A surprising amount of the housing stock around Apex was built between the 1960s and the late 1980s — the window when popcorn ceilings, vinyl floor tile and mastic, and asbestos pipe insulation were standard residential construction. Most of those homes are now changing hands again, getting flipped, or being remodeled by owners who have no idea what’s in the walls.
When the lab confirms ACM, removal stops being a renovation question and becomes a regulated abatement project — governed by NESHAP, OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101, and 15A NCAC 19C. That is exactly the work this page describes. The contained, manifested, third-party-cleared abatement that follows confirmed identification.
Remtech has run abatements in the Triangle for over twenty years. Every project leaves with a signed disposal manifest, daily air-monitoring logs, worker exposure records, and a written clearance report — the documentation a buyer, lender, or insurer will ask for later.
When asbestos is handled outside the regulated framework, three things consistently follow.
On a flip or remodel, asbestos found after demolition has already started means the work area is already contaminated. Floors, framing, HVAC, and adjacent rooms now need decon — which is an order of magnitude more expensive than a pre-renovation survey would have been. Schedule slips. Holding costs accumulate.
When a general contractor or handyman scrapes a popcorn ceiling without containment, the homeowner inherits the contamination, the disposal violation, and the disclosure problem. NC law restricts regulated removal to NC DHHS AHMP-licensed contractors, and a handshake on a job site does not transfer that obligation.
Asbestos fibers cling to clothing, hair, and shoes for hours after disturbance. A worker without proper decon carries fibers home. Children riding in the same vehicle, or playing in laundry rooms where contaminated coveralls are stored, share the same long-term risk — latency periods of twenty to fifty years for asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
Five phases. Every Apex project moves through all of them. We don’t skip the documentation, we don’t cut the containment, and we don’t leave site without third-party clearance.
An NC-accredited inspector documents every asbestos-containing material in the work area and writes the abatement design. We file the 10-working-day NESHAP notification with NC Division of Air Quality and coordinate with the Town of Apex on any concurrent demolition or building permits before mobilization.
Two layers of 6-mil polyethylene seal walls and floors. HVAC penetrations are isolated and locked out. A three-stage decontamination unit is built at the only authorized entry. HEPA-filtered negative-air machines establish at least -0.02 inches of water column, with at least four air changes per hour, verified before any disturbance.
Workers in full-face PAPRs and disposable Tyvek saturate the material with amended water to suppress fiber release, then remove it in manageable sections. No sanding, no power tools, no shortcuts. Material is double-bagged in 6-mil labeled disposal bags. Personal exposure samples run all shift to verify the OSHA PEL of 0.1 f/cc holds.
Bagged waste leaves the Apex site under a signed chain-of-custody manifest, headed to a permitted Subtitle D landfill. The signed return manifest, daily air-monitoring logs, and worker exposure records all go into the project file — the same documentation a buyer’s inspector or a closing attorney will ask for.
An independent industrial hygienist performs aggressive-sampling clearance — using leaf blowers and fans to lift any settled fibers before sampling. PCM analysis must read below 0.01 f/cc; TEM is used where children or schools are present. Re-occupancy is authorized only after the written clearance report is delivered.
Real reviews from homeowners and contractors across North Carolina.
“We bought a new to us 1964 home last December and to no surprise, we had asbestos popcorn ceilings. We decided to remove the ceilings altogether versus just scraping them. To complicate things even more, we had a plumbing leak in a room that had previously been encapsulated, so we had to deal with insurance to cover a portion of the asbestos removal. Rusty and the whole team at Remtech were such a help from the first moment we spoke! They were responsive, flexible, and knowledgeable. They helped us get insurance what they needed. They even worked with us to do the removal work while we had to be out of town. Asbestos removal and dealing with insurance, especially as we were brand new to the home, was incredibly stressful. Working with Remtech was the opposite – they were helpful and easy to work with that I barely had to think about the work being done. It was a nice break for my brain! They also did a great job. We came home to a CLEAN house with no ceilings! While I’m hoping we never have to go through such a big project again, I know we’d be able to handle it because we can rely on Remtech.”
“Very fast, professional and responsive. Did floor asbestos abatement for our house for a very reasonable price and they were very quick to schedule to keep us within our very close timeline.”
