Mold Remediation in Ann Arbor, MI
Prime Restoration, a local company based in Sterling Heights and not a franchise, provides mold remediation in Ann Arbor. A crew is typically on site in 25 minutes, 24/7. Prime gives a free estimate and a free 20-point moisture inspection, and bills your insurance company directly. Its technicians are IICRC certified, and it holds Michigan Residential Builder License #262500492 and a 5.0 rating on Google from 186 reviews. Call (586) 277-1069.
Mold testing and mold remediation are different steps, and Prime Restoration does both. Testing means moisture readings, thermal imaging and, when the job calls for it, air or surface samples that an accredited lab reads. The lab identifies species and concentration. Remediation removes the growth. A visible mold problem does not always need lab testing; a suspected mold problem without visible growth usually does.
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Mold inspection and mold testing in Ann Arbor
A musty smell, a stain that keeps coming back, or a home sale coming up? Prime Restoration inspects Ann Arbor homes for mold, takes moisture readings, finds the water source and tests when the job calls for it. The same crew then removes the mold and dries the area.
Local Ann Arbor branch · 0.3 miles from the center of Ann Arbor · on site in 25 minutes
Your local Ann Arbor mold remediation branch
Prime Restoration's Ann Arbor Office is at 206 S Main St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, 0.3 miles from the center of Ann Arbor. From this branch a crew is typically on site in 25 minutes, 24/7, across the historic districts near downtown, and the neighborhoods along the Huron River and the Allen, Malletts, Millers, Swift Run and Traver creek floodplains. The crew is set up for the homes here: older homes in historic districts, finished basements checked first for sanitary sewer backup, and houses inside mapped creek floodplains.
Prime Restoration has a 5.0 rating on Google from 186 reviews, and one project manager answers your calls from the first visit to the last repair. Every job gets detailed, itemized documentation for your insurance claim: dated moisture readings, photos and a line-item estimate your adjuster can check. Call (586) 277-1069.
What Ann Arbor Homeowners Need to Know
Ann Arbor sits on the Huron River, and five tributary streams have mapped floodplains. A basement that took water once, from a creek, a backup or a failed sump, is where a mold check starts.
Housing here is predominantly older central neighborhoods near downtown and the university, with newer subdivisions toward the city edges. The most common restoration-related issues in Ann Arbor are basement mold after a sanitary sewer backup, damp lower levels near Huron River tributaries, hidden growth behind finished basement walls. Our crews treat each property as its own project — scope, drying time, and rebuild needs are written based on what we measure on site, not a generic playbook.
Mold remediation projects in Ann Arbor almost always trace back to an underlying moisture condition. Here, that's most often basement mold after a sanitary sewer backup, which means addressing the moisture source is part of the scope on almost every job.
Mold in Ann Arbor after a basement backup
On December 9, 2025, the City of Ann Arbor reported a basement sewer backup in the Water Hill neighborhood (city notice, December 10, 2025).
The city’s own engineering guidance warns that poor yard drainage can also put a basement at risk. In April 2026, WEMU reported that more paved surface near the creeks of the Huron River watershed means less rain soaks into the ground.
Prime’s Ann Arbor office is at 206 S Main St. The free mold check uses a moisture meter and a thermal camera to find water behind finished basement walls.
Where mold starts in Ann Arbor homes
Five tributary streams in Ann Arbor have mapped floodplains: Allen, Malletts, Millers, Swift Run and Traver. When the city took up new FEMA flood maps in 2012, replacing the 1992 maps, 88 buildings were in a floodplain (Ann Arbor Chronicle, February 21, 2012).
A basement near one of those creeks can take groundwater after a long rain, before any water reaches the street. Damp block walls, carpet pad and the bottom of drywall are where mold starts.
Ann Arbor has 15 local historic districts, from a single property up to 344 properties. Older homes there have original plaster and trim worth saving, so Prime cuts out only what is wet or growing mold and photographs each wall before it is opened.
The city inspects every rental unit every 30 months under its Housing Code. A landlord who finds a musty basement before an inspection can call for the free mold check.
Call (586) 277-1069. Top-rated and highly local, typically on site in 25 minutes. See Ann Arbor mold remediation companies compared and all Google reviews.
