Mold in Walls & Drywall in Portland, TN

What happens when you call

You'll talk with an independent local mold remediation company. Be ready to describe where the stain or smell is, any leak or high water you know about, and whether the house is site-built or a manufactured home, since the walls are put together differently. The visit typically involves a moisture meter, sometimes a thermal camera and a small inspection opening, and then a written scope listing the materials to be removed, the containment, the drying plan and how the company will show the framing is dry.

What affects the cost

1. How many square feet of drywall or wall panel must be removed.
2. Whether the insulation in the cavity is wet.
3. Cabinets, tubs or built-ins that have to be pulled first.
4. The level of containment and air filtration.
5. Whether the price includes new drywall, finishing and paint.

Angi reports a national range of about $1,000 to $20,000 for mold in walls, and Middle Tennessee prices vary. Licensing depends on which side of the county line you're on: Robertson County requires the state Home Improvement license for residential jobs of $3,000 to under $25,000, while Sumner County isn't on that list. Anywhere in Tennessee, jobs of $25,000 or more need a contractor's license, and mold remediation is the S-F classification.

Local conditions in Portland

Portland sits on the Highland Rim in far northern Middle Tennessee, about 32 miles from Nashville, and spans Sumner and Robertson counties. The Portland Flood Channel, finished in 1997, was built to reduce flooding on Donoho Branch, but the sinkholes and drainage behind that flooding haven't gone away. Multiple rescues were reported in Portland during the May 2017 flash flooding. The median home was built in 1995, and about 11 percent of homes are mobile or manufactured. Inside city limits, permits for framing repairs go through the City of Portland Building Codes Department, which also takes property nuisance complaints.

Before the company arrives

• Shut off water to a leaking fixture if you can find the valve.
• Move furniture and wall hangings away from the area.
• Write down when the problem started and any storms or leaks since.
• Keep pets and anyone with asthma out of the room.
• Don't cut into the wall yourself before the visit.