Guide to Hiring a Mold Remediation Company

Indiana Mold Remediation always strives to combine excellent service with the best solution to every problem. However; we know there are a lot of mold companies out there, and we want you to hire the one that will be the best fit for you and your situation. This guide should give you some things to think about in the decision making process.

Making Decisions

Your needs and preferences will influence how you evaluate a company. Some of the things you might consider (in no particular order) are:

• Price
• Training
• Experience
• Reputation
• Trust
• Location
• Remediation Methods
• Availability

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it should give you some things to start thinking about. We will explore these topics in further detail below.

Price

Sooner or later price always enters into the equation. Let’s address it first.

How much should mold remediation cost? I wish I could tell you. In one real life example there were three bids for the same job; one was $600, one was $1800, and the third was $16,000. The job description for the $600 and $1800 quotes were radically different than the $16,000 quote. Does that make the higher bid better? Maybe; in some situations it would be. In this particular situation, the results would have been about the same.

Price should never be the lone factor when choosing a mold company. The cheapest estimate doesn’t always end up being the least expensive, and the highest price doesn’t always mean the greatest quality. Although, either could be true.

In addition to comparing the end result, you should also ask about hidden charges and add-ons that may not be listed in the initial bid.

Training

Most mold companies have a score of badges on their websites showing their certifications from various organizations. These badges, called “trust emblems”, are there to make you feel that they have the skills to do the job right. Each of these organizations has its own rules and regulations, but you usually only need one certified person in the organization to be able to use the badge. Is that the guy that’s coming out to your house? Or did he train the guys that are coming out? Or does he do the estimates and send out untrained workers to do the job?

Many companies take training very seriously, and will only send fully qualified workers to your home. Just ask who will be doing the work, and who will be managing the workers.

Experience

Job training and job experience are closely related. You wouldn’t necessarily want a kid fresh out of class to head up your project, but he may be better than the guy who has been doing things the wrong way for twenty years. Ideally, you want a person who was trained well and also has the experience to know the things they don’t teach in class.

Reputation

Reputation means a lot in business. If somebody did an excellent job for your neighbor, they’ll probably do a similarly spectacular job for you. Knowing as much as possible about a company’s reputation will help you predict how well they will perform in the future.

There are a lot of places you can go to find information about a company’s reputation. Online sources include Google reviews, Angie’s List, The Better Business Bureau, and any number of other review sites like Yelp. Offline, you might have a neighbor, friend, or co-worker who had similar work done. You could also try your local real estate agent, property manager, or home inspector; they probably have experience working with at least one or two mold remediation companies.

Trust

Reputation is part of trust, but I list them separately because reputation cannot give the entire trust picture. Talk with mold remediators on the phone, or in person. Are they trying to help you or sell you? Do they seem honest and knowledgeable? Would you trust them in your house, around your family? If you get that funny feeling in the back of your mind that something is amiss, you should probably move on to the next one.

Location

Location can mean service area and/or the company’s physical location. Obviously, you want to find somebody who services your area, but you may also want to find a company that is local. A local company is invested in the community. A greater portion of their money tends to stay in the local area, helping other local businesses and organizations.

We don’t want to sound hypocritical here. We serve the entire state of Indiana, which is well outside of our local community. We don’t think there is anything wrong with hiring a national or regional company if that is the best option. But if you can find somebody in your local community that can meet your needs just as well, that might be a better option for you.

Remediation Methods

There are almost as many remediation methods as there are remediators. Demolition, HEPA vacuuming, spraying biocides, fogging enzymes, media blasting, and encapsulation with paint are but a few. The right method to use is highly dependent on situation. Demolition (remove and dispose) is usually the best option for porous materials. Media blasting can be a great option for large areas where other methods would be much more labor intensive. Many other methods have appropriate uses as well. The company you choose should be able to tell you why they are suggesting a particular method and why it is the best choice for your situation. If they don’t know why they are doing it, how can you?

Availability

For businesses, people selling their homes, or people living with mold that is causing illness; time is of the essence. Most mold remediation contractors can get to your project and complete it within a reasonable amount of time, but there will always be exceptions. As a smaller company who is in high demand, there are times when we are booked 2-3 weeks out. This may not be an issue for you, but it is something to think about if you are working with a deadline.

If the company you want to contract isn’t going to be available within your time frame, you may try talking it through with them. Let them know about your situation, what your deadline is, and why there is a rush. They may be able to help if you have a small job or a special case. On special occasions, we have had employees agree to work late, and we have had kind-hearted customers who delayed their jobs for other customers with a greater need. This isn’t a regular occurrence for us, and I can’t guarantee that every company would do this sort of thing; but I do know others in the industry who have. I think the great majority of us really do like helping people. And it can’t hurt to ask.

Other Considerations

Other things to consider might be social agendas or personal preference. If you want to hire a company that donates to a certain charity or that sponsors a certain event, they are probably out there. Maybe you want to hire a company that pays their employees well, or provides health insurance. They’re out there too. Whatever your particular issue is, just ask around. If a company is doing something good or charitable, they’ll be happy to tell you about it!

Closing the Deal

Once you’ve chosen a company to do the work, there will be a few details left to work out. Some of the things you might need to know are:

When will they begin work?
When do they estimate completion?
What forms of payment do they accept?
What are their payment terms?
What utilities will they need to access? (water, electricity, etc.)
Ironing out these details in advance can make everything proceed smoothly for both parties. You’ll know what to expect from your mold company, and they’ll know what to expect from you.

In Closing

We hope that you have found this guide helpful! Please contact us at (317) 867-4766 if you would like to see something added to the guide, or if you have any questions.