Sources: City of Ann Arbor, "Dec. 10, 2025 Sanitary Sewer Overflow Notification"; City of Ann Arbor, Engineering, "Basements and Sump Pumps"; WEMU, "Several days of rain have brought flood risk around Huron River watershed," April 17, 2026; City of Ann Arbor, "About Floodplains"; The Ann Arbor Chronicle, "Ann Arbor Flood Maps Get Initial OK," February 21, 2012; City of Ann Arbor, Historic District Commission; City of Ann Arbor, Rental Housing Services.
What mold remediation costs in Ann Arbor
Prime Restoration publishes the same price bands on every page, so the number here matches the number on the full cost page. The affected square footage, not the room count, sets the band. A free on-site check measures the actual area before any number is given.
| Scope | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Under 30 sq ft | $1,500 to $3,500 |
| 30 to 100 sq ft | $3,000 to $6,000 |
| Over 100 sq ft | $5,000 to $9,000 or more |
| Whole-home | $10,000 to $30,000 or more |
What changes the price in Ann Arbor
- A basement sewer backup, like the December 2025 backup in Water Hill, is treated as a Category 3 job, which raises the containment and disposal cost.
- Finished basements in older central Ann Arbor homes add flooring and wall removal on top of the remediation itself.
These are published bands, not a quote for your home. Every job is priced from an on-site reading. See the mold remediation cost page for the full breakdown, or call for a free estimate.
How to compare mold remediation companies in Ann Arbor
Ask any company these questions before you sign. Prime Restoration’s own answer is next to each one.
| Check | Ask this | Prime Restoration’s answer |
|---|---|---|
| Response time | How fast can a crew be on site after you call? | Typically on site in 25 minutes, 24 hours a day, every day. |
| Containment method | Do they contain the work area, or treat the surface in open air? | Prime’s crews bring containment and air-handling equipment to the visit and self-perform the remediation. |
| Moisture-source fix | Do they find and fix the moisture source, or only remove the mold that is visible? | The same Prime crew that finds the moisture source performs the remediation, rather than handing the job to a separate mold subcontractor. |
| Self-performed work | Is the work self-performed, or handed to a subcontractor? | Prime self-performs mold remediation. |
| Written scope first | Do they give a written scope before any containment or removal starts? | Prime gives a written scope and a free on-site assessment before any equipment is dropped. |
| Warranty | What happens if the work is not right? | The Make-It-Right Guarantee: re-service at no charge if reported within 30 days of the final reading. Read the guarantee |
For a company-by-company comparison, see the Ann Arbor mold remediation comparison.
Permits & Code Compliance — Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor's Historic District Commission is a 7-member body appointed by the Mayor and City Council under Public Act 169, Michigan's local historic district law, so a house inside one of the city's historic districts needs the commission's review before exterior repairs. Besides the Huron River, five tributary streams have mapped floodplains: Allen, Malletts, Millers, Swift Run and Traver, and the lowest floor of any new residential structure in the floodplain must be elevated to 1 foot above the 0.2% annual chance (500-year) flood elevation. The city records that a number of times during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s large rainstorms pushed the sanitary sewer system past capacity and sewage backed up into homes in some neighborhoods, which is why a finished basement here is checked for sanitary contamination first. Where a sump discharges through a backflow prevention device, the city requires it to be tested by a licensed certified plumber and inspected by the city every 3 years. A rental cannot be leased unless a city Certificate of Compliance is in effect for the unit, so repairs to a water-damaged rental have to be finished and documented before the next tenant moves in. Houses fall under the 2015 Michigan Residential Code, which remains in force after a July 2025 court order paused the 2021 update.
Sources: Ann Arbor Historic District Commission · About floodplains · Building in the floodplain · Sewer backup history (Developer Offset Mitigation) · Basements and sump pumps · Rental housing Certificate of Compliance · Michigan LARA: current code books · LARA: 2021 residential code injunction notice
Mold Remediation — Ann Arbor, MI
Prime Restoration performs mold remediation following industry-standard protocol for safe, thorough mold removal. Our process includes full containment with negative air, HEPA filtration, removal of contaminated porous materials, surface cleaning with professional-grade antimicrobials, and post-remediation verification. Every project is documented so homeowners have paperwork for their insurance carrier.
Common causes we see in Ann Arbor
- •Long-term plumbing leak
- •Basement moisture / seepage
- •Roof leak
- •Poor attic ventilation
- •High indoor humidity
- •Prior water damage that was not properly dried
Signs to watch for
- •Visible black, green, or white growth
- •Musty or earthy smell
- •Water staining combined with odor
- •Allergic symptoms indoors (sneezing, itchy eyes)
- •Peeling paint or bubbling drywall
Our Mold Remediation Process in Ann Arbor
The same documented process on every project.
