Choosing a Mold Remediation Contractor in Nevada

Before you sign with a mold remediation company, check its license, get a written plan, understand how it will contain and dry the work area, and keep the final check separate from the people who did the work. Vegas Mold Pro inspects and tests only and does not do remediation, so we have no stake in which contractor you pick.

Start with the license question

Nevada contractor licensing is handled by the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB). The published list of NSCB classifications and the regulations behind them (NAC Chapter 624) include no classification named for mold. We found no NSCB publication that says whether mold cleanup alone requires a license. Ask the Board about your specific job.

The state’s broad definition of a contractor still matters. Under NRS 624.020, a contractor is anyone who undertakes to “construct, alter, repair, add to, subtract from, improve, move, wreck or demolish any building” or other structure, “or to do any part thereof.” Most remediation jobs involve cutting out drywall, pulling baseboards or cabinets, and then putting everything back. The rebuild in particular is plainly construction work. NAC 624 lists classifications that commonly apply to that phase, such as B-2 residential and small commercial building and C-3e drywall.

NRS 624.031 exempts some repair work under $1,000 in labor and materials. The exemption does not apply if a building permit is required, if the work is part of a larger project worth $500 or more, or in several other situations.

How to look up a license

  1. Go to the NSCB website. The address nscb.nv.gov now redirects to nvcontractorsboard.com.
  2. Open the Contractor License Search. It lets you search by name or license number.
  3. Check that the license is active and that the classification fits the work. Then check the monetary limit, which NSCB describes as the most the contractor may undertake for one client at a single site.
  4. Match the name and license number to the contract.

NSCB warns that “Contracting without a valid state contractor’s license is a crime in Nevada.” It also says homeowners who hire unlicensed contractors cannot use its Residential Recovery Fund. NSCB says the fund’s maximum per claim is $40,000.

Insurance, bond, and permits

NSCB says licensed contractors must carry workers’ compensation insurance and a bond and must have established financial responsibility. Ask for current certificates. Also ask whether the contractor carries general liability insurance and whether that policy covers mold-related work. If a building permit is required, NSCB advises making sure the contractor obtains it before work starts.

Get the plan in writing

NSCB’s consumer guidance says to “Always Insist on a Written Contract” that includes the license number, classification, monetary limit, price, timeline, and materials. For mold work, also ask for a written scope or protocol. At a minimum it should cover:

  • The moisture source and who fixes it. EPA’s Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings says the remediation plan “should include steps to fix the water or moisture problem, or the problem may reoccur.”
  • Exactly which materials will be removed and which will be cleaned, with room names and approximate areas.
  • How the work area will be contained. EPA’s guide describes limited and full containment. It generally recommends limited containment for areas of about 10 to 100 square feet and says the choice should rest on professional judgment. EPA’s containment tips begin: “Always maintain the containment area under negative pressure.”
  • How materials will be dried and how the contractor will confirm they are dry before rebuilding. EPA says to dry non-moldy wet materials within 48 hours where possible.
  • How HVAC systems will be protected or cleaned if they are affected.
  • What happens if hidden mold turns up. EPA notes that hidden mold may require revising the plan.

EPA’s advice on outside contractors is simple: “make sure they have experience cleaning up mold, check their references, and have them follow the recommendations presented in this document,” along with ACGIH or other professional guidelines. NSCB also suggests getting at least three bids.

Before any walls come down in an older building, ask how the contractor will handle possible asbestos and lead paint. Mold demolition can disturb both.

Asbestos and lead in older buildings

Asbestos. EPA recommends having a home inspected for asbestos-containing materials by a trained and accredited professional before remodeling, and it says taking samples yourself is not recommended. In Nevada, asbestos abatement falls under Nevada OSHA rules in NAC 618. Nevada OSHA’s training guidance says that for larger friable removals, “the employer, supervisors, and workers must further be licensed by NV OSHA.” NSCB also has a separate A-23 asbestos removal subclassification. Under NAC 624.585, a licensed contractor without A-23 generally may not remove more than 25 linear feet or 10 square feet of asbestos-containing material.

Lead. EPA says “Homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint.” Under its Renovation, Repair and Painting program, firms paid to disturb paint in pre-1978 housing must be certified. EPA advises consumers to find an “EPA or state lead-certified contractor.”

These are separate specialties from mold work. Ask the remediation contractor whether it holds the needed credentials or will bring in someone who does, and how testing will be sequenced before demolition.

Keep the final check independent

EPA lists several signs that remediation is finished. The moisture problem is fixed. Visible mold, moldy materials, and moldy odors are gone. If sampling is done, indoor mold types and levels should be similar to outdoors. A revisit shortly afterward should show no new water damage or growth. EPA adds: “Ultimately, this is a judgment call.”

Because it is a judgment call, the person making it should not be the one who did the work and got paid for it. An independent post-remediation inspection by someone with no financial interest in the job gives you an unbiased second look. Write into the contract that a third party you choose gets access before walls are closed. See our testing methods.

Red flags

  • Scare tactics. Pressure to sign today, or claims that a particular mold makes the home unsafe. CDC says exposure to damp and moldy environments “may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all.” Health questions belong with a physician (see black mold facts).
  • A “free inspection” that leads straight into a remediation sales pitch. The company diagnosing the problem profits from how big it says the problem is.
  • “Mold-free” certificates or pass/fail guarantees. CDC notes “there are no set standards for what is and what is not an acceptable quantity of different kinds of mold in a home,” and EPA states that “It is impossible to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment.” A certificate claiming a home is mold-free promises more than any test can show.
  • No written scope, no license number on the contract, or reluctance to allow an independent check.
  • A plan that removes mold but never addresses the water source. For Las Vegas homes, see common moisture sources.

This is general information, not legal advice. Contractor licensing questions about a specific job should go to the Nevada State Contractors Board or a Nevada attorney.

Sources

Get an independent look before and after remediation

Vegas Mold Pro inspects and tests only. We don’t sell remediation. We can document conditions before you collect bids and check the work area after the contractor finishes. Flat pricing is quoted before you book. Call (702) 741-0666.

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