concentration to a minimum. The cost of this project will come down to the amount of radon in your home. This type of intervention lasts an average of 4 hours and includes the installation of an evaluation system, in addition to various other works related to insulation. 

Count approximately $3500 for the decontamination of an existing home. If decontamination is applied during the construction of the house, then the cost will be in the range of $250 to $350, since both the roofer and electrician will already be on site. 

The risks of vermiculite containing asbestos 

Homes built between 1940 and 1980 may contain loose vermiculite insulation that has asbestos. If displaced in any way, asbestos fibres are released and cause health problems which can include lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. In the residential field, asbestos can be found in plaster, cement, insulation, ceiling or wall cladding. 

In Canada, homeowners tend to look after their own renovations and more often than not, this is where the problem lies. Many people are not aware of the presence of asbestos in the house they’re renovating. Asbestos particles thrown into the air can be inhaled and will cause long-term health issues. 

Although residential building materials containing asbestos haven’t been permitted since 1980, there are 250,000 to 300,000 residential properties that still contain asbestos.

Vermiculite and asbestos: what is the cost of decontamination?

Asbestos removal is a delicate and risky operation, hence the interest of hiring an experienced contractor. Avoid removing insulation at all costs as you risk inhaling asbestos fibres and contaminating surrounding areas. A qualified contractor will be able to apply safe asbestos removal procedures and have the equipment required for this task

The price of decontamination will depend mainly on the surface being treated as well as the accessibility of the concerned areas. Also, consider the price of the new insulation materials that will need to be installed. Note that if you’ve purchased a house that may contain asbestos and you plan on completing some work, your contractor will certainly ask for an analysis and will require decontamination before starting work (in Quebec, the CNESST requires it).

In order to determine if your home requires decontamination methods, it’s important to gather several samples at different locations. The number of samples to be taken depends on the materials used in your residence. For a home of 95 to 140 square meters, experts will take 5 wall samples and 5 ceiling samples. Expect to spend $400 for the samples, $800 for the analysis and $300 for the report, totalling $1500 to establish a diagnosis. 

The decontamination price for a small, standard home is around $10,000. These costs cover the use of contamination devices and products, the installation of a system to dispose of debris in a safe manner, protective equipment for workers as well as the purchase and installation of new insulating materials.

Price table for a decontamination project