Home inspector/mold removal/contractor question

Ron Jones

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Indianapolis area
We have had professional mold remediation specialists look at my MIL's basement to give suggestions and quotes on a mold problem. Two of them agree that there is no active mold and that a good cleaning, removal of old paneling and some sort of treatment/coating is all that is necessary to get that part of the house in condition to put on the market. The 3rd person says that in addition to these steps shrubs need to be removed, soil graded away from the foundation and the installation of a humidifier are required. Quotes range from $1500 to nearly $7000. The high bidder seems to rely on the fact that as a home inspector/mold remediation specialist/contractor he is the only one really qualified to evaluate the situation. It seems to me that he is also the only one who is also creating additional income from this job by specifying additional work on the project. Am I wrong to be so skeptical? Your commits and expertise are most welcome!
 
....The high bidder seems to rely on the fact that as a home inspector/mold remediation specialist/contractor he is the only one really qualified to evaluate the situation. It seems to me that he is also the only one who is also creating additional income from this job by specifying additional work on the project. Am I wrong to be so skeptical? .....

As a Home Inspector, not your not wrong. Doesn't mean he is trying to cheat you but I don't think it is appropriate to repair a home you inspected. Thats is a conflict of interests in my book. And it's just to easy to mislead people when you do it all.

Now, his suggestions don't seem out of line either. But without seeing the property,:dunno:
 
Conflict of Interest

I completely agree that it is a conflict of interest to do the inspection and expect to do the work. Now if he is wrong or quoting a higher than needed job description, can't tell from where I am sitting. I usually go with my gut, and I am thinking since you posted this, that you are questioning him, so regardless, wouldn't go with him. Just my .02 worth.
 
Your first one and a half sentences puzzle me. Inspections for "a mold problem", then "no active mold"???? Wassup? :huh: You have mold or you don't. What led you to perceive the "mold problem" in the first place? And, if you don't have mold, why does it need correcting? :doh:

BTW, I see a conflict of interest also. Same as an appraiser setting a price then wanting to buy the house. The code of ethics for a lot of professions specifically prohibit that sort of thing.
 
The basement flooded years ago. Shortly after that incident, we know there was mold in parts of the basement. The flooding problem was corrected about a year after the flood. There are sign that there once was mold, but no mold growing presently. All three people agree on that.
 
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