We often get asked why we don’t offer asbestos removal as part of our demolition services in Calgary. The answer is simple: the costs and regulations are so excessive that it would drive up prices and slow down every project we do.

Here’s why asbestos abatement just isn’t worth it for our clients or our crew.

Asbestos work is heavily regulated by Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and the City of Calgary.

Before any removal starts, an abatement contractor must:

• Submit a hazardous materials inspection and asbestos survey
   
• File an OHS project notification at least 72 hours in advance
   
• Build fully sealed containment zones, with specialized air filtration
   
• Provide protective gear, air monitoring, and decontamination stations
   
• Dispose of asbestos waste only at the Shepard Landfill, by appointment, with approved manifests
   

All of this adds major labour, material, and permit costs before the actual removal even begins. What might be a simple one-day demo can balloon into weeks of prep and thousands of dollars in extra expenses. 

Every worker who touches asbestos must be government-certified through a formal training course. A company doing asbestos work must:

• Pay for ongoing training and certification renewals
   
• Maintain specialized equipment
   
• Carry expensive insurance coverage to handle the liability
   

Those overhead costs get passed straight to the client. Including asbestos work would push our pricing far higher than standard interior demolition, which goes against the efficient, cost-conscious approach we pride ourselves on.

Any mistake with asbestos can mean:

• Huge OHS fines
   
• Permit delays or cancellations
   
• Lawsuits and liability for exposure
   

That risk forces abatement companies to build extra costs into their pricing. Even a small job can come with five-figure estimates simply to cover the potential legal fallout.

To put this into perspective:

• A standard interior demolition on a typical main floor might cost $8,000–$12,000, depending on the size and materials involved.
   
• The same job with confirmed asbestos present could easily jump to $25,000–$40,000 or more once you factor in surveys, containment, protective equipment, air monitoring, and licensed disposal.
   

That’s three to four times higher — and that’s before your actual renovation work even begins.

Because of the paperwork, inspections, and safety requirements, asbestos abatement can add weeks of delays before real demolition can begin.

For a company like ours that focuses on fast, efficient interior demolition, adding asbestos work would mean slower turnaround times and higher costs for every single client — even those without asbestos on their site.

At Westside Demolition, we’ve chosen to stay focused on what we do best: clean, efficient interior demolition.

We require all asbestos to be removed by a licensed abatement contractor first, so by the time we arrive, your site is clear, safe, and ready for fast demolition work without the extra costs, delays, or legal risk.

Asbestos abatement is expensive, slow, and buried in red tape. Taking it on would raise our prices dramatically, slow our timelines, and shift our focus away from the efficient service our clients count on. 

That’s why Westside Demolition does not handle asbestos removal. It's just not worth it to us.