What Asbestos Drywall Joint Compound Removal Costs in Ottawa, and Which Type It Is
$10 to $15 per square foot
Drywall joint compound removal where the compound contains asbestos, published Ontario contractor prices read in September 2026. General asbestos removal: about $8 to $15 per square foot.
Published Ontario contractor prices read September 2026 · reviewed 2026-09-28 · how we set these ranges
Drywall with asbestos joint compound has its own lines in the regulation, measured by the area of drywall removed. If the contractor also finds friable material, the friable thresholds apply to that material.
Which Type is my job?
Pick what the contractor tells you after assessing the material on site. The regulation's own line for that case is marked below. Nothing here replaces the contractor's assessment: ask for the Type in writing.
All the lines that can apply to this job are listed below.
- Type 1 Less than 1 m² of drywall
“Removing less than one square metre of drywall in which joint-filling compounds that are asbestos-containing material have been used.”
O. Reg. 278/05, section 12(2), paragraph 4
- Type 2 1 m² or more of drywall
“Removing one square metre or more of drywall in which joint filling compounds that are asbestos-containing material have been used.”
O. Reg. 278/05, section 12(3), paragraph 7
- Type 2 Friable, one square metre or less
“The removal or disturbance of one square metre or less of friable asbestos-containing material during the repair, alteration, maintenance or demolition of all or part of machinery or equipment or a building, aircraft, locomotive, railway car, vehicle or ship.”
O. Reg. 278/05, section 12(3), paragraph 2
- Type 3 Friable, more than one square metre
“The removal or disturbance of more than one square metre of friable asbestos-containing material during the repair, alteration, maintenance or demolition of all or part of a building, aircraft, ship, locomotive, railway car or vehicle or any machinery or equipment.”
O. Reg. 278/05, section 12(4), paragraph 1
Section 12(5): "Work on ceiling tiles, drywall or friable asbestos-containing material is classified according to the total area on which work is done consecutively in a room or enclosed area, even if the work is divided into smaller jobs."
Disagree with the contractor about the Type? Section 12(6) says who settles it.
What the Type changes
Training, an inspector notice and a clearance air test depend on the Type. See what Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 each require.
Ask before you sign
- How many square metres of drywall are you removing in each room?
- Which Type does that make it, in writing?
- Where will the waste go, and has that site agreed to accept it?
- What training do the workers on this job have?
More on this work: Asbestos Abatement & Removal
Quick answers
Is one wall of drywall Type 1 or Type 2?
Less than one square metre of drywall with asbestos joint compound is Type 1; one square metre or more is Type 2. The total in the room counts, even if the work is split into smaller jobs.
Does Type 2 drywall work need a clearance air test?
The regulation prescribes a clearance air test for Type 3 only. You can ask for one in the quote.
Want this done at your place?
Tell us what you found or suspect and we'll get you a real quote from a local Ottawa abatement contractor. We send it out to local contractors for you. Free, no pressure.