1. Moisture Source Diagnosis
We identify and document the moisture source (leak, condensation, humidity). Remediation without fixing the source is temporary.
2. Containment
Affected area is isolated with 6-mil poly barriers. Negative air pressure is established with HEPA filtration to prevent cross-contamination.
3. Removal
Contaminated porous materials (drywall, insulation, carpet pad, MDF) are removed and bagged inside containment. Framing is HEPA-vacuumed and wire-brushed.
4. HEPA Cleaning
All surfaces inside containment are HEPA-vacuumed twice. Professional-grade antimicrobial is applied following industry-standard mold remediation guidance.
5. Drying
Affected framing is dried to standard before reconstruction. Moisture readings are documented daily.
6. Post-Remediation Verification
Visual inspection confirms the area is "visibly clean" per industry-standard practice. For larger projects Prime takes an air or surface sample that an accredited lab reads.
7. Reconstruction
New drywall, insulation, and finishes are installed. Documented in Xactimate.
Equipment we bring to Ann Arbor
Reviews
What Ann Arbor Area Homeowners Say
5.0 Stars · 186 Verified Google Reviews
“Had a really good experience with Prime Restoration for mold remediation. They were professional, clear about the process, and actually made me feel confident about the process. Not pushy. I'd definitely recommend them around Bloomfield Hills”
Christian H.
Bloomfield Hills, MI
“Prime Restoration is a solid company in Michigan for basement floods and water damage. They're professional, knowledgeable and the kind of team you'd want handling a stressful situation.”
Nathan M.
Verified Google Review
“Prime Restoration in Bloomfield has an outstanding team for water damage restoration. Their crew is phenomenal. great people with top notch character who clearly know their stuff. Highly recommend for anyone facing water damage in Bloomfield.”
Ahmed W.
Bloomfield, MI
“Best in the game did my basement because it flooded and they left no messes clean and efficient”
Adam J.
Verified Google Review
“The Prime Restoration team was absolutely fantastic! Very professional and communicative. Completed the job in a timely manner. I would highly recommend!”
Jerome K.
Verified Google Review
“I called five different companies for restoration work, and Prime Restoration was hands down the fastest and most fair on price. They got me a quote the same day, while others were still "getting back to me." Their team works fast.”
Sean B.
Verified Google Review
Mold Remediation Questions — Ann Arbor, MI
Common questions from Ann Arbor homeowners before they call.
Is mold covered by homeowners insurance?
Prime Restoration: Coverage depends on your policy and the cause. Mold resulting from a sudden covered water loss (burst pipe) is usually covered. Mold from a long-term leak or poor maintenance is often excluded. We document the scope in Xactimate so you have itemized paperwork either way — your carrier makes the final coverage decision. Call (586) 277-1069.
Do I need a mold test first?
Prime Restoration: Visible mold does not always require testing before remediation — industry-standard practice allows visual confirmation in many cases. Testing is recommended when mold is suspected but not visible, when health symptoms are driving the investigation, or when tenants / real estate transactions are involved. Prime Restoration does the testing, and an accredited lab reads the samples. Call (586) 277-1069.
Will the mold come back?
Prime Restoration: Mold growth requires moisture. Industry-standard remediation physically removes visible mold growth and contaminated porous materials, but preventing recurrence depends on resolving the underlying moisture source. We document the moisture source and the corrective action taken so you have a record for future reference. Prime Restoration does not certify a property as mold-free and does not perform clearance testing; third-party industrial hygienist testing is available on request. Call (586) 277-1069.
Do I need to leave the house?
Prime Restoration: For contained remediation in a single area, most homeowners stay in place. For larger projects or when occupants have respiratory conditions, temporary relocation during active removal is sometimes recommended. Call (586) 277-1069.
Is Michigan mold remediation a licensed trade?
Prime Restoration: No. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) says the state does not certify mold remediators or mold testing companies. The EPA says an area under about 10 square feet can often be handled by the occupant, and that wet materials should be dried within 24 to 48 hours to prevent growth. Prime Restoration follows that EPA drying window on every job. Call (586) 277-1069.
Prime Restoration is a licensed restoration contractor. We document the full project scope with detailed, itemized paperwork so you have clear line-item records to submit to your carrier.
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Need Mold Remediation in Ann Arbor Now?
24/7 emergency dispatch. trained restoration crews. Typical response within 25 minutes across our core service area.