How much is professional mold inspection and what does the air testing cost? This is our focus in this cost guide.
Different situations require you to carry out black mold home inspections and tests.
It could be that you’re moving into a new home, or you’ve recently experienced some water damage.
How Much Does Professional Black Mold Home Inspection And Testing Cost Near Me?
Whatever the case, a mold inspection will allow you to discover the presence of mold in your home, and the particular species you are dealing with.
So how much does it cost to have a mold inspection? Let’s go into the price breakdown.
Mold inspection and testing isn’t something you can do on your own.
There are professional mold inspectors who are better equipped to handle such a task. They also have the needed experience and licenses, so it would be wise to give them a call when the need for testing arises.
So, how much does it cost to test for mold?
As you would expect, these services aren’t rendered for free, there’s a price tag attached to it.
We’ll be giving you all the information you need.
Keep reading!
So how much does a mold inspection cost?
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Mold Inspection Prices
On average, you can expect to pay between $400 to $800 for a professional mold inspection.
Most homeowners pay about $500 to inspect and test an area of 2,500 square feet.
Factors That Determine Black Mold Inspection And Testing Cost
There are a few factors that determine how much you would pay for mold inspection and testing. Let’s take a look at them below.
The size of the area affects mold evaluation cost
The square footage of your home plays a big role in the bill you will receive for a black mold inspection. The number of mold samples obtained from the inspection also influences the cost of testing.
At the very least, you can pay$300 for a 1,000 square foot building, one sample, and a lab test.
The inspector you hire will determine the cost of mold inspection
All mold inspection and testing companies don’t charge the same. The more reputable the company is the possibility of a higher charge.
More expensive inspection companies can charge as high as $1,000, along with two samples and a lab test.
The work involved affects prices
In some cases, a mold inspection will demand the removal of drywall and digging. This of course increases the difficulty of the task and might require the help of extra hands.
All these can add a few extra hundred dollars to your bill.
The type of mold impact mold assessment cost
There are so many species of mold that can be found in a home. Some cause allergic reactions, while others are toxic to anyone they come in contact with.
There’s usually a standard price for mold inspection and testing, but the price could go up when toxic mold is involved. This is because more safety equipment will be needed to carry out the inspection.
Residential Mold Testing Cost
To carry out a mold air test, the inspectors would need to sample the air particles around your premises. This is done to know if mold spores are flying around, and what species, in particular, is present.
Keep in mind that mold spores are microscopic, and cannot be seen with naked eyes. This is why the inspectors require special equipment to carry out the air test.
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Standard Mold Air Test Cost
Tools used for air sampling purposes include air pump, cassette sampling, and collector sampling.
Cassette sampling traps the mold spores in a plastic cassette, which is then taken to the lab for testing. This would cost around $500.
As for air pump sampling, a calibrated air pump is used to force the existing mold spores onto slides, and this costs around $600.
The particle collectors also trap the mold spores on a petri dish, which is also taken to a lab for further analysis. This will cost around $700.
Knowing Exactly What You’re Paying For
When you finally make up your mind to conduct a black mold inspection and testing, you will have to contact a professional to handle it and pay them for their services.
However, you need to know exactly what you’re paying for. This is why you should ask the inspector what the bill covers.
Here are some of the relevant questions you should ask your inspector –
- How much is your charge per square foot?
- Is the fee negotiable?
- Does the bill cover inspection and testing or just inspection alone?
- Do you also offer remediation services?
- If you do, how much will that cost me per square foot?
- Do you offer a free inspection to those who hire you for black mold remediation?
Other vital questions will be determined by the unique nature of your home and the extent to which the black mold has infested your home.
Some mold remediation companies offer a free inspection to their clients. If you happen to come across such a contractor, then there would be no need to pay another inspector to do the job.
To add to that, if the black mold infestation is visible (you can see it with your naked eyes), then hiring an inspector will be a waste of money. After all, why pay to confirm something you already know exists?
In this case, you should move straight to the remediation process and save yourself hundreds of Dollars!
What To Expect After Paying For Mold Inspection & Testing
When inspectors visit your home, they are on the lookout for black mold. This means they have to see it to actually confirm their presence.
Since that’s the case, they will have to go around your premises to visually confirm that you indeed have a black mold infestation.
Mold inspection is unlike air testing, being that there is hardly any need to use sophisticated tools to detect the mold. All that is required is a good pair of eyes and simple visibility tools like a flashlight (which helps the inspector view mold that is lodged in tight or dark corners).
In a case where the inspector has to damage a part of your structure to see the mold, then other simple tools could be used.
Some professional mold inspectors bring cameras along with them during an inspection. This is used to film and record their findings. Otters can use moisture meters to ascertain that an area is damp.
It is normal for your mold inspector to ask you a couple of questions. They may inquire about the specific areas in your home that have suffered a mold infestation in the past.
They can also ask you about areas that have suffered or currently suffering from water damage.
The answers to these questions will give them a fair idea of where they should search for the mold. They will visit the areas you have described to them and take a close look to see if there are traces of mold growth.
Some inspectors can also visit areas that aren’t infested with mold, but prone to it. As we have mentioned before, if they suspect that mold is growing in an inaccessible area, they will have to damage part of your drywall or take out some paneling to have better visuals of the area.
The moment the mold is found, the professionals will trace the mold growth to its source, which is the origin of the moisture problem that encouraged the mold growth in the first place.
Once the water problem has been discovered, the inspector will point it out to you and advise you on how to go about remediation.
If the inspector also offers remediation services, then you can discuss fees and agree.
Don’t be in a hurry to agree on remediation fees with your inspector, do some research first.
Before you hire a mold inspector to handle remediation, you need to confirm two things –
- Is the inspector qualified to handle the job (what experience, licenses, or certification do they have?)
- If they are qualified for the remediation job, are their charges fair or are there other contractors out there that’ll charge less?
Keep these in mind as the inspector finishes with the mold identification in your home.
Comparing Prices Of Mold Inspection
As far as mold inspection charges are concerned, there is no “one size fits all” in the industry.
You might have an idea of the average cost for mold inspection per square foot, but hundreds of dollars could be saved if you take out the time to compare different prices.
The good news is, finding the most fairly-priced mold inspector isn’t such a big deal. All you need to do is follow a few simple tips.
The best way to confirm which mold inspector is expensive and which is fairly priced is to actually reach out to them and ask.
You can go online and find as many contacts as you can, then inquire. Their prices may already be listed on their website, which makes price comparison faster since you don’t have to call or send out emails.
Conclusion
Mold inspection and testing costs will vary by contractor, number of square feet of the infested area, and the amount of manual work that needs to be done.
Don’t forget to compare prices before you make up your mind. By doing so, you’ll get the very best deal.
Hopefully, this article on mold inspection and testing costs has been informative.
Thanks for reading!