Start with the license, then ask for the number
In Texas, mold assessors and remediators are licensed by TDLR, and the state keeps a public license search. Ask each company for its Texas license number and look it up yourself. Check the name, the license type, and whether the license is active.
A company that is evasive about its license, or offers a business registration in its place, has not answered the question. Any company can be asked, including ours. Our network's crews are licensed and insured restoration professionals, and you should ask any firm to show its Texas license for the work it is bidding.
The assessor and the remediator should be different companies
One company usually cannot sell you both halves of the job. TDLR keeps the assessor, who inspects, samples where needed and writes the protocol, apart from the remediator, who carries it out. Once the cleanup ends, the clearance check goes to a different licensed assessor than the protocol's author, and only a licensed remediator issues the Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation.
This separation protects you. A company grading its own work has every reason to pass it. When someone offers to test, remove and certify in one package, ask exactly how that fits the state rules.
Talk to dispatch
Describe what you see and we will tell you what happens next, in plain words, before any work starts.
Questions to ask every company
| Question | What a good answer sounds like | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| What is your Texas license number? | A number you can verify with the state | Dodges, or gives a general business license |
| Who writes the protocol? | A separate licensed assessor | We will test and fix it ourselves |
| Is the scope in writing? | Itemized by room, material and method | A single price on a text message |
| How will you contain the work? | Containment barriers, negative air machines and HEPA air scrubbers | Open windows and fans |
| What standard do your crews follow? | ANSI/IICRC S520 for mold, S500 for water | Never heard of it |
| How is clearance handled? | A post-remediation assessment by a different assessor | We will tell you when it is clean |
| Will you find the moisture source? | Yes, or they coordinate the repair first | We only deal with the visible spots |
Write down the answers. A reliable company will not mind being asked.
What a proper scope looks like
The written scope should name every affected room, the materials to be removed or cleaned, the containment method, how waste will be bagged and removed, and how the air will be filtered. It should also say what happens after the remediation: drying, clearance and who rebuilds.
Cost depends on factors rather than a flat number. These include the area affected, the materials involved, whether growth is hidden in wall cavities, how much containment the job needs, the number of days of equipment, and how much rebuild follows. A quote that ignores these is guessing.
Containment, air control and clearance
- Containment barriers with poly sheeting to isolate the work area.
- Negative air machines that pull air through HEPA filtration and exhaust it outside the containment.
- HEPA air scrubbers running during and after cleanup.
- Antimicrobial treatment where the protocol calls for it.
- A clearance assessment by a licensed assessor who did not write the protocol.
- A certificate from the licensed remediator when clearance is passed.
What the process should look like from start to finish
A typical licensed job runs in a set order. First the moisture source is found and fixed, then a licensed assessor surveys the property and writes the protocol. The remediator sets containment, removes or cleans affected materials, and runs HEPA filtration. Last, a different assessor checks the result, and the remediator issues the certificate if the area passes.
If a company wants to skip straight to the cleaning, ask where the assessment went. Each skipped step is a place where you lose the ability to verify the work.
Red flags that should end the conversation
- No license, or a number that does not check out.
- The same company inspects, treats and declares the job done.
- No written scope, or one that changes after work begins.
- Pressure to sign right away because the mold is spreading.
- A promise that the mold will never return, which no one can make because it depends on moisture.
- Claims of health effects or a diagnosis from the color of the growth.
Insurance, buyers and lenders
Guidance from the Texas Department of Insurance is that home policies usually leave out mold cleanup and testing unless coverage was added. Mold that grew from a gradual leak is typically excluded as well. Check your policy before hiring, and ask your insurer what documentation it wants.
Mold is also a common topic in home sales, since buyers and lenders sometimes ask for clearance paperwork. That makes the certificate worth getting right. When water caused the problem, our water damage restoration side and our mold remediation page explain how drying and mold work fit together. Neighbors in Little Elm and Frisco ask the same questions.
Local note
Local checks before you hire in The Colony
Texas sets the size threshold. Under Department of Licensing and Regulation rules, any visible mold covering 25 or more contiguous square feet of a covered home needs a state-licensed mold remediator. Below that an owner can do the cleaning, but a licensed contractor is still not exempt from the law on a small job, so a company that says it does not need a license for your job deserves a second question.
Locally, the city office for building inspections and permits, at 6053 Main Street, keeps a contractor registration page on its website. The department does not say what applies to mold work specifically, so call it and ask whether your project, especially any wall or framing repair afterward, involves a permit or registration. Also confirm that the company's crews are licensed and insured before anything is signed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check a mold company's license in Texas?
Ask for the license number and search it on the TDLR website. Confirm the license type, the name and that it is active.
Can one company assess and remove my mold?
Generally not on the same project. TDLR separates the roles so that the party who writes the protocol is not the one grading the finished job.
Do I need a licensed remediator for a small spot?
An owner can clean visible mold that stays under 25 contiguous square feet. A licensed contractor on a small job is still not exempt, and hidden growth should be assessed.
What should a mold removal quote include?
A written scope listing rooms, materials, containment, air filtration, waste handling, drying and what follows clearance. Price should connect to those items.
Is mold removal covered by homeowners insurance in Texas?
Often not. Cleanup and testing are excluded on most policies unless coverage was added, so check yours.
Does The Colony require a registration for mold contractors?
The city keeps a contractor registration page, but its website does not address mold work specifically. Call Building Inspections and Permits to ask what applies to your project.