Having your property inspected for mold is essential for many considerations. Whether you want to buy a new house or simply have a feeling your home is starting to develop a mold problem, the inspection is the solution. But once you have decided this is the step to take, you get to the next issue: how much will the whole process cost? Clean air is crucial, but how much should you pay to make sure your home is mold-free?

The first thing you probably will do before hiring a specialist is checking the market for prices. That’s when things may become a bit complicated. You will see all sorts of offers and prices ranging within pretty extended limits. So, before you decide, you need to know exactly what you get for each price, and what’s the difference between a $199.00 mold inspection and a $399.00 mold inspection?

How Much Does a Mold Inspection Usually Cost?

The mold inspection is one of the areas where you cannot merely go by what the cost usually is because it can vary significantly depending on certain elements. Not everyone needs the same thing, and variations are so high, there isn’t a generally accepted usual cost. Below, we will take a closer look at the aspects that influence the price, so you can see precisely what we mean by not going for the ‘usual’ rate.

You can, however, take a look at the national average. You will see that the average cost is about $500.00, and the national average range is between $400.00 and $800.00. But that doesn’t help you that much, because prices in your area may not be that close to the national average. To know which price category is suitable for you, you need to know the aspects that influence the final cost and make sure every service you need is included.

Factors that Influence the Cost of a Mold Inspection

The cost of a mold inspection can be a bit different from one state to another, but the major price variations come from other factors. Before hiring a company, keep in mind that this is a service that needs to adjust to every property’s conditions, so you need to give them all the details to get a fair estimate of the costs.

These are the main factors that can influence the cost of your mold inspection:

The size of the property

This is one of the major elements to consider, for obvious reasons. The larger your home is, the more extended the inspection needs to be, and that comes with extra costs. Nobody can expect the price to be the same for a 1,000 square feet home and a 2,500 square feet property. So, if you ask around hoping your friends can tell you how much their inspection was, make sure you are talking about similar surfaces.

The duration of the inspection

Time is another factor that influences the price. Inspections can take from 30 minutes to a few hours, so the cost will obviously be in close relation to that as well. It’s not just the size of the property that influences the duration; it also depends on accessibility and visibility. If your house is designed in such a way that there are many crawl spaces or other areas that are pre-disposed to mold, the inspector will have to spend more time checking it. Sometimes mold hides in places that are quite difficult to access, meaning the process will take longer.

The mold air test

The final cost of the inspection also depends on what it includes. And the mold air test is not included in all offers, so you must check this aspect before accepting the deal. This test takes air samples to look for spores, and it’s quite important. The air quality is essential, and conducting this test can give you an idea of the extent of your mold problem if there is any. The cost of a mold air test differs from one company to another, so you can expect to be charged from $70.00 to $150.00.

Home Vs. Commercial

If you need a mold inspection in your home, you will pay less than for one done in a commercial space. That happens because workplaces are usually larger, depending on the type of activity.

The type of mold

Not all companies have different prices depending on the type of mold, but some do. We’ve seen cases where the cost was clearly specified to depend on the mold they find on your property. It’s not a common practice, but it’s a good idea to ask before hiring the inspector.

Construction work

The cost can also increase if they will need to perform some type of construction work to get the inspection done. More precisely, if they have to tear some walls apart to get to the mold or the area affected by water damage. It’s more about demolition, but it’s still an activity related to constructions. If they have to remove drywall, for example, to have access to the area of interest, the cost will increase. You will be presented with a price per square foot for this additional service.

Black mold

We mentioned before that some inspectors charge differently depending on the type of mold you are dealing with. Well, black mold is particularly toxic, so some companies may add an extra cost if you need them to inspect and test these toxic spores.

Professional testing

The mold inspection isn’t just a visual assessment of the property; it usually involves tests, especially if the inspector finds signs of mold infestation. Depending on the situation and the severity of the problem, you may need additional tests, which increase the total cost:

  • Staining is used to determine what types of spores you are dealing with, their count, and growth speed.
  • Cultures are used in the lab, grown in sterile conditions, to see what mold it is and how fast it grows
  • HVAC testing is used to see if it’s possible to have mold growing in your property’s heating and ventilation system. It’s a very dangerous place to have mold because it stays out of sight, but it definitely can affect your health without you realizing what’s the cause

What to Expect from a $199.00 Inspection?

As we have shown before, mold inspections can be pricey, depending on what you need to include and how large your home is. An average cost you can expect is $300.00, which can cover a 1,000 sq. ft. property and two lab tests. That means that some special conditions must be met for your inspection to cost as little as $199.00, or you have to make some compromises.

Since standard prices are challenging to set in this business, it all comes down to the personalized offer the inspector makes you once you let them know exactly what you need. For $199.00, here is what you can get:

  • Only a swab testing, without the complete inspection. That means the inspector won’t run a visual inspection of the entire property; they will only take one swab sample, have it analyzed in the lab, and then present the lab report and their analysis of your situation. But without also testing the air, you cannot be sure that’s the only type of spores you have growing in your home.
  • A visual mold inspection, without any further services. You may think that’s something you can do yourself, but the fact is the inspector has the training and experience necessary to find mold where you wouldn’t know to look.
  • A mold and indoor air quality inspection, but without lab reports
  • A mold sampling service, as long as it’s paired with a general home inspection. If the company you hire offers both these services, they may reduce the cost of the sampling if it’s part of a larger inspection package

What About a $399.00 Inspection?

This price is a bit higher, but still not that close to the national average. That means that even for $399.00, you cannot expect a full inspection, with all the possible samples and tests, unless you benefit from a great offer. For instance, they may check for mold thoroughly but without testing the indoor air quality. Or you can have this price if you are checking a smaller apartment, not a house, or if the property doesn’t have any areas that are hard to access.

If you consider the cost of a DIY kit for mold testing can go up to $40, you can see why an inspection is much more expensive. That inspector that comes to your home and checks it has special training and years of experience and knows how to use the equipment and find all the mold’s hiding places.

Is the Mold Inspection Worth the Price?

Absolutely! Mold is not something to be taken lightly in general, and it can be even more dangerous if it’s black mold. You are risking both your health, which can suffer deeply in time and the structural integrity of your property. Mold does a lot of damage, especially if you don’t discover it in due time.

So even if spending a few hundred dollars sounds like something you would want to avoid, neglecting to check for mold can lead to severe problems in the long run. First of all, you will be placing your health at risk and can end up with really high medical bills. Secondly, if you keep postponing and the mold is discovered too late, the costs of the repairs will make the price of the inspection seem like small change.

A thoroughly conducted mold inspection is definitely worth the price. And it may not even be that expensive. As we have shown, the final cost depends on several factors. So, if you are lucky and don’t need any extra services, your budget may not be that affected. And even if you have to pay extra, having your property checked for mold is a really smart decision.

As for the different prices that you will find when browsing for offers, the bottom line is you get what you pay for. Free inspections are unlikely to actually be free; they usually come with other costs attached, like using the same company to remove the mold after the inspection.

And if we consider paid inspections, it’s essential to get an accurate assessment before closing the deal. It’s not worth saving a few dollars if it means not finding a mold source that is hiding somewhere in your home.  Even if the final cost is slightly higher, if the job is done by professionals and you get a complete and accurate report at the end, it’s money well spent.

For more information visit www.funguyinspections.com.  To schedule an inspection call us today at 866-674-7541 or email robert@funguyinspections.com.