Costs of non-DIY mold remediation and restoration?


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Old 08-24-21, 10:47 AM
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Costs of non-DIY mold remediation and restoration?

Hey all,



We are in escrow on a home and a good amount of mold was found to exist behind one of the walls. The likely cause is from irrigation the current owners have been running on the outside wall of the home. There is mulch and soil that is too close to the weep screed so moisture is wicking back inside and into the cavity. There is insulation in there too. We had it tested for mold and it's primarily aspergillus & penicillium. Not sure how long this has been going for but the other concern is if any of the wood studs are compromised.



We will be requesting a discount/credit in the repairs to factor in the cost of remediation - the initial quote we got from one company is just under $2500 to remove the mold and dry out the area. I'm *guessing* if we were to bring someone in to restore everything back to original condition, it would cost around the same thing... anywhere from $2000-3000 depending on the scope of work. The directly impacted area is probably 6-8' across and 2' high:







The wall behind the wine cabinet/cellar might be impacted as well. The sprinklers on the outside are probably at the same level, along with the soil/mulch, as where the baseboard there is. What's concerning about this too is that when the mold inspector pulled back the baseboard to take a look for mold behind it, he noted that there was drywall cut maybe 3-4" up from the bottom and replaced with a new strip. Not sure how long it runs along the bottom but it may have been done for the entire wall. Not sure how long ago this was done but it seems recent. The new piece of drywall registered as slightly moist but the original section of wall above it is a lot more moist. It seems the current sellers may have had this work done but they didn't disclose. We will be asking about it.



That said, any guesses as to what the scope of work here will entail and what it may end up costing? The remediation company mentioned having to remove the plantation shutters and window trim, so that plus reinstalling insulation (I'm guessing) are going to be factored in here.
 
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Old 08-24-21, 10:55 AM
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Looking at the problem from here would just be guessing.
You'd need to bring in a remediation company to give an actual "hands on" estimate.
 
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Old 08-24-21, 11:02 AM
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If it were me, I'd insist on a full remediation done by a reputable company with a warranty for no additional mold prior to closing escrow at their cost. If they don't want to assume the cost risk, that should inform you as to the potential liability. This just has can of worms written all over it. Now that it has been discovered/documented, they can't not disclose it to another buyer. You made an $ offer under the assumption of no mold. Unless they are willing to credit you a significant $ amount i.e. triple/quadruple the estimate cost, put the onus back on them.

This isn't the same as repairing some dry rotted fascia boards.
 
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Old 08-24-21, 11:14 AM
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Rule of thumb is three or more local bids so you can compare - remote estimation like this is nearly impossible.
 
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Old 08-24-21, 04:11 PM
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IDK, to me it sounds like a simple fix, resolve the sprinklers, resolve the mulch, open up a few spots in the wall and air it out.

But then again, I'm not trying to stiff the buyers for an unnecessary repair!
 
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Old 09-11-21, 08:21 AM
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Thanks all.
@Marq1 - regarding mold, I don't think letting it "air out" is enough in terms of remediation. Unless the mold can be scrubbed/wiped off and or killed with bleach, if it has gotten into the drywall (and insulation), my understanding is that those items need to be disposed of completely.

BTW: Would this remediation/repair be something you guys would take care of prior to moving into the home? Or is it OK to do it after we've moved in? This area of the home impacted by mold is in the front (tiled and no carpet downstairs) and separated from the bedrooms which are all upstairs. It seems like the area of containment would be relatively out of the way of everything else as this seems confined just to the living room area.
We're in a situation where we're renting back to the sellers until Oct 2nd. We will likely just do termite fumigation immediately after they move out, get the carpets changed (upstairs only) and place cleaned before moving in (if we were to do the mold remediation *before* moving in it probably would be right after fumigation and before carpet change). We'd like to move in ASAP so as to not have to carry the mortgage AND pay rent at the current apartment.
 
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Old 09-12-21, 02:39 PM
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I can' offer any advice or suggestions, but just wanted to comment on how beautiful that home looks!
 
 

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