Starting Jan 1st New York state is requiring Mold assessors to be licensed. I have recently become state licensed. My question is for those inspectors that are currently doing Mold testing. What is the price range and for what type of testing, i.e air, swab, left? Thanks
Can you tell me more about what lic you got is it state or county are you cert. Or lic
NYS Dept of Labor Licensed Mold Assessor. It’s new
Lab I use Pro-Lab charges me $22-25 per sample, doesn’t matter if it’s a swab, air, tape lift, etc.
My fee is $125 per sample.
I did 19 samples last week, ask Ian! yeehaw! 
Please be sure that if you’re taking samples when it comes up during your home inspection,
to get a limited mold sampling agreement signed.
Note the word limited - very important.
Marc is the man on this. Listen to his advice
I’m also in the same price range as Marc. A few differences are that I use EMSL, not Pro-Lab. My pricing is around $26 for air/tape/swab/etc. incl. lab fees.
My cost breakdown to the client is $400 + taxes for two (2) indoor samples and one (1) control and $100 + taxes for each additional sample.
In the new year I’m likely raising my prices a bit to accommodate growth for the business. I started at $350 + taxes, now I’m at $400 + taxes, so I’m thinking I’ll go up to $450 + taxes and tack on another $25 per sample also.
This obviously includes a complete visual inspection, thermal imaging and written report - something A LOT of “mold inspectors” seem to be lacking in when they provide air testing services.
Ian, with this new law, what will be the steps necessary when mold is suspected in the home? Will it be required to have the home tested before mitigation? Or will a licensed mold assessor be able to write a plan of action for the mold mitigation company to follow without testing.
In the past when I suspect mold is present I simply recommend a mold mitigation company to my clients. It’s no longer that simple. Do you have a link where I can get more information on this? Thanks
This is good - everyone give themselves a raise for the new year!
My “experiment” for the next two weeks is whatever I would usually quote, I’m adding on $75-100 more.
We’ll see if I remain busy.
Dave, I will send you a link in a moment. NYS released this law with almost no SOP. Right now, the mold assessor makes up his own clearance and procedures. So visual is acceptable in the eyes of NY (maybe not in reality though). The mold assessor makes the remediation plan, writes the clearance standards, and then clears it.
It makes no sense to me. If some guy wants to walk in and make a taste test his clearance and then starts licking the walls, it is legal… There is going to be so much garbage going on until they come out with some SOP.
Dave, here is a link to the law: https://labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/safetyhealth/mold/Chapter_Amendment.pdf
HEre is a link to the DOL opinion on mold and home inspections: https://labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/safetyhealth/mold/mold-assessor-license.shtm
Notice what it says about home inspections: "“Mold assessment” means an inspection or assessment of real property that is designed to discover mold, conditions that facilitate mold, indication of conditions that are likely to facilitate mold, or any combination thereof.”
Therefore, Home Inspectors need to be licensed as per:
“§ 931. Licensing requirements. 1. It shall be unlawful for any contractor to engage in mold assessment on a project, or to advertise or hold themselves out as a mold assessment contractor unless such contractor has a valid mold assessment license issued by the commissioner.”"
So I don’t know. It seems like if we want to say anything about mold we need to be licensed, but that is a whole other leg of liability, so my prices will go way up if that is the case. I guess it is how you want to risk it if you want to say “mold like substance noted” or “possible organic growth present”
There must be a difference between “mold assessor” and “mold tester”. Without any standards, your laws are worthless. All they do is add money/fees to the coffers of your state. Nothing will be enforced. You have to have parameters, such as in radon. Without them, how does any person know what is bad, and is not? Some people are allergic, some are not. Be prepared to answer that question to every buyer who you do the “assessment” for. Some buyers may feel they are getting hosed for paying for something that has no standards.
there are standards… They say to make up your own :). They do have some very basic guidelines, but not much. Testing, inspecting, pretty much anything with mold falls under this law. Some states let you do that, NY does not seem to (unless you are the home owner)
No one in NYS can inspect or take samples for mold without getting a mold assessment license. 32 hr. classes cost $800 and the license is $150. This is regulated by the Dept, of Labor (asbestos inspectors) not the Dept. of State. All remediators, who must be licensed as well, must have a 3rd party mold assessment and clearance report with every remedation job that they do. Apparently there will be audits by the Dept. of Labor to make sure that this is happening. I understand that the first fine is $2000 and $10000 after that. Some remediators are all-in and some are in “catch me if you can mode” from what I am seeing. I charge $1000 for assessment with report and 2 inside samples and one outdoor sample with a clearance report and 3 samples.
Where are you getting those dollar amounts for the fines? don’t see anything on DOL website and from what I understand they haven’t fined anyone yet.
Numbers came up in Assessment class. These fines, I believe were related to the remediators during our discussion.