Lakewood Asbestos Removal brings asbestos testing, removal and pre-demolition abatement to Steilacoom, the Pierce County town about three miles from Lakewood. Its homes run from before 1940 through the 2010s, with the 1970s the largest decade, and a survey sorts out which materials a remodel will actually touch.
The 2024 ACS counts 2,889 housing units in Steilacoom: 860 of them from the 1970s, the largest decade, 57.4% from 1979 or earlier and 10.0% from before 1950. Almost two-thirds are detached houses, so the owner-occupant rules matter more here than the rental rules do.
Survey of an old basement before a laundry and bathroom go in
Example project
Home
1910s two-story house in Steilacoom with a stone and brick foundation and a newer boiler
Original request
Add a laundry room and a bathroom in the basement
Testing
About 10 samples from the old partition wall, the ceiling above it, the floor paint and the window putty
Found
Asbestos in the plaster patching on the old partition wall
Clear
No asbestos in the stone and brick walls, the mortar, the floor paint or the newer pipe jackets
Timeline
One visit by the inspector, then a written report within a few days
Estimated testing cost
$750
In this example, the owners of a 1910s house in Steilacoom want a laundry room and a bathroom in the basement. The plumber will cut the concrete floor and open the old partition wall, so the owners ask for a survey first.
A remodel of a 1970s house begins with samples from the ceilings, floors and walls the work reaches. The owner of an owner-occupied single-family house can take those samples personally, whereas rentals and demolitions require an AHERA inspector. Details are under asbestos testing and surveys.
Popcorn ceiling removal
The 1970s are the largest decade of Steilacoom housing, and sprayed ceiling texture is worth sampling in homes of that age. Positive texture is friable surfacing material, so the friable area removed from the structure in a calendar year is counted against PSCAA’s 48 square foot notice threshold. Painted ceilings are covered on the popcorn ceiling removal page.
Floor tile and sheet vinyl
Carpet laid over an older tile floor hides the question until a remodel lifts it. Tile and mastic that come up unbroken are nonfriable; see floor tile and sheet vinyl removal for layered floors.
Siding and roofing
Older houses near the water may be re-sided in cement shingles over their original wood. See siding and roofing removal for how shingles come off whole and how roofing is classed.
Pre-demolition abatement
Clearing an old lot for a new house means a survey of what stands on it and, for a roof larger than 120 square feet, a PSCAA notice followed by a 10-day wait. The order of steps is on pre-demolition asbestos abatement.
Steilacoom’s housing and asbestos
Steilacoom has 2,889 housing units in the 2024 ACS estimates. The largest group, 860 homes, dates from the 1970s, and 165 are from 1939 or earlier.
Houses from the 1970s
The 1970s account for just under 30% of Steilacoom’s homes. Before a remodel, ceiling texture, joint compound and vinyl flooring from those years are worth sampling, along with any cement siding added later. That is a checklist of where to look, and houses of the same age do test clean.
The Historic District
The Steilacoom Historic District is listed on the National Register. Ask the Town what an exterior removal there needs before booking a crew.
Disposal outside Tacoma
Tacoma Landfill is off the table for Steilacoom waste, since PSCAA limits it to waste from the City of Tacoma. For the county, the agency names Hidden Valley Transfer Station in Puyallup. A shipment record goes along, and it is worth phoning for the current terms.
Ownership drives the rules. Census estimates show about 63% of Steilacoom homes lived in by their owners. PSCAA lets a resident owner of a single-family house do both the survey and the removal; friable material above the small-quantity limits calls for a Single-Family Residence Notification first. A certified contractor remains the agency’s advice.
A rented house, a duplex or a house headed for demolition needs an AHERA inspector and certified abatement workers. The deciding fact is who owns and lives in the building when the work happens.
Is Steilacoom covered by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency?
Yes. Steilacoom is in Pierce County, which is within PSCAA’s jurisdiction, so its survey, notice and disposal rules apply. Washington L&I’s certification and notice rules apply statewide.
Does the Steilacoom Historic District change the asbestos rules?
The asbestos rules come from PSCAA and the state. Ask the Town about any local review before removing siding or roofing there.
Where does asbestos waste from Steilacoom go?
Waste goes to a site on PSCAA’s authorized list, delivered inside 10 days of removal with a completed shipment record. For Pierce County that means Hidden Valley Transfer Station in Puyallup.
Can asbestos be sealed instead of removed?
In some cases. The agency names three options once asbestos is found, which are leaving it, repairing or encapsulating it, and removing it. Sealing material that nothing will touch needs no notice, but anything a remodel will cut or sand has to come out.
Parkland, in unincorporated Pierce County, has its own page: asbestos removal in Parkland covers its older apartments and houses.
Request a free asbestos removal quote
For a Steilacoom house, tell us what you suspect, whether it is owner-occupied or rented, whether it is inside the Historic District, and the address. We'll get back to you soon with an estimate or any questions we have. Estimates are free and there's no obligation.
