Mold Remediation Cost Guide

When it comes to mold remediation cost, there are several factors that will impact how much you end up paying. Unlike mold in the shower, a severe mold growth can easily present a health hazard along with corroding the structure it’s growing on. Also, your mold remediation cost will fluctuate depending on whether or not the crew needs specialized equipment and protective gear to get rid of the mold. Fungi is capable of causing a large amount of damage to your home, and it poses a huge range of scary health risks that you don’t want to expose yourself to. 

The more severe the mold infestation is, the bigger your problem will be. This will also drive up the total mold remediation cost. The best way to get this problem fixed is to work directly with a mold remediation specialist company because they have the knowledge, experience, and the tools required to safely and effectively strip the mold from the area to give you back your home. They’ll also look for the source of the mold to prevent this problem from coming back, and they’ll work to contain it to stop the spread and structural damage. 

The average mold remediation cost will range from $1,500 to $3,500. You can expect to pay between $2,000 and $2,500 to complete the project. It works out to between $10.00 and $25.00 a square foot, depending on how severe it is and where it is. If it’s in an area that is under 10-square feet, you could pay under $100. If you had a mold problem in your shower, you could pay an average of $500. However, if you have a severe problem in your home, you could pay upwards of $7,000 

Since this is such a broad price range, it can make it difficult to budget for your mold remediation costs. However, this is an important project that you can’t put off because it gets more expensive and hazardous to your health the longer it goes on. This is why we’re going to outline the biggest mold remediation cost factors that you can use to determine whether or not this project is something you can reasonably have done. 

1 Sealing Off a Room for Remediation
One critical step in the mold remediation process is the seal off the area to prevent mold from spreading back into other areas of your home. Plastic sheets are one of the most common ways to accomplish this until you get rid of all of the mold.
Mold Remediation by thirteenthbat / CC BY 2.0

How Mold Remediation Costs Vary by Type of Mold

One of the first things any company will do is try to identify the type of mold you have on your vinyl siding or in your home. There are over 100 different types of mold, and each has a different look, side effects, location, and removal cost. However, most mold removals cost a similar amount unless they’re toxic. You’ll need safety equipment if you have toxic mold strains. We’ve listed out the most common types of mold below along with their mold remediation costs. 

Alternaria Mold

This is one of the most common types of mold found inside during the summer months, and there are over 40 varieties. They cause plant damage, and it can cause your shrubs or trees to degenerate. It can grow both inside and outside of your home, and the spores become airborne. They can stick to furniture, your plants, and close to spread quickly. If your home is very humid, you’ll see it growing in attics, basements, bathrooms, and beneath your carpet. It causes watery eyes, skin reactions, asthma and itching, and you can spend between $1,500 and $5,000 to remove it. 

Aspergillus Mold

The mold remediation cost for this type ranges between $1,500 and $5,000. There are over 250 species of this mold, and it starts out as a white fungus that will turn shades of yellow, brown, black, and green. It grows well in lower humidity environments, and you’ll most commonly find it on walls, windows, pillows, doors, and carpeting. If you have a lot of exposure to this mold, you can develop a respiratory condition called Aspergillosis. 

Black Mold

Black mold can be very challenging to remove, and this can increase your mold remediation costs. Depending on the extent of the mold, you could pay between $2,000 and $6,000. You do want to address the problem straight away because there are health concerns. It’ll grow and keep growing by damp or wet areas in your home like around air conditioners, fiberboard, gypsum board, or papers. It also grows rapidly in areas with high condensation because it needs moisture to live. It’ll stain any surface it grows on, and this makes it hard to get rid of. You may have to replace the surfaces completely or bleach it a few times. 

Chaetomium Mold

You’ll find this mold in damp or water-damaged homes, and it has a musty smell with an unattractive greenish-blue coloring. The spores are dark brown, and it grows in places that you can have trouble seeing like under your carpeting, inside walls, air ducts, and in areas that are cellulose-rich like drywall, wood, and around ceiling tiles and pipes. It can grow in decaying plant matter or on soil. The longer this mold is present, the more likely it is to cause health problems because several species are carcinogens. On average, you’ll pay between $500 and $3,500 for your mold remediation cost. 

