# Mold Remediation Cost: What the EPA Size Tiers Do to a Bid

Canonical URL: https://www.simplywise.com/blog/mold-remediation-cost/
Plain text: https://www.simplywise.com/blog/mold-remediation-cost/llms.txt
Publisher: SimplyWise, Inc. (https://www.simplywise.com)
Published: September 11, 2026
Updated: October 23, 2026
Category: Project Cost Guides
Summary: Mold remediation cost broken down by the EPA size tiers, with 2026 supplier prices for containment sheeting, respirators, and coatings, plus BLS hazmat wages.

---

## Mold Remediation Cost: What the Size Tiers Do to a Bid

The federal guidance does not price the work. It sets the scope, and the scope is what moves the number.

At a glance

1. The US EPA splits the work by affected surface area: under 10 square feet, 10 to 100, and above 100. Gear and containment step up at each line.
2. Below 10 square feet the EPA lists containment as “None required”. That one line moves the number more than every material price on this page put together.
3. 6 mil clear polyethylene runs $0.054 to $0.081 per square foot on bulk rolls at two suppliers, September 11, 2026.
4. A disposable N95 two pack runs $8.99 to $12.99. A half mask with P100 cartridges is $45.49.
5. BLS puts the median hazardous materials removal wage at $23.78 an hour, the top tenth above $39.62.
6. No national franchise publishes a dollar table.

## What actually drives mold remediation cost

Materials are cheap. Containment and labor are not. That is why a mold remediation cost quoted per square foot tells a customer little: two jobs of identical size price differently the moment one needs the room sealed.

## The size tiers that set the scope

The US EPA publishes remediation guidelines built on affected surface area, in its guide for schools and commercial buildings, and is explicit that this is a scoping tool: they “are based on the size of the affected area to make it easier for remediators to select appropriate techniques, not on the basis of health effects or research showing there is a specific method appropriate at a certain number of square feet.”

| EPA tier (total surface area affected) | Personal protective equipment | Containment |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small, less than 10 square feet | Minimum N95 respirator, gloves, and goggles | None required |
| Medium, between 10 and 100 square feet | Limited or Full, on professional judgment | Limited, on professional judgment |
| Large, greater than 100 square feet | Full | Full, on professional judgment |

Its consumer page puts it plainly: “If the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet (less than roughly a 3 ft. by 3 ft. patch), in most cases, you can handle the job yourself.” That mark is where a hardware store fix becomes a mold remediation cost.

## What the materials cost in 2026

Shelf prices at two independent suppliers, Sutherlands and McCoy’s, captured September 11, 2026. Both publish a price per store, so a spread inside a row is store to store geography rather than an average. Four rows rest on one supplier only: the 500 square foot roll, the N95 two pack, the half mask, and the primer. Their spreads are that supplier’s store network, not a two supplier comparison.

| Item | Published price | Bid line |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 6 mil clear polyethylene, 100 ft rolls | $0.054 to $0.081 per sq ft | Containment |
| 6 mil clear polyethylene, 500 sq ft roll (one supplier) | $0.130 per sq ft | Small roll penalty |
| N95 valved respirator, 2 pack (one supplier) | $8.99 to $12.99 | EPA minimum, small work |
| Half mask respirator, P100, dual cartridge (one supplier) | $45.49 | Larger scopes |
| Replacement particulate filters | $19.99 to $30.99 | Per worker, per job |
| Mold control solution, 14.1 oz | $9.09 to $13.99 | Surface treatment |
| Mold and mildew blocking primer, 1 gal (one supplier) | $38.98 to $47.99 | Coating, once dry |

On a 400 square foot containment the sheeting is under forty dollars. The mold remediation cost a customer pushes back on is never the plastic.

## The labor line

BLS publishes wages for occupation 47-4041, Hazardous Materials Removal Workers, the honest federal match rather than a general laborer code. The May 2025 file counts 51,710 of them nationally.

| Measure, 47-4041, US, May 2025 | Hourly | Annual |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10th percentile | $18.49 | $38,460 |
| Median | $23.78 | $49,450 |
| Mean | $27.13 | $56,430 |
| 90th percentile | $39.62 | $82,410 |

These are wages, not billed rates. Burden, overhead, and margin sit on top before a mold remediation cost is quotable.

