How much is mold removal per square foot? This guide provides estimates and cost breakdowns for a mold remediation project.
Just like other mold species, black mold can complicate breathing problems and cause allergic reactions. This is why you need to take steps to eradicate them from your home as fast as you can.
How Much Does Profesional Mold Remediation Cost?
Black mold removal is something you can do all by yourself, but that depends on the severity of the infestation. In some cases, all you can do is call the professionals to help you remove the black mold in your home.
The case may be that you don’t want to go anywhere near the mold, probably due to allergy reasons. That is also understandable.
Whatever the case is, if you’re looking to hire help for your mold problems then you’re in the right place.
So how much does mold remediation cost?
In this article, we’ll be discussing the cost of removing black mold from your home, so keep reading!
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Mold Mitigation Cost
On average, you can expect to spend between $500 to $7,000 on professional mold remediation.
These figures depend on how severe the mold infestation is. If it is really bad, then you can expect to spend tens of thousands of dollars to remove the mold from the basement and other areas of your home.
Factors That Determine Mold Remediation Cost
Three main factors determine the amount of money you will spend on mold remediation cost in your home.
These are –
- The size of the house
- The severity of the damage
- The contractor you are hiring
Let us examine them one by one so you can know what to expect when your bill comes in.
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Size Of The House
Some homeowners have asked – how much does mold removal cost for an entire house?
The truth is, there is no “one size fits all” answer to this question. The real question to be asked is – What is the average cost of mold remediation per square foot?
With this figure in mind, you can easily figure out how much mold removal will cost for your entire house.
On average, mold remediation per square foot ranges between $10 to $25. This means if you are creating a 100 sq. ft. area, then you should expect to spend between $1,000 to $2,500.
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The Severity Of The Damage
The severity of mold damage will also determine how much the removal will cost you.
In some cases, the mold has gone deep into your basement walls, and repairs need to be done from an inaccessible area. This will require some excavation and extra manpower.
To add to that, attic mold may need to be treated with blasters and other technical procedures that require a higher level of expertise. As you can imagine, these would cost more than a simple spray-and-scrub procedure.
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The Contractor You Hire
All contractors don’t charge the same, which is why you need to call as many contractors as you can to compare prices before you decide on who you’re hiring.
Some contractors will offer to carry out the mold inspection free of charge, simply as a bonus for hiring them to handle the mold removal.
Now that you understand the factors that influence the cost of mold removal, let us discuss a few things you need to know about hiring a professional mold inspector and remediation expert.
Cost Of Hiring A Mold Inspector
The best way to tell you have mold growing in your home is if you see it. In this case, hiring an inspector will not be necessary. You can simply move on to the remediation process immediately.
On the other hand, if you suspect you have mold hidden within some cracks but can’t see it, you can hire a mold inspector to check it out for you.
Some experts advise that homeowners should contact a mold inspector even when the mold is visible, especially if it spans more than 10 square feet.
Here, the inspector is expected to determine the cause of the mold outbreak and offer solutions.
Most mold remediation companies offer inspection services, so if you must hire an inspector, go for one that can solve the problem, and not just identify it.
This will save you a lot of money in service charges!
On average, a mold inspector will charge between $200 to $700 for a 2 to 5-hour visit to your property.
When they visit, you can expect them to take air samples and do minor excavating to discover the type of mold you’re dealing with and the extent to which the mold has spread.
Keep in mind that there are many quack contractors out there, so you need to do some digging before you hire.
A qualified mold inspector should have at least an undergraduate degree in science or engineering and must have finished an industry-recognized course in mold investigation.
The American Board of Industrial Hygiene or the American Council for Accredited Certification (formerly the American Indoor Air Quality Council) is one of the most reputable certifications a mold inspector can have.
Other respected industry credentials include the CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist) or CIEC (Council-certified Indoor Environmental Consultant).
Other things you can expect from the mold inspector include –
- Provision of customized reports that shows lab results of air or surface samples taken from the site
- A fair evaluation of all mold species as being hazardous to health
- Honest and professional opinion on whether the mold issue can be solved with a DIY approach or a professional one.
Cost Of Air Sample Tests
Air sampling is a vital aspect of mold testing. It determines the kind of mold spores floating around in the air. When the spores are collected, they are taken to the lab and analyzed.
Lab testing of air samples costs between $30 to $200 per sample. The exact amount you will pay will be determined by the particular lab being used for the tests.
Some mold remediation companies add the cost of air sample tests into their base price, while some don’t. Make sure you ask to confirm so you’ll know exactly what you’re paying for.
Keep in mind that not every mold issue should call for an air sample test. As long as you can see and identify the mold species you are dealing with, a sample test will not be necessary.
Most importantly, the sampling should be done after the mold removal process has been completed by the contractor. This will confirm if the clean-up was successful or not.
If at the end of the mold inspection and sampling tests it is discovered that you can eliminate the mold yourself, the inspector will simply give you tips with which you can carry on.
They will tell you what protective gear to put on and what homemade or commercial mold killers you can use.
We have to point out that sampling your mold infestation at home with a home testing kit is a waste of time. They can tell you of mold presence, but that’s because mold spores are all over the air.
Home testing kits cannot do the following –
- Certify a statistically relevant sample of air
- Confirm the presence of dead mold spores (which also lead to health problems)
- Ascertain baseline levels of mold in your home, which will be used to compare results with other non-mold-infected areas
Trying to save money is a good idea, but not in the case of professional air sample tests. Pay a pro to do it for you!
What The Mold Remediation Experts Will Do
When you hire your preferred mold remediation experts, here’s what you should expect them to do for you.
They will:
- take away any water-damaged or mold-infested materials
- clean and disinfect the walls, clothes, furniture, and other infested items
- remove the drywall and studs in the case of very severe mold infestation
- vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air filtration cleaner
- advise that you live somewhere else during a thorough clean-up, especially if you are sensitive to mold
A Breakdown Of Mold Abatement Cost
Below are the average figures.
- $500 to $4,000 to eliminate mold from crawlspaces only
- $2,000 to $6,000 to eliminate mold from ducts, walls, attics, and crawl spaces
- $10,000 to $30,000 and above to repair extensive structural damage
Does Insurance Cover Mold Remediation?
Having a homeowner’s insurance doesn’t automatically mean all your mold problems will be fixed.
Your insurance usually handles the cost of fixing or replacing an item that was caused by something that’s already covered by the policy.
For instance, if your mold problem was caused by a burst pipe (covered by the insurance), then the company will handle the cost of mold remediation.
On the flip side, if the mold infestation was caused by your negligence, then insurance wouldn’t cover it.
Conclusion
There you have it guys, the cost of black mold removal in your home.
Remember to compare prices so you can get the best deal. Also as the contractor the relevant questions so you’ll know exactly what you’re paying for.
Take care!