Mold Remediation in Richardson, TX
Richardson has the oldest housing of any town we cover, and that changes what a careful mold job looks like. Plano Mold Experts is a free quote service: independent, TDLR-licensed assessment and remediation companies that work in Richardson reply to one request. We are not a contractor and do not perform the work.
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A 1960s and 70s city, five miles south of Plano
Richardson went from 1,289 residents in 1950 to 48,405 in 1970 and 72,496 in 1980, so most of its neighborhoods are ranch homes and early two-stories from that boom. The ACS 2024 5-year survey gives a median year built of 1986, and 43.9% of its 45,818 occupied homes predate 1980, compared with 18.4% in Plano and 1.5% in Frisco. The Census Bureau’s July 2025 estimate is 118,542, essentially flat since 2020, because the city is built out.
Just under half of households rent (owner-occupancy is 50.7%), partly because of the Telecom Corridor workforce and UT Dallas. That means a large share of Richardson mold calls come from tenants and small landlords, which we address below.
What older slab homes do
Plumbers working in this part of North Texas report that 1960s to 80s slab homes often still have cast-iron drain lines under the slab and original copper or galvanized supply lines. On Houston Black clay, which swells when wet and shrinks when dry, those lines take decades of movement. The result is the classic Richardson slab leak: a warm patch of floor, a water bill that doubles, cupping hardwood, and a baseboard that is dark on the back when the assessor pulls it. Read more on mold after a slab leak.
Roofs here have been replaced several times after hail. The June 13, 2012 storm began over Plano and moved south along US 75 into east Dallas, right over Richardson, and the April 2016 and spring 2024 storms followed. Each replacement is a chance for flashing to be reset badly. Ceilings under those roofs, and under 40-year-old attic air handlers, are where attic and roof-leak mold starts.
Bathrooms with no exhaust fan, or a fan that vents into the attic, are common in this era, so bathroom ceiling mold is a frequent small job.
Pre-1978 materials. Roughly four in ten Richardson homes were built before 1980. Before any tear-out, ask two questions: does the EPA lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rule apply (it calls for an EPA Lead-Safe Certified firm when paint is disturbed in a pre-1978 home), and should ceiling texture, joint compound or sheet flooring be sampled for asbestos first? Questions to ask, not blanket requirements.
Renters and small landlords in Richardson
Texas has no landlord mold-inspection law and TDLR cannot force a cleanup. What tenants have is Property Code 92.052: after written notice, and if rent is current, a landlord must make a diligent effort to repair a condition that materially affects health or safety. Mold from a leak can be that condition. Put the request in writing and keep copies and photos. In buildings of 10 or more units, any job of 25 contiguous square feet or more must use licensed companies; smaller landlords are exempt on their own property, but hiring licensed companies still gets everyone the clearance report and certificate. More on the apartment and condo page. Not legal advice.
The Texas job, step by step
Assessment
A licensed assessment consultant inspects, maps moisture and writes the protocol. Separate company, separate invoice: typically $303–$1,044 (HomeAdvisor 2025).
Remediation
A different licensed company notifies TDLR, builds containment, runs HEPA filtration and removes material per the protocol. Typical published rate $10–$25 per square foot (This Old House 2026; Fixr 2025).
Clearance and certificate
The assessor clears the work; the Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation (TDI form MDR-1) follows within 10 days. Ask for it by name. These are published ranges, not quotes; see the cost guide.
Richardson mold questions
My Richardson home was built in 1968. What should I ask before tear-out?
Two things. Ask whether the work will disturb painted surfaces, because homes built before 1978 fall under the EPA lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rule and the firm doing the demolition should be EPA Lead-Safe Certified. And ask whether 1960s and 70s ceiling texture, joint compound or sheet flooring should be sampled for asbestos before anyone cuts into it. Those are questions, not automatic requirements, and a good assessor will answer them in the protocol.
I rent in Richardson and my apartment has mold. Who has to fix it?
Texas has no law requiring landlords to inspect for or clean mold, and TDLR cannot order a landlord to act. The lever is Property Code 92.052: a landlord must make a diligent effort to repair a condition that materially affects health or safety once you give notice and are current on rent. Put the request in writing, keep a copy, photograph the mold, and note that in a building of 10 or more units a job of 25 square feet or more must use licensed companies. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does it matter that Richardson is in two counties?
Not for the mold rules, which are statewide. Roughly two-thirds of Richardson is in Dallas County and the northern third in Collin County, but the City of Richardson issues its own building permits either way. Mold cleaning and removal usually need none; plumbing repairs, re-piping, foundation work, roofing and rebuilding walls usually do, pulled by the trade contractor. Confirm with the city.
Nearby areas
Plano is covered on the home page. To talk it through first, call (972) 472-8749.
Get Richardson quotes
Tell us the room, the rough size, the suspected water source and the age of the house or building, and whether you own or rent. Independent TDLR-licensed companies serving Richardson reply directly with free quotes.
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