Cladosporium Mold

You’ll find this mold on almost any surface, including in bathrooms, damp basements, carpeting, drywall, attics, paint, and near HVAC systems. You may not experience symptoms with exposure, but you can develop dry skin, watery eyes, cough, stuffy nose, and an itchy throat. The mold remediation cost will range from $1,500 to $5,000 from start to finish. 

Fusarium Mold

This is a very fast-spreading mold that grows on all surfaces in lower temperatures. It can be very dangerous to anyone, and it can cause a infection in your cornea called Keratomycosis or an infection in your nails called Onychomycosis. You can develop a systemic infection from this mold if the spores get into your bloodstream, and it’s common in areas that experienced a water leak. You’ll pay between $2,000 and $6,000 for your mold remediation cost. 

Green Mold

Green mold can look powdery or soft and fuzzy, and it grows in a huge range of green shades. You can see it on breads, fruits, and other foods, and it grows in wet areas of your home like in your basement if you don’t have a dehumidifier running. If you have continuous exposure to this type of mold, it can start to impact your respiratory system and potentially trigger an asthma attack. You’ll pay between $1,500 and $5,000 to get rid of this mold. 

Serpula Mold

This is the type of mold that will cause dry rot on wood because it feeds on it. It has a very deep yellow color that makes it easy to spot. It can be hard to control, and it can quickly create a lot of damage. It’ll even grow on plaster, dry mortar, and masonry. It can eat through lumber, drywall, siding, and subflooring and you’ll have to replace them. It’s not pathogenic to humans, and the mold remediation costs range between $2,000 and $6,000. 

Ulocladium Mold

This fast-growing type of mold thrives indoors, but it needs more water than other species. So, it grows best in areas that have gotten a lot of water damage or been flooded. You’ll find it in basements, windows, bathrooms, kitchens, and on painted or wallpapered surfaces. It has a greenish-black, brown, or grey appearance with a suede texture. This can cause health problems with prolonged exposure, and you can pay between $1,000 and $4,000 for the mold remediation cost. 

White Mold

The mold remediation costs for white mold ranges from $1,500 to $5,000. White mold is a broad term used to describe mold that grows in homes, and they can look white at the start before changing colors after it produces spores. Since the mold can blend in very well to whatever white surface it grows on, many people can experience health issues from prolonged exposure before they realize it’s there and take steps to get rid of it. 

2 Types of Mold
Water damage and water leaks are the leading causes of mold growth in a home. It’s also very common to see mold growing in humid areas like the bathroom or basement because it creates a perfect environment.
Water Damage by thirteenthbat / CC BY 2.0

Cost to Remove Mold Per Square Foot

Your average mold remediation cost per square foot starts at $15.00 and can go up to $30.00 or more. It’s uncommon for mold to fill an entire space, so many companies will charge by square foot based on which area of your home has mold like your bathroom or basement. A more contained and smaller area like a crawl space has less square footage, so it’ll be less expensive to fix than a larger room. A general estimate of the mold remediation cost per square foot is: 

  • 50-Square Feet – $750 to $1,500
  • 100-Square Feet – $1,500 to $3,000
  • 150-Square Feet – $2,200 to $4,500
  • 200-Square Feet – $3,000 to $6,000
  • 300-Square Feet – $4,500 to $9,500

How Location Influences Your Mold Remediation Cost

Technically, mold can take root and start to grow anywhere in your home. The location will directly influence the mold remediation cost you pay because this will influence how challenging and involved the project is as a whole. 

Air Ducts

On average, the mold remediation costs for your air ducts will cost between $2,000 and $6,000. The company will have to perform a special cleaning to remove mold from your air ducts, and this is one of the more expensive mold remediation processes to go through. When you don’t change the filters properly, condensation can occur and moisture can build up. This is especially true when you don’t arrange for your system to be properly serviced and vented. Once you discover mold, you have to turn off your HVAC system to prevent the spores from spreading. 

Attic

For the mold remediation cost for your attic, you’ll spend between $500 and $7,000, so you have a huge price range. The ease of access and your attic size will all factor in. The poor ventilation in a lot of attics make them a prime spot for mold growth, and they can have poor insulation that causes condensation buildup or moisture problems. If the mold gets into your insulation, you’ll have to remove and replace it. This labor will increase your costs dramatically. 

