Before you sign anything with a mold removal company, ask these six questions. The answers will tell you immediately whether you are dealing with a legitimate contractor or someone you should walk away from.
1. "Can I see your IICRC certification number?"
The IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) is the primary professional certification body for mold remediation. The relevant credentials are AMRT (Applied Microbial Remediation Technician) and WRT (Water Damage Restoration Technician).
A legitimate contractor can give you their certification number on the spot. You can verify it directly at iicrc.org. If they cannot produce a certification number, or if verification fails, that is a significant red flag.
In states with licensing requirements — Florida, Texas, New York, Illinois, Maryland, and others — ask for their state license number and verify it through the state licensing board.
2. "Will you provide a written, itemized scope of work before I sign?"
A legitimate contractor will give you a written scope of work that includes:
- Square footage of the affected area
- Specific materials to be removed
- Containment plan
- Equipment to be used
- Disposal method
- Timeline
- Payment terms
If a contractor is unwilling to put the scope in writing before you sign, do not sign. A verbal quote is not a contract and gives you no recourse.
3. "Do you also offer mold testing and inspection services?"
The company removing your mold should not be the same company that assessed the problem or that will verify the work afterward. If they offer all three services, that is a conflict of interest.
The correct answer you want to hear: "No, we do remediation only. You should hire an independent inspector to assess the scope and verify our work."
If they say yes and push to do everything themselves, hire a separate independent inspector before agreeing to any scope.
4. "What is your payment structure?"
The industry standard for a legitimate job:
- 25% at start of work
- 25% at a defined midpoint
- 50% upon completion and independent clearance test confirmation
Any contractor requiring full payment or more than 30% upfront is a red flag. Do not pay the final balance until you have a passing clearance test from an independent inspector.
5. "Do you recommend an independent clearance test after the job?"
The clearance test — post-remediation verification — is the only way to confirm the mold was successfully removed. A legitimate contractor will proactively recommend it and tell you to hire an independent inspector to perform it.
If a contractor says the clearance test is unnecessary, offers to do it themselves, or seems unfamiliar with what you're asking, that is a red flag.
6. "Can I have a few days to get additional quotes?"
A legitimate contractor will say yes without hesitation. They welcome comparison shopping because they are confident in their pricing and credentials.
Any contractor who tells you that you must sign today, that the price expires immediately, or that waiting is dangerous for your health — is using a high-pressure sales tactic. Mold is a slow-growing problem. A few days to get additional quotes will not make your situation meaningfully worse.
A contractor who answers all six questions correctly — certified, written scope, no conflict of interest, reasonable payment terms, recommends clearance test, welcomes comparison — is almost certainly legitimate. A contractor who stumbles on any of them is worth walking away from.