What it costs
A mold inspection with MUSH in ROOM is a flat fee, not an estimate. The Visual Survey is $349, the Standard Inspection with laboratory air sampling is $599, and the Comprehensive Workup is $899 — each adjusted only by the size of your home. Laboratory fees are included, the 48-hour report is included, and there is no travel surcharge anywhere in our service area.
“Other companies inspect for free. Why do you charge $349?”
Because a free inspection is not free — it is paid for by the remediation job it is designed to sell. The company inspecting your home for nothing earns its money from what it finds, and it writes the scope of work for its own quote. That is not an accusation about anybody's honesty. It is simply how the incentive is built, and it is why the industry has the reputation it has.
We charge for the inspection because it is the entire product. We are paid the same whether we find a serious problem or nothing at all, which is the only arrangement under which our answer is worth anything to you. It is also why we can verify another contractor's remediation, why our reports hold up in insurance claims and rental disputes, and why we can tell you to save your money — which we do, regularly.
A $349 inspection that says "clean that patch yourself and fix the downspout" has saved you several thousand dollars. A free one rarely reaches that conclusion.
Three ways to buy
Named, flat-fee packages rather than a range you cannot compute. Most single-family homes in the Metro East need the Standard Inspection.
The Visual Survey
A professional read on what is there and what is feeding it.
- Full interior and accessible exterior visual survey
- Moisture meter readings on every suspect surface
- Thermal imaging of walls, ceilings and floors
- Humidity and dew point readings by level
- Identification of the water source
- Written report with photographs within 48 hours
- No laboratory samples
+ 4 more — see the full comparison
Best forGrowth you can already see, with a cause you already know and have corrected. You want an expert opinion on extent and cause — not a laboratory number.
Book thisThe Standard Inspection
The answer most Metro East homes actually need.
- Everything in the Visual Survey
- Two indoor air samples plus a same-day outdoor control
- Independent accredited laboratory analysis
- Species identification and spore counts
- Results interpreted in plain English
- Laboratory fees included — nothing billed afterwards
+ 3 more — see the full comparison
Best forNo visible growth but a smell, symptoms, a home purchase, or a dispute that needs documented proof rather than an opinion. This is our default recommendation unless your situation says otherwise.
Book thisThe Comprehensive Workup
For larger homes, several problem areas, or a hard deadline.
- Everything in the Standard Inspection
- Four indoor air samples plus outdoor control
- Rush 24–48 hour laboratory turnaround
- Fifteen-minute phone walkthrough with the inspector who attended
- Priority scheduling
+ 2 more — see the full comparison
Best forMulti-level homes, more than one suspect area, or a real estate or legal deadline where waiting three to five days for laboratory results is not an option.
Book thisWhat decides your exact price
Every number on this site is built from the same components, and you can work out yours before we ever schedule a visit. Tell us your square footage and whether you have a basement or crawl space, and we will give you an exact figure on the phone — not a range.
| Component | Price | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Visual & moisture survey (Band A) | $349 | The base inspection: every tier includes it |
| Band B uplift | +$80 | 1,501–3,000 sq ft or two levels |
| Band C uplift | +$160 | 3,001–4,500 sq ft or three levels |
| 2-sample lab bundle | +$250 | Two indoor air samples + one outdoor control, lab analysis included |
| 4-sample lab bundle | +$400 | Four indoor air samples + one outdoor control, lab analysis included |
| Single surface / tape-lift sample | +$125 | Only where growth is already visible |
| Crawl space physical entry | +$50 | Only if you have one and it must be entered |
| Rush lab turnaround (24–48 hrs) | +$75 | Standard lab time is 3–5 business days |
| Inspection-period priority scheduling | +$50 | Guarantees a visit inside your contract contingency window |
| Over 4,500 sq ft or multi-unit | Custom | Quoted before we schedule, never after |
The 48-hour written report is included in every tier at no extra charge, and there is no travel surcharge to any town in our service area.