Basement

On average, your mold remediation cost for the basement ranges from $1,500 to $4,000. Basements are prone to getting damp, flooding, having leaking pipes, or a high humidity level that encourages mold growth. Mold grows in drywall, wood, and insulation in your basement. Your average basement size is 1,000-square feet, and the mold usually takes up between 100 and 300-square feet. You’ll have to scrub down any affected areas, use a dehumidifier to dry out the space, and use an air scrubber to remove any mold spores. 

Bathroom

Removing any mold from your bathroom will cost between $500 and $1,500. If you’ve had a leak or your bathroom isn’t well ventilated, you’ll most likely see mold growing in your sink, bathtub, shower, drains, or on the walls. Air scrubbers are the best removal method for this location, but the cost can spike dramatically if you find mold growing in harder access areas like behind your vanity, sink, or tub. 

Concrete Block Walls

Sweating or leaking pipes are common causes of mold growing on your concrete walls. You’ll have to remove any impacted insulation or drywall before you clean the impacted areas. You also have to repair the pipes that are sweating or leaking before you fix your walls. It can be expensive, and your mold remediation costs can jump to $4,000 for bigger areas with a price range of $1,500 to $4,000 and up. 

Crawl Space

You’ll typically pay between $500 and $2,000 to fix mold in your crawl space. Crawl spaces will grow mold for several of the same reasons that basements do, like they have higher humidity levels and tend to be damp. However, this is a much more contained and smaller space, so your mold remediation costs are usually lower. They also usually have better ventilation that can slow the mold growth down. 

3 Crawl Spaces
A crawl space can be the perfect area for mold to grow in your home because you rarely check it, and it can be warm with a higher humidity level. The good news is that your mold remediation costs for this area are usually low because it’s smaller and contained.
crawl space by www.homejobsbymom.com / CC BY 2.0

Drywall

On the more expensive end of the mold remediation cost spectrum is drywall. The prices start at $1,000 and can easily exceed $7,000. The reason for this broad price range is because you may only need to treat the wall’s surface, or you may find yourself ripping out the whole wall and replacing it. In some cases, you may also have to factor in costs for fixing sweating or leaking pipes. 

Underside of the Roof Deck

This is one space where you’re most likely to see mold growing, and you’ll treat this area by itself. Roof leaks can cause mold to build up, and you’ll have to get scrubbers to clean the mold off and ensure that the spores don’t continue to spread and grow. This is a more cost-effective project, and your average mold remediation cost for the underside of the roof deck ranges from $500 to $1,000. 

Vents

Vents are another cost-effective project to take on, as long as the ducts don’t have a mold growth problem. The mold remediation cost for this area ranges from $100 to $500. However, you do want to inspect the ducts for mold because it’s very possible that it already spread. If you find mold in your vent ducts, your costs can reach up into the thousands to get rid of it. 

Whole House

Finally, if you have toxic spores or mold throughout your entire home, the mold remediation cost will fluctuate from $10,000 up to $30,000. This cost estimate does include the remediation process, and it also includes the cost to repair any water damage. If you want to prevent mold from growing in the future, consider replacing your windows. Other steps you can take include improving your drainage system and regarding the land around your house’s foundation. If you have to replace carpets, drywall, or other household items, you’ll add these costs into your final price estimates. 

Prices for Mold Inspection and Mold Testing

Getting a professional mold inspection is a great way to give yourself peace of mind, and you’ll pay between $400 and $800. To inspect a 2,500-square foot home, most people will pay around $500. This also includes getting two samples and getting it tested at a laboratory. How many mold samples the inspector obtains and the home’s square footage are the two biggest factors that influence this part of your mold remediation costs. Mold does need a decent amount of moisture to grow. 

However, even smaller quantities of mold can become airborne and turn into a healthy threat. They can lead to a host of health problems, especially regarding your respiratory tract. It can also cost expensive structural damage to your home, and you’ll have to factor in repair costs to the mold remediation costs too when you start to budget for it. 