“As a General Contractor specializing in Bathroom & Kitchen remodel, we complete in excess of 250 bathroom upgrades each year. Regardless of our remodeling and construction experience and capabilities, when it comes to addressing the unforeseen hazardous and environmental conditions posed by mold, asbestos, and lead paints, we have a responsibility to our customers to partner with the best abatement specialist possible, and as proficient in abatement as we are kitchen and bath remodeling. Remtech has proven to be that reliable and trusted partner for both our customers and company. We highly recommend the Remtech Team.”
“A few months ago I used Remtech Envir. to remove asbestos from the ceiling of my home, and to this day I’m still amazed with their service that I’ve been meaning to write a review, and today’s the day! The whole process went through so smoothly because of their professionalism, punctuality and care. At the end of each day I received an update from Rusty who was the project manager which was super helpful, and because of their expertise I knew the job was getting done correctly. There was a lot of asbestos to remove, and they showed up and delivered hard work to get it done within the time frame that was initially discussed. So grateful we used their services! I would highly recommend!”
“Our church basement flooded and the old asbestos tiles curled up and had to be removed. Jeff Brewer came over to look at our problem, explained what they would do. He furnished a quote very quickly with a fair price. After checking with two other companies, Jeff’s instructive conversation, ease of manner, willingness to help and a fair price won him the work. As a former contractor, I know how backed up companies can be in their schedule. He told us of a target time about 4-6 weeks off, which was fine. He called a couple of weeks later and had an opening in his schedule and wanted to come earlier. That was great. Their staff arrived on time and delivered a very quick, professional and clean project. This allowed us to get our Fellowship Hall floored and back in operating condition prior to the start of the school year. It is a pleasure to work with a company that communicates well and delivers their service in a superior way.”
“I have spoken with Bryan on many occasions about growth strategy. He has always been open to communicate. I look forward to future conversations.”
“Remtech came in and did a removal of asbestos when our home developed a leak and the sheetrock ceiling had to be removed. Got right to work, kept us informed every step of the way and did a great job of cleaning up. Would use them again in a heart beat!!”
“The cost was higher than expected, so I did not move forward at that time. I will use Remtech when I am ready to have the work done. They are very professional and take the time to answer any questions. The rep arrived on time, explained the process and provided the estimate. A very positive experience.”
Keeping the survey, sampling, and removal in-house tightens the chain of custody, shortens the timeline, and keeps the cost predictable. No relay race between contractors.
These are the questions Apex homeowners and GCs ask on the first call. Short answers below — the long answers, tailored to your property and timeline, are a conversation.
Yes — this is most of what we do in Apex. We coordinate with the GC, sequence around framing and rough-in milestones, and build containment so the abatement room can hand off to the next trade with a written clearance in hand. Most single-room popcorn or floor tile scopes take two to four working days from containment build to clearance.
For most residential abatements, yes. Once containment is built and negative pressure is established, the work area is sealed off and the immediate buffer outside it is restricted. For a flip or vacant remodel this is a non-issue. For an occupied home in Apex, plan on being out for the full window between containment and clearance.
It depends on square footage, ceiling height, access, and whether the texture is friable. We quote in writing after a site visit, with the price including the NESHAP filing, all PPE and containment materials, manifested disposal, and third-party clearance — not just the labor to scrape. Beware quotes that omit any of those line items.
Encapsulation can be appropriate for stable, intact, non-friable ACM in spaces that won’t be disturbed. But if the material will be touched by any planned renovation, demolition, or HVAC work — or if a buyer’s inspector is going to flag it during a sale — removal is usually the right call. Encapsulating something you’re going to demo six months later is the most expensive sequence.
Hidden ACM behind walls, above ceilings, or under flooring is common in older Apex homes. When it surfaces, work stops, the area stays in containment, additional samples go to the lab, and an updated NESHAP notification is filed if quantities materially change. A written change order documents the added scope and cost before work resumes — no surprise billing.
Send the lab report, the inspection findings, or just the renovation timeline — we’ll scope it from there. The quote is in writing and the recommendation is straight.
Tell us what was sampled, what came back positive, and when the work needs to be sequenced. We’ll come look, scope it honestly, and quote it in writing.