
Budgeting for an indoor air quality test can be worth the cost if you are worried about your health or have moved into a new home.
Mold remediation in Los Angeles, CA, costs $2,573 on average, but it can cost between $1,590 and $3,850, depending on location, type, and size of infestation.
LA homes face fog, leaks, and humidity, giving spores endless chances to spread.
Some mold varieties are visible, while others hide in walls, making removal far more costly.
Rules, permits, and certifications push LA labor rates higher than most cities.
Even minor repairs to flooring or roofs can sneak extra costs into the bill.
In the City of Angels—and everywhere else—mold is a villain. But luckily, homeowners can cut it from the script. Between coastal fog rolling into Venice, leaky pipes in Spanish-style bungalows, and the occasional Santa Ana wind pushing moisture where it doesn’t belong, mold sneaks onto the scene like an uninvited guest at a Hollywood afterparty.
On average, mold remediation in Los Angeles costs $2,573, with most homeowners paying between $1,590 and $3,850. Costs depend on the mold’s type, size, and hiding spot, whether it’s a bathroom cameo or an HVAC blockbuster.
Los Angeles, CA, has a mix of challenges that attract spores, starting with the climate. From humid coastal air to cool, damp mornings, mold finds plenty of opportunities to thrive, whether clinging to bathroom grout or making a grand entrance behind drywall. Also, older craftsman homes and stucco apartments don’t always have modern ventilation, so spores can turn a hidden leak into a long-running problem before you notice the musty smell.
Black mold is especially notorious in LA because it loves hiding where water damage has gone undetected, like in hillside homes with drainage issues after rare but heavy rains. And with high housing prices, many properties get quick fixes instead of long-term solutions, leaving behind the perfect stage for mold to return.
It costs more to remove mold from some regions of your home than others. For instance, mold growth in hard-to-reach areas, like in your HVAC system or drywall, can require more time and materials to remove than mold in very accessible areas, driving up costs.
Location | Average Remediation Cost in Los Angeles |
---|---|
Attic | $1,088–$4,352 |
Basement | $544–$3,264 |
Crawl space | $544–$2,176 |
Wall | $1,088–$21,760 |
HVAC systems | $3,264–$10,880 |
Bathroom | $544–$1,088 |
Whole house | $10,880–$32,640 |
Most mold removal professionals charge around $11 to $27 per square foot. So, if you're removing mold from a 100-square-foot area, you can expect to pay around $1,000 to $2,500. But factors like the location of the growth and the type of mold can affect how much it costs to remove it.
Mold inspection costs between $326 and $1,170. Mold testing is key to determining whether you have the presence of mold in your home, plus the extent of the infestation. You’ll need to hire a mold inspector to test surface samples in your home before moving forward with remediation.
Regardless of how it affects remediation costs, you need to know which type of mold you have in your home for your safety. That said, if a mold test reveals the presence of black mold, your mold remediation pro will likely charge more to remove it based on the additional cost of protective equipment.
Type of Mold | Description |
---|---|
Alternaria | A common mold found outside in spring and summer, it primarily attacks plants. |
Aspergillus | White fuzz that turns black over time, but it can also be brown, yellow, and green. It can cause respiratory illness and requires immediate remediation. |
Aureobasidium | Grows on painted surfaces and behind wallpaper. It’s often pink and causes allergies. |
Chaetomium | Extremely toxic and can cause brain infections and various cancers. A white fuzz that turns to blue or green. Requires immediate professional removal. |
Cladosporium | Commonly found in basements and HVAC systems. It can cause mild allergy symptoms. |
Fusarium | One of the most toxic molds; requires professional removal once discovered. Often caused by water leaks, it is commonly found in walls and floors. |
Penicillium | Blue-green and grows in areas of elevated moisture where water damage has occurred. It can be very dangerous. |
Serpula lacrymans | Causes severe damage to wood and spreads fast. Unfortunately, this mold is usually found after it has spread widely. |
Stachybotrys chartarum (black mold) | Extremely dangerous, not to mention fast-spreading. Requires immediate removal by a professional. |
Trichoderma | Grows rapidly in wood, plants, and soil. Commonly found in HVAC systems and not as widely discovered as others in this list. |
Ulocladium | A dark-colored mold found near windows and in kitchens and basements. Looks like black mold, but it isn’t as toxic to humans. Nevertheless, it still requires removal. |
If left untreated, mold can damage your drywall, carpeting, and flooring. Replacing or repairing your walls or floors will add costs to the removal.
Here are some cost estimates for different types of mold damage repairs in Los Angeles, CA:
Repair Type | Average Cost in Los Angeles |
---|---|
Drywall | $1,088–$3,155 |
Carpet | $843–$2,829 |
Flooring | $218–$598 |
Hiring a mold remediation pro in Los Angeles can be costly, nearly 9% higher than in other metro areas. The overall cost of living in LA is about 50% higher than the national average. While mold inspections and remediation labor are tax-exempt, building materials, including drywall, flooring, or sealants, are taxable.
Labor costs run higher in LA due to insurance, licensing, and certification requirements that ensure the work meets local codes and guidelines. These protections are excellent for homeowners, but they do raise the price. If a contractor is required to remove walls, ceilings, or floors, your project may need permits, which can increase the project’s cost.
In Los Angeles, tipping isn’t mandatory but is often appreciated. For smaller mold jobs, homeowners might tip crews $20 to $50, while significant, multi-day projects can see tips of $100 or more. It’s a way to show gratitude in a city where service workers already face steep living costs.
Bigger mold jobs in Los Angeles often require more than one specialist to prevent mold from making an encore appearance. A mold remediation specialist may loop in a crawl space encapsulation pro, who will seal off damp areas under older homes in neighborhoods like Echo Park. Expect your crawl space encapsulation cost to cost $5,500 on average.
A roof repair contractor is your superhero for patching leaks in Spanish tile or flat-roofed homes and preventing heavy rain from dripping inside. Homeowners can expect their roof repair costs to hover around $1,150, but some repairs can cost significantly more. You'll need a foundation specialist for hillside homes prone to water intrusion. Foundation repair costs can range significantly from $2,225 to $8,125.
Mold remediation in Los Angeles doesn't just save your lungs; it saves your home value. Your dwelling's energy efficiency will improve, since many remediation jobs include sealing leaks or improving airflow, which lowers future maintenance costs. Plus, spaces you once avoided in your home, like musty basements or bathrooms, can finally be put to work again without worry.
And don't forget the aesthetic upgrade: Patched walls, fresh paint, and clean finishes replace the unsightly, shiny, slimy stains mold leaves behind. Lastly, when it's time to sell, remediation proves its worth by removing one of the biggest red flags from inspection reports.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We survey real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
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