Quick Answer:
The cost of contamination can vary widely depending on the size of the home, the level of contamination, and if it was used for smoking meth or a meth lab. We have jobs as low as $5,000 but have seen jobs that cost up to $120,000 but a very general average is between $15,000 and $20,000. Many times insurance will cover these costs. The costs range widely so make sure to read further about understanding these costs and feel free to reach out for a quote from Spaulding Decon.
Investing in real estate is a risky but potentially lucrative endeavor. Prices can skyrocket and plummet in a relatively short time-frame, but if you know the ins and outs of the market you operate in, you can successfully make a profit by fixing and flipping a house. Every once in a while, there comes an opportunity so lucrative, that it makes you wonder if its too good to be true. Well, thats because it probably is. Low prices on properties that are seemingly in pristine condition are usually a tell-tale sign that something suspicious was going on there before it was listed for sale.
More than often, these houses were used as methamphetamine labs, and are, as a result, completely uninhabitable. That is, until they are remedied by a professional meth lab cleanup service. But how much does it cost to clean a meth house, and can you still make a profit out of it? Thats a topic were going to tackle today, so read along if youre interested in purchasing such property for yourself or for reselling purposes.
Factors That Influence the Cost of Meth Mitigation
In order to know if a contaminated property is worth going after, youll need to know the costs of meth mitigation and what are the factors that drive up the expenses. Throwing numbers at you is not exactly helpful as costs can vary on a case-by-case basis. First and foremost, youll want to get a meth testing kit to get an idea of the amount of contamination. This will also make it easier for cleaning companies to give you a rough estimate. The level of contamination is crucial to determining the overall cost of the cleaning job as it will directly dictate the approach and equipment required to get the job done. Depending on the amount of contamination, cleaning companies will send more or fewer staff members and will apply different techniques.
For instance, cleaning a house that has had meth smoked in will likely be more cost-effective than cleaning a house that was used for production purposes. The reason for this is that during the cooking process, meth producers mix together anhydrous ammonia, lithium, and ether. Each of these ingredients on their own poses a great threat to human health, so you can imagine how dangerous they are when mixed together. On top of that, sulfuric acid and table salt are also added to the mixture, releasing an invisible toxic gas that then enters every porous item in the house.
Another factor that could potentially drive the costs up is the location. If youre purchasing a house in a state that requires the use of special equipment and has stricter regulations that dictate the maximum allowed amount of meth residue, you should expect to pay more. In other words, each state has a different clearance mandate that affects if a house is considered habitable.
Why You Want to Hire Professionals
Its worth mentioning that some retailers try to figure out how to clean meth residue on their own. They use bleach and other disinfectants or hire uncertified and amateur cleaning companies in an effort to cut down costs and save some money. It goes without saying that this practice ends up costing them more in the long run. The problem with meth residue is that its not as visible as people think it is. Unlike tobacco smoke that leaves a yellowish stain on the walls, meth is a well-hidden health and environmental threat.
By hiring skilled and experienced professionals, you are giving yourself the highest chance for restoring your property to its previous shine. Meth lab cleanup is a comprehensive process that is best left to the professionals. Aside from experience and skill, meth lab remediation crews use special equipment that guarantees the removal of all toxic airborne particles. This equipment includes Industrial HEPA vacuums, negative air scrubber machines, special detergent water solutions, and, most importantly, various safety equipment.
Another reason why you want to consider hiring an established cleaning company is the guarantees and insurances they provide. You can feel confident youre getting an all-in-one package when dealing with highly-trained and well-equipped professionals.
While you might be tempted to lower the meth lab cleanup costs by resorting to more affordable options, we would strongly recommend against this as it has been proven time after time that inexperienced cleaners will leave your property inhabitable.
Hire experts you can trust and increase the chances of flipping a property or making it your home.
If you would like to know more about restoring properties and reselling them at a profit, or if youre interested in finding out more about complex cleaning processes, make sure to check out our other articles.
More Meth Clean Up Related Resources:
- How to Clean a Meth House: Step by Step Guide
- Was Your House a Meth House? Heres How to Tell
- Health Dangers of Living in a Former Meth Lab
- Mention the Methods of Decontamination
- Meth Lab Remediation and Testing Guide
- Meth Contamination: Why Are Meth Labs so Difficult to Repair?
- Meth Lab Cleanup No Longer a Trademark