What a Licensed Mold Remediation Contractor Does in Texas

What does the remediation license cover?

The Mold Remediation Contractor license lets a contractor carry out mold remediation in Texas under the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and Occupations Code Chapter 1958. It covers the removal and cleaning of mold, and it does not cover the separate assessment.

The contractor is responsible for doing the removal correctly and for documenting it. The license is the state's confirmation that the individual has met the requirements for this work, and it is checked against the name and number the contractor gives you.

A contractor who is not licensed for remediation should not carry out the removal, however experienced it is with water damage. Water damage experience is not the same as the mold license.

Who sets the scope of the work?

The written assessment sets the scope. The contractor works to it, and if it finds something the assessment did not cover, it should stop and tell the homeowner so the assessor can review the new finding.

This is the reason the assessment and the remediation are kept apart under the Texas rules. The contractor is not the party that decided what was present, so its work can be checked against a record written by someone else.

A change of scope should be agreed in writing. A contractor that widens the work without a written change, and without going back to the assessor, is departing from the process the rules are designed to keep.

What happens during the containment and removal?

The affected area is contained so spores and dust do not travel into the rest of the building. Materials that cannot be cleaned are removed and bagged, and materials that can be cleaned are cleaned as the scope directs.

Containment is set up as the assessment describes, and the contractor records how it was built and what was inside it. Access to the rest of the house or building is arranged so that people are kept away from the work area while it is open.

Removal is recorded item by item where that is practical. The contractor keeps removed materials apart from the rest of the job and records what was taken out. That record is part of the final documentation.

What does drying have to do with remediation?

Remediation removes mold that is already present, but mold will return on any surface that stays wet. The area is dried to readings after the removal and cleaning, and the contractor checks the surfaces against the assessment before closing up.

Drying is not a substitute for removal, and removal is not a substitute for drying. A contractor that cleans a surface and leaves the moisture in place has not finished the work. The readings are the record that the area is dry enough to be closed up.

If the moisture source has not been stopped, the remediation should not be considered complete. Ask the contractor to confirm the source has been addressed before the area is closed.

What insurance must a remediation company carry?

Mold companies must carry commercial general liability insurance of at least one million dollars per occurrence, as TDLR sets it. Ask for a current insurance certificate that names the firm doing the work.

The insurance requirement is the state's way of making sure a homeowner has a company that can meet a claim if the work causes damage. A certificate that is out of date, or that names a different company, does not give you that protection.

Keep the certificate with the license checks and the written scope. The file should show that the company, the people and the insurance were all in place before the work began.

What should a homeowner expect at the end of the job?

A written record of the work, including the areas treated, the materials removed, the cleaning done and the drying readings, and a clear statement of anything that remains. The homeowner should receive the record before final payment is agreed.

The closing record should be specific. It should say what was removed and where, what was cleaned and how, and what the readings showed at the end. Vague wording such as 'mold treated' does not give you the information you need.

If a post-removal check is part of the scope, that check is carried out by the assessor, and its result should be part of the file. Ask for it in writing and keep it with the other records.

What affects the cost of remediation?

The size and location of the affected area, the amount of containment and removal, the number of materials to be cleaned, and the access to the work area. The price is set by the licensed contractor in writing and explained before any work starts.

A contained area in one room costs less to handle than growth spread through a wall, a ceiling and a floor, because the containment and the removal are larger. Access also matters, since a contractor needs room to set up and work safely.

This site does not publish a figure for remediation. Ask for a written estimate that follows the assessment's scope, and compare it with other licensed contractors on the same scope rather than on the lowest total.

How long does remediation usually take?

Remediation takes as long as the scope requires, and the time depends on the area, the materials to be removed and the drying that follows. The contractor should give an estimated timeline in writing, and tell you what could change it.

A small contained area can be cleaned and checked in a short job, while growth through several rooms or inside a structure takes longer to contain, remove and dry. The estimate should separate the removal from the drying, because the drying often runs on its own schedule.

Ask the contractor what would change the timeline, such as finding growth outside the scope, a delayed moisture source or a need for a second visit from the assessor. A realistic estimate names those risks plainly.

How do I check the scope against the assessment?

Read the remediation scope beside the written assessment, and check that each area and material named in the assessment is covered. Any area in the scope that the assessment does not name should be questioned before work begins.

The scope and the assessment should match in the rooms, the materials and the approach. A scope that is wider than the assessment may be reasonable, but it should be explained and agreed in writing, with the assessor's review. A scope that is narrower leaves growth in place, and that is a risk to you.

If you cannot follow the match yourself, ask the assessor to read the scope and confirm it in writing. That is a simple check, and it protects you against both over-removal and under-removal.

Before the work begins, ask the contractor to walk the area with you and point out the boundaries of the containment, the materials it expects to remove and the cleaning it expects to do. A walk-through that matches the written scope is a good sign, and a walk-through that differs from it is a reason to pause and call the assessor.