You may not necessarily have to test the mold in your home because usually seeing it is enough to justify the mold remediation costs. However, for insurance purposes, you may have to have tests. Use a third-party, independent testing agency to carry out the tests. There are a few ways to go about it. The rapid scratch test is the most common option, and all they do is collect a small sample of mold before spraying it with different chemicals until they get a reaction. 

If you need more extensive testing, you’ll have to send the mold sample to the lab. For a home kit, you may only add $20 or so to your mold remediation cost. However, a professional testing can cost upwards of $500. Most mold remediation services will go the same way, regardless of any testing. 

4 Mold Testing
Mold testing usually isn’t necessary because simply being able to see the mold is usually enough to prompt a removal. However, some insurance companies can insist on it, and this can increase your costs.
Ceiling Replacement by thirteenthbat / CC BY 2.0

Labor Costs

The average mold remediation costs for professionals to come in ranges from $500 to $7,000. Most people end up paying between $1,500 and $3,500 with 40% of the costs going to materials and 60% going to labor. A smaller contained area like a crawl space will be around $500. The process can take a few hours, but it can easily stretch on into a few weeks. The level of damage, the amount of mold, and the mold type will all factor into the project cost. 

This is a multiple-step process that starts after you dry the area thoroughly. Dehumidifiers or big fans dry the area before any remediation begins. You should also concentrate on fixing the moisture source first, and then the inspecting and testing phase starts. They company will seal off the area they want to treat to prevent mold spores from moving through the house. 

The company will use air filter systems and physical barriers like plastic sheets to prevent the air from circulating through the house. Next, they’ll bring in HEPA vacuums and air purifiers or scrubbers to remove any mold spores or particles from the air. They’ll also do a deep clean with an antimicrobial or antifungal cleanser. Fogging equipment will be brought in to remove any lingering odors. 

If there are surfaces that the company can’t clean, you’ll have to tear them out. You could remove carpeting, drywall, and wallpaper. Next, you’ll install new surfaces to replace these old ones. This can be something simple like repainting the walls, or you may have to install new drywall and renovate an entire room to get it back to a habitable space. 

Materials Cost for Mold Repair

Depending on how much damage the mold caused before you found it and took steps to get rid of it, your mold remediation costs could increase between $2,000 and $20,000. These prices include both removal and repair of any surfaces, and they include the labor costs. You may include: 

  • Drywall Repair – $1,000 to $2,500
  • Fix a Leaking Roof – $350 to $1,250
  • Flooring Repair – $200 to $500
  • Install New Carpeting – $750 to $2,500
  • Seal the Foundation – $2,000 to $6,200

Where to Find Mold Remediation Experts Near You

Frequently Asked Questions

5 Mold Damage FAQs
Mold can easily get out of hand and cause immense damage to your home, so you should take steps to get rid of it as quickly as possible. The following questions are some of the most common people have when faced with a mold problem.
Mold by Angela Schmeidal Randall / CC BY 2.0

1. Can you remove all mold from your house?

No. It’s a simple fact that mold is everywhere. However, not all mold colonizes. You’ll remove the mold that colonizes because this can cause damage to the house or negatively impact your health. 

2. Can you stay in your home during mold remediation?

Typically, you’ll stay in your home throughout the mold remediation process. However, this depends on the location of the mold because you’ll avoid this area until the company says it’s safe to go back in. 

3. Is mold remediation necessary?

Yes. Without the proper remediation, the mold will continue to thrive and spread. It can easily cause damage to your home’s structure, and many species of mold pose huge health risks, even to healthy people. You want to get rid of the mold as quickly as you can. 

4. Is it possible to remove mold yourself?

It depends on the type of mold. Generally speaking, DIY mold remediation isn’t a good idea if the moldy area exceeds 50-square feet. Anything larger and you do really want to get a professional company to come in and help you. 

Bottom Line

Your mold remediation cost can get very high at a very fast pace. This is why you want to catch it as early as possible. Doing so will help negate the damage to your home, but it also has less of a chance of making you sick. It’s a good idea to call around and get a few mold remediation cost estimates before you pick out a company. When they finish, they’ll leave you with a healthy and mold-free home that you can enjoy without worrying about the health risks. 

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