Asbestos Removal Cost in Chicago [2025 Data]

The average cost of asbestos removal in Chicago is $2,105, and prices for standard projects range from $1,244 to $3,020. Costs vary mostly based on the volume of material you need to remove, as most pros charge based on the square footage of asbestos-containing material (ACM) you have. The cost of living in Chicago and the strict regulations imposed by the city both increase overall labor costs.

Asbestos Removal Cost Factors

The cost to remove asbestos in Chicago, Illinois, depends on several factors, including the amount of material in your home, the type of asbestos to be removed, the accessibility of the material, and proximity to an approved disposal facility.

Size of the Affected Area

An indoor asbestos remediation project costs between $5.60 and $23 per square foot, depending on the location in your home. The bigger the space, the more you'll pay. Removing asbestos from exterior locations, like a roof or siding, costs $56 to $168 per square foot.

Removing large sections of material throughout your home that contain asbestos can cost $6,400 or more. The need for large-scale removal services like this is more common in Chicago than in many other cities because of the older home age in the city.

The average home in Chicago was built in 1974, before the construction industry understood the dangers of using asbestos in construction materials. Not only will most homes contain some asbestos, but some homes, especially older ones, will contain large areas of asbestos material.

Type of Asbestos

The removal process is similar for all types and colors of asbestos, but some types have fibers that are smaller than others and require greater attention to detail during setup and removal. There are six common asbestos types. You’ll normally need asbestos testing to determine what type you have. Crocidolite and amosite are the most likely to come with higher removal costs because they require greater care during the demolition and removal process.

Location in the Home

It costs less to remove asbestos from accessible locations because they require less prep work and less time and labor to maintain a safe working area. For example, to remove asbestos from a floor pipe spanning three rooms, your professional would need to seal and prepare each room individually before demolishing the floor. A pipe of similar length in an exposed basement would only require your pro to seal one space, and demolition may not be necessary at all.

In most cases, greater accessibility will lead to lower asbestos removal costs, but exterior materials are the exception. Since your pro won’t reasonably be able to seal your entire home, they’ll instead need to remove and handle the materials with far greater care to ensure they don’t release any airborne asbestos fibers. The process for removing asbestos siding and roofing is far more time-consuming and comes with significantly higher labor costs.

Disposal Fees

As mentioned previously, the City of Chicago requires particular procedures for all asbestos removal, transportation, and disposal. Your pro will charge nominal fees between $85 and $280 for the actual hauling of debris, but the added time and work required to follow local regulations will drive labor costs much higher. You’ll see these added costs reflected in labor costs rather than actual disposal fees, though.

Asbestos Removal Pro Costs

When it comes to labor fees, you can expect to pay between $1,700 and $2,000 for labor alone when you hire an asbestos removal company in Chicago. That means labor accounts for between 80% and 95% of your total asbestos removal costs. If you also need your pro to clean your home after asbestos exposure, that added labor could increase your total cost even more.

The City of Chicago requires that your professional wet the materials during demolition, avoid disruption of materials from dropping, enclose or cover materials during transport, remove all dust created during the removal process, and bag the materials for transport to an approved dumping facility. These requirements will all make the work take longer, which is a big part of why labor for asbestos removal is so expensive.

In addition to labor fees, your pro will pay the local asbestos abatement permit fee and pass that onto you in your invoice. The City of Chicago charges a flat rate of $200 for asbestos abatement in residential properties.

Does Removing Asbestos Increase Home Value?

Removing asbestos won’t increase your home value, but failing to remove it and reporting its presence to a potential buyer, which is required by law in Illinois, could cause a drop in property value. Some buyers may steer clear of homes with asbestos entirely, while others may offer less with the understanding that they’ll need to pay to remove the material after closing.

More important than the monetary effect of asbestos on your home value is the fact that removing friable asbestos can improve the safety of your home. Asbestos is extremely dangerous and is known to cause cancer, so even if removing it is expensive, the process will help keep you and your family safe from harm, meaning it’s almost always worthwhile.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We survey real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

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