Choosing a mold remediation contractor
March 28, 2011 11:14 PM Subscribe
What questions should we ask while taking estimates from mold remediation specialists?
I've offered to lend moral support to a friend who unfortunately has a very big mold (and water damage) problem to deal with.
The mold situation: My friend is responsible for a small, one-level house somewhere in Appalachia. The house got flooded with clear water (such as from a burst pipe; we are NOT talking about sewage or mud). The flooding went on long enough that the entire interior of the house is now covered in mold. The mold is on the walls, ceilings, interior doors, furniture, etc. It's bad—we assume that at a minimum, all of the drywall, ceilings, and flooring will need to be ripped out and replaced. All upholstered furniture will have to be chucked. The mold really is everywhere and the situation is way, way beyond spot treatment. The cause of the flooding is known and is being addressed.
The question: We will be meeting at the house soon with a couple different mold and water remediation specialists. We plan to get estimates from them, and then my friend will choose one company to do the cleanup. What questions should we ask while we have them on site?
Questions we've already thought of:
I've offered to lend moral support to a friend who unfortunately has a very big mold (and water damage) problem to deal with.
The mold situation: My friend is responsible for a small, one-level house somewhere in Appalachia. The house got flooded with clear water (such as from a burst pipe; we are NOT talking about sewage or mud). The flooding went on long enough that the entire interior of the house is now covered in mold. The mold is on the walls, ceilings, interior doors, furniture, etc. It's bad—we assume that at a minimum, all of the drywall, ceilings, and flooring will need to be ripped out and replaced. All upholstered furniture will have to be chucked. The mold really is everywhere and the situation is way, way beyond spot treatment. The cause of the flooding is known and is being addressed.
The question: We will be meeting at the house soon with a couple different mold and water remediation specialists. We plan to get estimates from them, and then my friend will choose one company to do the cleanup. What questions should we ask while we have them on site?
Questions we've already thought of:
- Can they offer a written guarantee? If mold problems persist after the first round of remediation, will they come back out and fix the problems for free, or will my friend have to pay for further rounds of remediation?
- Can they tell at this point whether there is structural damage? Is it possible that structural damage will be discovered as they do their work, and if so, how will that affect the cost of the project?
- Can they do everything but the interior finishes, and leave the drywall, flooring, and painting as DIY projects? How much money would this plan save?
Oh, and for the person who is doing the rebuilding - you ideally want as little off gassing as possible. In my house that would mean demanding plywood instead of the cheaper OSB.
posted by bilabial at 5:26 AM on March 30, 2011
posted by bilabial at 5:26 AM on March 30, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
You want to see every pulled permit for your job.
Check yelp and angieslist and other local reviews, take them with a grain of salt unless you can contact the reviewers.
You want to know what methods they use for testing the air at completion.
I'll let you know if I think of anything else.
posted by bilabial at 3:48 AM on March 29, 2011