## Price the scope, not the square footage

A containment job carries a dozen lines a wipe down job does not. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo into an itemized, branded estimate in about 6 seconds, with unit, quantity, and price on every line. Pricing is $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr, about $20/mo annual, with a 7-day free trial.

## Why nobody publishes a per square foot number

We checked the national franchises. Their mold pages carry no dollar figures. Each wants an inspection first: the tier a job lands in is not visible from the street. A small shop competes against a number the customer imagined, not a published price. Scope shown line by line, containment its own item, closes that gap.

## How to build the line

1. Measure the affected surface, not the room A 3 ft by 3 ft patch on one wall of a large room is a small job.
2. Decide containment before anything else None required, limited, or full. One decision sets crew days, sheeting, and gear at once.
3. Price consumables per worker per day Cartridges, filters, gloves, and suits are consumed, not amortized.
4. Carry the moisture fix as its own line Mold follows water. Whatever caused it is separate scope and separate money.

## Keep reading

- Basement Waterproofing Cost (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/basement-waterproofing-cost/)
- Drywall Contractor Pricing Guide (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/drywall-contractor-pricing-guide/)
- Contractor Hourly Labor Rates by Trade (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/contractor-hourly-labor-rates-by-trade/)

## Sources

- US EPA, Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings Guide, Table 2 (https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-remediation-schools-and-commercial-buildings-guide-chapter-5) (size tiers, scoping caveat; EPA 402-K-01-001, updated April 14, 2026; verified 2026-08-28).
- US EPA, Mold Cleanup in Your Home (https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-cleanup-your-home) (the 10 square foot line; verified 2026-08-28).
- BLS OEWS, May 2025 national file (https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) (national_M2025_dl.xlsx, occupation 47-4041; cross checked against the BLS API v2; verified 2026-08-28).
- Sutherlands (https://sutherlands.com/) (items 1004514, 7291016, 502872, 1352178, 1507631, 2125706, 1987635; verified 2026-09-11).
- McCoy’s Building Supply (https://www.mccoys.com/) (items 271318, 7020175, 7527773, 5410493, 0989012; verified 2026-09-11).
- IICRC, ANSI/IICRC S520 Standard for Professional Mold Remediation (https://iicrc.org/s520/) (Fourth Edition 2024; verified 2026-08-28).
- SimplyWise Cost Estimator, App Store (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/simplywise-cost-estimator/id6670619664) (4.8 rating; verified 2026-08-28).

## Mold remediation cost: common questions

**At what size does a mold job stop being a homeowner job?**

The EPA writes that “If the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet (less than roughly a 3 ft. by 3 ft. patch), in most cases, you can handle the job yourself.” Above that it points to the commercial guide.

**What protective equipment does the EPA list for a small job?**

For the tier under 10 square feet, EPA Table 2 lists “Minimum N-95 respirator, gloves, and goggles” and, for containment, “None required”.

**Is there a published per square foot price for this work?**

Not from the national franchises. Their mold pages carry no dollar figures, so every number here is a material price or a federal wage.

**Do the EPA size tiers set the price?**

No. The EPA states the tiers exist “to make it easier for remediators to select appropriate techniques, not on the basis of health effects or research showing there is a specific method appropriate at a certain number of square feet.” They set the scope, and the scope is what you price.

**Is there an industry standard for the procedure?**

Yes. The IICRC publishes ANSI/IICRC S520, “a procedural standard for the remediation of mold damaged structures and contents”, Fourth Edition 2024.

**Can SimplyWise price a containment job?**

Yes. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo into an itemized, branded estimate in about 6 seconds. Free to try.

---

## About SimplyWise

SimplyWise, Inc. (New York, NY) builds mobile apps for contractors, tradespeople, and small business owners. The SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a job site photo into an itemized estimate with labor and material costs in about 6 seconds, and the client signs the branded quote to approve it. It is rated 4.8 on the App Store. It is free to try with a 7-day free trial, then $29.99 per month or $239.99 per year (about $20 per month on the annual plan), and one subscription includes every app in the SimplyWise suite.

- Download: https://www.simplywise.com/download
- App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/simplywise-cost-estimator/id6670619664
- Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplywise.costestimator
- Every SimplyWise page as plain text: https://www.simplywise.com/blog/llms.txt