04 Feb Understanding How Much Does Professional Mold Removal Actually Cost
Not all mold experts are equal. We explain how to find reputable mold remediation experts and inspectors.
If you find mold growing inside your home, sound the alarm and get rid of it fast. Delay can mean extensive and expensive remediation and repairs. On average, professional mold remediation costs $500 to $6,000 — but the price can soar to the tens of thousands if the issue is severe.
Here’s what you need to know about hiring professional mold inspectors and remediation companies.
Employ a Mold Inspector First
If you find mold growing on drywall, cut, or unfinished wood surfaces, and especially if the affected area is greater than 10 square feet, hire a mould investigator to discover the origin and degree of the issue.
They’ll also be able to guide you to a reliable mold remediation company. Reputable companies utilize third-party inspectors instead of doing the inspection themselves.
But make sure you check credentials when hiring an inspector. The mold industry is largely unregulated, but there are guidelines to help you know when you are hiring a true professional:
Qualified inspectors should have an undergraduate (at least) degree in a science or engineering field and have completed industry-approved coursework in mould investigation, preferably from the American Board of Industrial Hygiene or the American Council for Accredited Certification (formerly the American Indoor Air Quality Council).
They should bear respected industry credentials, such as CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist) or CIEC (Council-certified Indoor Environmental Consultant).
They should work independently of a mold remediation company (reputable remediation companies hire a third-party inspector) and shouldn’t sell mold-related merchandise.
- They should provide a customized report that includes lab results of air or surface samples taken.
- They should not hype one species of mould as more dangerous than another.
They should tell you whether a mould problem has a DIY solution, or whether you have to hire a professional mold remediation expert.
Expect to spend $200 to $600 for a site visit from a qualified contractor, which will take two to five hours. The inspector will take air samples and may open up walls to find mould.
Analyzing air samples isn’t cheap and, based on the lab used, can cost $30 to $150 for each sample. Some inspectors roll sampling into their base price; others don’t. So make sure you ask.
Not every mould issue requires sampling. If you can see mold, sampling is necessary only if you need to identify the actual mold species for medical or legal reasons. However, if you think mold is present but can’t actually see it, samples can confirm your suspicions. Also, sampling typically is used after cleanup to verify success.
Ask inspectors to explain why they’re taking samples and what hypothesis they’re attempting to confirm.
If the cleanup is easy enough to perform yourself, a mold inspector can advise you on procedures, protective equipment, and tools. The inspector should also be able to pinpoint the moisture issue that led to the mold issue so that you can fix it.
Warning: Don’t even think about diagnosing your mould problems with a home testing kit. They don’t work. They’ll probably reveal some mold, but only because spores are always flying through the air. These kits can’t:
Guarantee a statistically significant sample of air.
Confirm the existence of dead mold spores (which also cause health problems).
Determine baseline amounts of mold in your home so as to compare results with other non-mold-infected areas.
What A Mold Remediation Professional Will Do
Mold remediation companies will clean up your mold in a few days if just some washing and removing carpet is involved, or in a few weeks if demolition and rebuilding is necessary.
Generally, the cleanup procedure entails:
If mould infestation is severe and you are mold-sensitive, then you may have to live elsewhere during cleanup.
Remediation costs vary depending on how far and where mould exists. Figure on:
$500 to $4,000 to remove mold from crawlspaces only.
$2,000 to $6,000 to remove mold from canals, crawl spaces, walls, and attics.
$10,000 to $30,000 (or more) to repair widespread structural damage.
Does Insurance Cover Mold Remediation?
Don’t presume your homeowners insurance will pay to fix your mould problems. Insurance typically pays if the issue results from an emergency already covered in your policy, like a burst pipe, but maybe not if mold generated from deferred maintenance, persistent moisture or seepage, or from floodwaters (if you don’t have flood insurance).
Check with your insurance agent to find out if your particular mold issue is covered.