Mold in Walls & Drywall in Tacoma, WA

Signs to watch for

• A musty smell near a wall, especially one shared with a bathroom or kitchen.
• Peeling or blistered paint, or plaster that has started to crumble.
• Rust-colored stains spreading down from a ceiling corner after storms.
• Black or gray speckles behind furniture on an outside wall.
• Drywall or plaster that feels cool and damp days after the last rain.

Local conditions in Tacoma

Tacoma wraps around Commencement Bay, with the Thea Foss Waterway and the Puyallup River running through it. The city's comprehensive plan identifies the West End, North End and Tideflats as more exposed to coastal flooding and sea level rise than inland areas. Most wall mold in Tacoma homes, though, comes from inside the house or through the roof. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department's mold guidance makes the same point: mold grows where there is too much water, so stop leaks, repair roofs and plumbing, and move water away from basement walls.

Whether your house is in Hilltop, the Stadium District, Proctor, the North Slope or a newer subdivision, ask what the wall is made of before work starts. Plaster and lath, drywall, and different kinds of insulation are opened, bagged and patched in different ways, and that affects both the time and the price. A company that has worked in Tacoma homes of several eras should be able to explain how it will handle yours, and how it will match the existing finish when the wall is closed.

What affects the cost

Angi's Seattle cost guide lists wall mold at about $825 to $16,550 and drywall replacement at about $825 to $2,400. The main drivers are:

• How much wall area is affected and how far the damage runs inside the cavity.
• Whether plaster, insulation, sheathing or framing must be replaced.
• Containment needs in occupied homes and apartments.
• Repairs to the roof, plumbing or windows that caused the problem.

What happens when you call

You'll reach an independent local mold remediation company. Describe the wall, any known leak and when you noticed it. Ask whether they map moisture first, how they'll seal off the room, and whether rebuilding is included. Permits for structural or drywall repairs go through the City of Tacoma Permit Center. Renters who have given written notice and still have no repair can file a Rental Housing Code complaint through TacomaFirst 311.