We love our realtor and home inspector friends. Without their continued support of our mold testing operations, we could not stay open. What we are asked to do by them is give an evaluation. Evaluations are similar to Inspections and Assessments in that they require an on-site mold inspection and/or mold assessment of the information that is gathered, but evaluations may be short and sweet as in a simple inspection in one area of a home or business that has been found to be contaminated or has visible mold growth. This happens frequently with real estate transactions where a sale is pending and a buyer has asked the seller to get a professional opinion as to whether or not fungal growth is present, whether or not it presents a health concern, how it can be re-mediated/cleaned and how much that would potentially cost.
Working With A Mold Inspection Service
Mold assessment companies are sometimes reticent to get into this type of work because most realtors do not take into consideration the value of the information provided by the mold assessment company. That is, they want to get someone out as quickly as possible because the option period is expiring soon and they want to minimize mold inspection costs. Mold assessment consultants are not handymen (not meaning to demean that profession either) but have obtained a very specialized set of skills
In order to obtain a license, mold assessment consultants must attend a 40-hour class at an accredited school. They must pass two exams: one at the school and a second exam at the state level. They pay $500 for their licenses and are required to renew it every two years for an additional $500. The renewal process means taking an 8-hour continuing education class at an accredited school. In addition, the mold assessment consultant is required to have a General Liability Insurance policy in the amount of $1 million per occurrence. Most carry additional Errors and Omissions insurance as well.
Why? Well, the state requires it, and when you think about the litigious society we live in, it is not a case of if you get sued, it’s when you get sued. We are providing a lot of assurance and peace of mind to our clients but not without risk on our part. As a matter of fact, when you read our page on Protocols/Work Plans, you will please note that a client’s risk goes away when a mold assessment consultant signs a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation. That is a fact that most people don’t realize.
All of that for a trip charge, taking samples, and writing an EVALUATION letter where you give your professional opinion of the situation. Forget the fact that you may get a letter down the road from a homeowner, or business owner who discovers hidden mold that was not found during the inspection, or complains that someone became sick after they moved in.
We appreciate realtors’ mold inspector business for both homes and businesses, and we prioritize their requests for service. At the same time, we want them to know that we are trying to deliver the very best in customer service and experience. Contact us to learn more!