Bundles
Radon and asbestos are measured on the same visit, so booking them together costs less than booking them apart.
Home Health Check
- Standard Inspection ($599)
- 48-hour radon test ($149)
The two tests every Metro East homeowner should have on record. Illinois is a high-radon state, and both are measured on the same visit.
Real Estate Bundle
- Standard Inspection ($599)
- 48-hour radon test ($149)
- Inspection-period priority scheduling ($50)
Scheduled inside your contract contingency window, with documentation formatted for negotiation.
Renovation Clearance
- Standard Inspection ($599)
- Asbestos sampling and lab analysis (from $249)
Before you open walls in a building older than about 1980. Disturbing asbestos is what makes it dangerous.
Everything else
| Service | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Post-remediation clearance testing | $299 – $499 | Independent verification of another contractor's work |
| Radon test (48-hour continuous monitor) | $149 – $249 | Discounted to $149 when booked with an inspection |
| Asbestos sampling and lab analysis | $249 – $499 | Price depends on the number of materials sampled |
| Indoor air quality assessment | $399 – $599 | Particulates, VOCs, CO2, humidity and ventilation |
What we will not charge you for
- The phone call. Consultations are free, and we will tell you if we do not think you need an inspection.
- Travel. Every town in our service area is charged at the same rate, from Edwardsville to Vandalia.
- The written report. Included in every tier, delivered within 48 hours.
- A finding. Our price is identical whether we find a serious problem or nothing at all.
If a company offers to test your home for nothing, ask who pays them when they find something. The answer is almost always the remediation contract that follows — which is the same company. More on that here.
Detailed pricing guides
How Much Does a Mold Inspection Cost?
A mold inspection with MUSH in ROOM is a flat fee: $349 for the Visual Survey, $599 for the Standard Inspection with laboratory…
How Much Does Mold Testing Cost?
Mold testing with MUSH in ROOM is a flat $599 as part of the Standard Inspection, and that figure already includes the laboratory…
Mold Remediation Cost in Illinois
Mold remediation in the Metro East typically runs $1,500 to $6,000 for a contained area such as a bathroom or a section of…
How Much Does an Air Quality Test Cost?
A professional indoor air quality assessment costs $299 to $599 in the Metro East depending on how many parameters are measured…
How Much Does a Radon Test Cost in Illinois?
A professional radon test in Illinois costs $149 to $249 using a continuous radon monitor placed for at least 48 hours. Illinois…
What a Mold Inspection Includes
A complete mold inspection includes a full visual survey, moisture meter readings on every suspect surface, thermal imaging…
Does Home Insurance Cover Mold?
Homeowners insurance generally covers mold only when it results from a sudden, accidental and covered water event — a burst pipe…
Is There Free Mold Testing?
Genuinely free mold testing from a neutral party is rare. Most "free mold inspections" are offered by remediation companies…
Common questions
Why do you charge when other companies inspect for free?
Because a free inspection is paid for by the remediation job it is designed to sell. We are paid the same whether we find a serious problem or nothing at all, which is the only arrangement under which our answer is worth anything to you.
Is the laboratory fee included?
Yes. The Standard Inspection at $599 and the Comprehensive Workup at $899 both include laboratory analysis. Nothing is billed separately afterwards.
What decides where I land in the size bands?
Band A covers up to 1,500 square feet on a single level. Band B adds $80 for 1,501 to 3,000 square feet or a second level. Band C adds $160 for 3,001 to 4,500 square feet or three levels. Anything larger is quoted before we schedule, never after.
Do you charge extra to come to my town?
No. Every town in the service area is the same price, whether you are in Edwardsville or Vandalia.
Can I pay for just the lab work?
We do not recommend it. Samples taken without moisture mapping and a same-day outdoor control produce numbers nobody can interpret, which is the most common way people waste money on mold testing.
Get a straight answer about your building
We test, document and verify. We never sell remediation, so we have no reason to find a problem you do not have.